First Form Wheels from Bognor Motors

B

Badger

Member
T6 Pro
I thought I would share my experience of Bognor Motors and First form set of wheels purchased from them. I found out the hard way while driving to Italy that the standard wheel wrench does not fit into the hole (space) where the wheel nut/bolts are located. The good old saying ‘ square peg in round hole. This isn’t apparent and I only found out the hard way when I had a flat tire and was stranded on the side of the road with the wheel wrench not being able to slot onto the bolt. I was never advised that the standard wheel wrench (supplied with a new T6.1 does not fit these wheels and found out the hard way. I have been cursing Bognor Motors all throughout while waiting at the side of the road for recovery in Italy. Expensive mistake and I wanted to share this experience. Ofcourse checking wheel wrench/brace against the after market wheel nuts and wheels is my responsibility but you assume that the van is new and the tools supplied with the van will work! Anyone looking to get new 18’s or similar from First form or other brand be advised that the standard wheel brace will most likely become useless. Thanks Ollie & Bognor Motors for the warning, expensive mistake and I have learnt my lesson!
C6D7D9D1-102F-4AF6-A15D-D454D58CDA85.jpeg
 
I think most aftermarket large alloys are 17mm wheel bolt and also some don’t have space for a normal size socket to fit into the hole in the wheel.
Buy a good quality socket-I broke the one I had trying to take off my 20’s as they are torqued on pretty high. 180Nm I think. So not only get the right size socket but buy a long breaker bar and test it to make sure you can actually get the nuts off should you need to.
 
Yep std bolts are 19mm head which is quite unusual. Most OEM and aftermarket bolts are 17mm head. I would presume that even if the brace was able to get into the holes on those wheels that its probably 17mm bolts heads as well so wouldnt have worked anyway.

I also have the extendable brace with head head that does 17 / 19mm as the factory ones are crap IMO.
 
Not sure I’d blame Bognor for your oversight?

Whenever I’ve done road trips, especially international, I have my own box of ‘get me home’ tools in my van, decent wheel brace, decent bottle jack, torque wrench, socket set, VW/Audi tyre inflator with goo, tyre inflator, battery charger, battery booster, 1st aid kit, lamps, fuses etc.

If all else fails I can fall back on Green Flag European breakdown.
 
Badger said:
I thought I would share my experience of Bognor Motors and First form set of wheels purchased from them. I found out the hard way while driving to Italy that the standard wheel wrench does not fit into the hole (space) where the wheel nut/bolts are located. The good old saying ‘ square peg in round hole. This isn’t apparent and I only found out the hard way when I had a flat tire and was stranded on the side of the road with the wheel wrench not being able to slot onto the bolt. I was never advised that the standard wheel wrench (supplied with a new T6.1 does not fit these wheels and found out the hard way. I have been cursing Bognor Motors all throughout while waiting at the side of the road for recovery in Italy. Expensive mistake and I wanted to share this experience. Ofcourse checking wheel wrench/brace against the after market wheel nuts and wheels is my responsibility but you assume that the van is new and the tools supplied with the van will work! Anyone looking to get new 18’s or similar from First form or other brand be advised that the standard wheel brace will most likely become useless. Thanks Ollie & Bognor Motors for the warning, expensive mistake and I have learnt my lesson!
View attachment 177260
Click to expand...
The chances of undoing a wheel bolt torqued to 180Nm with that piece of crap is not high.
I advise packing a 1/2” drive sliding T bar with a tube extension, 4” extension and a 6 sided socket.
 
Insert Coin said:
Not sure I’d blame Bognor for your oversight?

Whenever I’ve done road trips, especially international, I have my own box of ‘get me home’ tools in my van, decent wheel brace, decent bottle jack, torque wrench, socket set, VW/Audi tyre inflator with goo, tyre inflator, battery charger, battery booster, 1st aid kit, lamps, fuses etc.

If all else fails I can fall back on Green Flag European breakdown.
Click to expand...
Snap, even when in the UK I have pretty much the same tools as yourself. Never rely on the VW tool as it’s there to tick a box and that’s it.

Also good to have a wheel puncture kit with the cigarette lighter compressor, used the goo when I had my Q5 and it was useless.
 
Badger said:
I thought I would share my experience of Bognor Motors and First form set of wheels purchased from them. I found out the hard way while driving to Italy that the standard wheel wrench does not fit into the hole (space) where the wheel nut/bolts are located. The good old saying ‘ square peg in round hole. This isn’t apparent and I only found out the hard way when I had a flat tire and was stranded on the side of the road with the wheel wrench not being able to slot onto the bolt. I was never advised that the standard wheel wrench (supplied with a new T6.1 does not fit these wheels and found out the hard way. I have been cursing Bognor Motors all throughout while waiting at the side of the road for recovery in Italy. Expensive mistake and I wanted to share this experience. Ofcourse checking wheel wrench/brace against the after market wheel nuts and wheels is my responsibility but you assume that the van is new and the tools supplied with the van will work! Anyone looking to get new 18’s or similar from First form or other brand be advised that the standard wheel brace will most likely become useless. Thanks Ollie & Bognor Motors for the warning, expensive mistake and I have learnt my lesson!
View attachment 177260
Click to expand...
So are you saying that before embarking on a long trip, you didn’t check your wheel nuts? If you had you would have found this..
 
My OEM bolts went in/on no problem with Navis Twin 5, they seem a lot more substantial than the 17 bolts that came with them.
 
Dave Lawson said:
My OEM bolts went in/on no problem with Navis Twin 5, they seem a lot more substantial than the 17 bolts that came with them.
Click to expand...
A lot of aftermarket wheels, including Navis, are supplied with replacement bolts because the bolt seat is not the same as OEM wheels.

OEM VW wheels use radius seat bolts, most aftermarket wheels use 60 degree tapered seat bolts. The two should never be mixed and matched. If using the wrong ones you only have a tiny percentage of the seat actually in contact with the wheel.

I have seen bolts undo themselves almost completely and wheels close to falling off when the incorrect bolt has been used. I would be getting those OEM bolts out and putting the supplied ones in as soon as possible.
 
We’ve always verbally told customer customers about different wheel nut size after wheel replacement, it would appear this didn’t happen with you @Badger so apologies to you and your family.

In the near two years since you purchased your wheel and tyre package, we have very much changed our system regarding wheel supply and hold a full stock of wheel braces for customers to purchase in addition to their wheels.

I’m presently away on holiday, but when back into the office Monday will arrange a wheel brace FOC to be sent out to you- please can you DM contact details so I can arrange this.
 
Last edited:
Loz said:
So are you saying that before embarking on a long trip, you didn’t check your wheel nuts? If you had you would have found this..
Click to expand...
BognorMotors said:
In the near two years since you purchased your wheel and tyre package,
Click to expand...
Looks like he's not had them long Loz, so perhaps didn't feel the need to carry out regular checks. No, wait...
 
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