Wheel Rim Damage - Lug nuts put on wrong

I have a Toyota yaris 2008. An auto shop put my summer tires *on their own rims) on in the spring. A friend changed my summer tires to my winter tires on their own rims, and discovered that the lugs nuts had been put on wrong in the spring and there was some wear and burrs on the holes of the rims with the summer tires
where they go on over the bolts on the wheel. The auto shop wants to file the holes down (this happened on all four rims) rather than give me new rims, and work out a deal if I buy new summer tires (which I will need) and not charge me for the tire mounting and balancing. Aside from the deal not being a good one financially for me, I am not so comfortable with this “solution” and wonder if it is safe and if anything else was damaged on the bolts or any other part connected with the rotating rims while I was driving or while I am now driving with the winter tires on? I am a female, so also feel like they see an easy target…

It depends on how much they need to file off. If it’s just removing burrs, it should be OK as long as they paint the bare metal if the rims are painted.

I’d like to know how they were “put-on wrong”. Did they cross thread them, which does not sound like the problem you are attempting to describe? Did they put them on upside down, which could cause burrs but a little grinding would take care of this.

The lug nuts have a tapered side and the holes in the wheels are tapered. As long as they go tapered to tapered, you are OK. A few small burrs at the top of the holes won’t hurt anything.

Until I see pictures of this damage, I’m not ready to condemn the shop

And while you’re at it, show us pictures of the lug nuts in question, as well

Also show us pictures of both sets of rims in questions, both the original rims and “on their own rims” . . . I’m not 100% sure what you mean with that. I have an idea, but it’s best if you remove all doubts

Not all lug nuts are compatible with all rims, so it could make a difference

3 Likes