On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 8:08 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:

> oh right.......I was going to mention that.
> I have seen people press out the steel insert, which I highly do NOT
> recommend !~
> there must be a reason Mercedes built that steel insert into their wheels.
> it's very easy to keep them in the wheels and just drill them out for a 14
> mm stud or bolt.
> Besides, when you press the inserts out, the stud hole is bigger than you
> need it to be.
> Plus, the ball face is part of the steel insert.........
> heck, I know a vanagon guy with some 14 inch Benz wheels with the inserts
> pressed out. They are 'garden sculpture' objects to me without those steel
> inserts.

Scott,

When you remove the insert, you get a 60� conical seat lughole. The insert
works similar to a conical seat lugnut.
I've seen these wheels in use in that manner for years. My RHD singlecab had
them from 1982 until I sold it to Vic
Ahmed about 5 years ago. So about 20 years of use w/o incidents. As they
say, YMMV.

BenT