Lug Bolt Replacement - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

gregdacat · 10-29-2008, 12:45 PM

Okay I like my stock wheels but hate the rusted worn out looking lug bolts. I have searched around and found replacement stainless or chrome bolts that run $160-240. Then I find these on ebay for $35 and free shipping.

What do you guys think? If they rust like the oem bolts I could replace them 6 times before I spend more than the cost of the Stainless bolts.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290269700260&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

Burg Boxster · 10-29-2008, 01:45 PM

cheaper solution yet... repaint the lug bolts like a lot of people do.
Just use a wire brush and sand paper to get all the rust off, then prime them quickly and spray paint w/ a metallic silver or any color you want. Beer Bottles make great holders so you don't even have to mask anything off. Soooo get drinking as you'll need 20 bottles

Or you can just add caps

Lil bastard · 10-29-2008, 02:38 PM

Interesting that when you enlarge the pic it says:

ekam · 10-29-2008, 07:00 PM

I got the $120 stainless steel set on ebay.

Chrome plating will come off eventually and it will still rust.

Triumphblack · 10-30-2008, 04:09 AM

Performance products has some plastic crome caps that look and wear great. A dab of rubber cement ( let it drycompletely) holds them on even at high speed and rough roads. Since it is only rubber cement, removal is easy.

jmatta · 10-30-2008, 05:30 AM

Just paint them; why waste your money?

Kirk · 10-30-2008, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregdacat

What do you guys think? If they rust like the oem bolts I could replace them 6 times before I spend more than the cost of the Stainless bolts.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290269700260&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

They look cheap to me. The bolt and the rounded part that contacts the wheel are one piece. That's not how OEM lug bolts are and that's not how my chrome ones from Vertex ($75 for a set) are. I think I've seen some stuff about this in the manual too. There should be a rounded washer that goes between the bolt and the wheel and that washer should move freely from the bolt. I believe if you use a one-piece design like this the bolt could potentially grab at the wheel and mare the mating surface, thus screwing up your wheel.

Kirk

edevlin · 10-30-2008, 08:05 AM

I have an extra set of the Booth bolts for the front wheels if you are interested, great looking bolts. I just got the front wheels, because those are the ones that are easiest to see.

I got them, then almost immediately put spacers on the wheels and needed longer bolts. For what its worth, I have painted my stock bolts that I currently use with spacers. For me, paint does not last very long, especially if you are swapping rims very much like I do,

Ed

Mike_Yi · 10-30-2008, 08:42 AM

Another option would be to coat them with POR-15, then paint them. POR-15 is hard as hell and will resist chipping from lug wrenches.

gregdacat · 10-30-2008, 02:55 PM

Thanks for all the great tips. I had never actually removed the old bolts so I did not know about the washer. I think I am going the painting route. I googled POR-15 looks like good stuff. I am going to get started on the bolt holders by starting on some Sam Adams during the Cincinnati- South Florida football game tonight.