Wheel bolts conical vs ball for application?

mk4rally

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Location
Edmonton Canada
TDI
MK4 Jetta TDI
I'm just wondering, the factory ball seat bolts fit fine on stock wheels but I'm running steelies..
With my wheel spacers I need all new bolts, wasnt sure if for plain black steelies, if ball seat is still the best option, or if conical is better because it will work with my aftermarket wheels in summer.,,,

I was told that the factory rims need ball seat bolts, which are fine... but what about normal steelies? They take either just as happily? Don't want to spend $100 twice for two sets of wheel bolts....

thanks.. please advise :)
 

Seatman

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Apr 23, 2010
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2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
If the steels are vw then they're the same ball ended things, it's usually just after market wheels that take the conical ones.
 

mk4rally

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2013
Location
Edmonton Canada
TDI
MK4 Jetta TDI
plain black steels.
no idea as to source
and im not sure about the difference, like if you use conical but should have used ball.. how bad/what effect results?

I ought to buy two sets just to be safe really.. and just avoid the problem, but its also possible that im using aftermarket black steelies with ball seat bolts right now, and they seem fine...
not an issue im familiar with.
 
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Seatman

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Apr 23, 2010
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Scotland
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2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
They wont seat properly and might wear the holes down or something I'd imagine.
 

Lug_Nut

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The steel wheels (I've not ever seen cone seat steel wheels) will be more forgiving of a contact difference (cone seat into spherical socket) than would an alloy wheel.
The VW factory alloys with which I have familiarity (mark2, mark3, B4, B5) all used the ball seat as well.

Aftermarket, non-VW, alloy wheels might use cone seat.
 
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Votblindub

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Dec 22, 2010
Location
NY
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MK4 Jetta Wagon
The steel wheels (I've not ever seen cone seat steel wheels) will be more forgiving of a contact difference (cone seat into spherical socket) than would an alloy wheel.
The VW factory alloys with which I have familiarity (mark2, mark3, B4, B5) all used the ball seat as well.

Aftermarket, non-VW, alloy wheels might use cone seat.
This.

Steelies are ok with most things, the holes in them are relatively flat and there's room for either cone or ball. Aftermarket wheels are a whole different story. You should be ok with either.
 

captaincaveman

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Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Location
Ackerman, MS
TDI
96 Passat TDI
Just be careful. I have seen 2 wheels run off (1 off each of 2 different vehicles) from using ball seat on aluminum cone seat wheels. The contact pattern was about a 1/8" ring that was actually doing all the holding. :eek::eek:
 
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