Had the unfortunate luck of getting a flat tire on memorial day. Luckily my A4 comes with 24 hour roadside assitance (dispatched towing company)!!!! Not...when the tow truck came to replace the flat tire with the measly little spare the roadside service "technician" put the spare on my car with my aftermarket lugnuts, not the spare lug nuts. When I tried driving off my car would not move. I called service agian and they sent out a differet tow truck with a different driver to tow my car...immediately he recognized the mistake the initial driver had made. He did not put the proper lug nuts on the spare, thus damaging my front brakes.<p>The Audi dealership told me that their Audi Service Rep would not cover the damage because I have aftermarket wheels!!!!! This has nothing to do with my aftermarket wheels!!!!! First of all, I followed protocol and called Audi Roadside Service to have my tire and wheel changed. I did not put the wrong lug nuts on the spare.<p>Secondly, the second tow truck driver immediately identified what the problem was and that the car should have been towed rather than putting the wrong lug nuts on.<p>I am awaiting the Audi Service Reps call...I need your input as to how I should handle this with Audi. I do not feel I should have to pay $500 for a mistake the Roadside Service people made. I understand Audi Roadside Service is dispatched...but shouldn't the towing companies know how to properly change a spare. All advice is appreciated.

It has been posted many times if you have aftermarket wheels you MUST keep 5 stock bolts for use with the spare. We must all take note to add this to our tool kit.<br>Again I'm sorry for your problem but I won't comment on who is responsible for this damage.<br>Roy M

dd

Having to wait a few hours or more, especially on a holiday, for the roadside service is not worth it for just a flat tyre. It's very easy to do and directions are even in the manual....<br>unless you're afraid to break a nail or get your hands all dirty :o)<p>

I purchased a used A6 which has BBS rims.<p>I can change a tire, but am not familiar with why the lug nuts have an effect.<p>Could someone explain what happens? (are they too short?)<p>Thanks

<br>hfgfg

<br>I'm sure that the poor guy/gal already realized that it would have been much easier to try and fix the flat himself/herself. Stating that "tire changes are easy" doesn't add much value to the current discussion. Besides, the driver could have been the crew chief for a race team (who know's?) and made the decision to not chance the tire change himself/herself because of a narrow shoulder and crazy/drunk memorial day traffic. Or maybe the lugs were tightened with an impact wrench and required more than your "emergency" hardware to loosen. OK, I'll stop rambling now.<p>-CK<br>99.5 2.8qms<br>Santorin/Onyx<br>(coming monday)

and when used with the spare those longer bolts interfere with the hub, locking the wheel in place.

where you have to chalk the $500 up to "I learned something." I screwed up my '87 by allowing the dealer repairing my stolen car to put spacers on instead of sending the wheels that didn't fit back to Tire Rack. Cost me a few hundred, so I learned about checking for fit. This A4 owner has now learned about aftermarket lug bolts and spare tires, and will do his best to help those who don't know. You're right, easy for one person isn't easy for another.<p>Jon<br>'96 A4qs

responsible for things to turn out right. If you are part of the problem you should admit it, but other wise I am sorry for you troubles.

As has been pointed out, aftermarket wheels may require different length bolts. Even if your replacement wheels use the same length bolts, they probably don't use the "radius" seat that the OE wheels use. All of the aftermarket wheels I have used have "cone" seats. Take a look at one of the stock lug bolts and you will see that it is rounded on the part which contacts the wheel, on most aftermarket wheels this will be flat. [random fact: LLTek points out that their wheels use radius seats.] I haven't gotten around to getting a spare set of lug bolts, but I make sure to keep 5 of the OE bolts in the trunk when I am not using my stock wheels.

...should not be expected to keep track of the different bolts for hundreds of cars and the thousands of wheel options available for them. It is not Audi's responsibility or the tow operator's. Bet you won't let this happen again! BTW, I can't imagine waiting all that time for a tow truck just to change a tire. Takes about five minutes to do it yourself! :-)<p>Charles<br>

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