Locking wheel nuts.. removal as I've bust the key?

Stormster

Stormster

Stormster

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Basically I bust my locking wheel nut key when I put some different wheels on my car a few months ago... and tonight one of my back tyres was pretty flat, nursed it to the garage, it was on 6psi (usually pump to 32psi - 195/45/15's)

Luckily I'd tightened up (quite well lol) all nuts when I fitted said new wheels, but on the last locking wheel nut the key just snapped! Literally had just fitted new wheels typically and wanted to double check they're tight. It's a 3 pin key.

So basically I know I need to get this sorted asap now...

The locking wheel nuts I think are original vauxhall ones and were on the car (bog standard) when I got it, theres a pic below. I'm wondering can I get a key like this? Or if it's unique?

Or what are my options if not and this key is somehow unique? I really hope it's an off the shelf key though... but would a garage be able to sort this for me, cheaply, without damaging my wheels in the process?

key1.jpg

key2.jpg


and the mangled nut:

Photo-0170.jpg

Photo-0169.jpg


Thanks for any advice :)
 
yes. they will be able to still get it off.
kwik fit didnt charge to break mine off.
 
Had hell and all trouble when something similar happened to my old Peugeot locking nuts.
The one wheel with the rounded nut was the one wheel of course I managed to get a puncture in.
It can take 4-6 weeks to get a replacement locking wheel key from Peugeot (not great to hear when you've got a puncture).
So in the end they had to go for the "crack it off" option - took 2hrs, charged me an hours labour.

Hopefully you'll have better luck with Vauxhall.
Although I quite liked the idea that it took them 2hrs to remove the nut - at least you felt nobody was going to be easily able to get your wheels.
 
Cheers for the replies.. It's gonna be a back street garage job this one methinks lol, not buying Vaux lockers again, apparently quite common these 3 prong thingies doing this.

Not very mechanically minded myself, I'd do more harm than good lol. Will have to phone some local garages see what the score is :(
 
stoofa said:
So in the end they had to go for the "crack it off" option - took 2hrs, charged me an hours labour.
Click to expand...


2 hours? thats shocking. 2 mins for mine - a very tight socket and an air compressed gun and a bit of hammering.
 
Did somebody mention locking nuts?

Oooooh, can i? Can i please? Come in, it's been weeks since the last time i did it?

Awww, thanks :D























































lolxb2.jpg


V. tight fitting socket, lump hammer, impact gun/jump on a breaker bar (just something to "shock" the bolt free)

Percussion engineering at it's best.
 
Find a nice back street garage and they'll probably do it for a tenner in cash, alternatively ask your nearest Scouser.

Seriously though that design of locking nut is really really easy to remove. There's a tool which is similar to that old toy where you have a load of nails in a plastic case and you can use it to make an imprint of your hand, no idea what they're called but it's basically one of them only on a socket and somewhat stronger, you can use that to turn the nut. It tends to mangle the locking nut a bit but your wheels will be fine, then go and buy some decent locking nuts.

As an aside, unless you have 3 stud wheels or something then you should be safe driving with one nut missing so long as the others are tight and you don't drive with excessive speed/acceleration/braking, not sure if it's legal so only do it to get to your nearest car parts shop for some new locking nuts.
 
I've got some spare bolts which aint lockers which'd do till I buy some new locking nuts. I assume I can take one out whilst the car is on the ground and fit a locker asap after they're done without any ill effect?

Cheers for the replies again, nice work there in the pics haha... Will prob take it a dodgy back street garage I know but I'm sure they do this stuff for cash loads of times, need a tyre reseal too, from last night (32PSI at around 1am) to 3pm today (25psi) it's losing what it'd normally lose in a week. Doh :D
 
Local mercedes specialist charged me £20 for breaking mine off when i broke the key to my s-class. Took all of about 5mins to do but to be fair to them they wrecked a few of their sockets.
 
Halfords for £11ish do a socket that you whack on with an impact hammer, and then undo with ratchet (reverse threaded, so tightens over nut as you undo).
Won't work with a locking nut with spinning outside though.

Alternatives are to either dremel flat sides on the nut, and undo with a 6 sided socket (12 will round it), or just hammer one on, or to hammer another locking nut bit which is a similar shape into the socket, and undo it. A good socket will be harder than the nut.

Or, if you have a welder, weld a wheel nut into the middle of the locking nut. If you get it very hot with the welder, and wait for the heat to transfer down into the locking nut (i.e. the nut you've just welded isn't red hot any more), the heat will help it shift easier.
 
Morba said:
2 hours? thats shocking. 2 mins for mine - a very tight socket and an air compressed gun and a bit of hammering.
Click to expand...

mechanics wont risk the tools they make a living by (especially when the typical snap-on socket is £15) just to remove a locking wheel nut, you destroy a set of sockets and you* will be paying for new ones out of your* own pocket


*the mechanic on the job.
 
didn't really want to start another thread but i must ask.

car failed MOT and they need to remove my O/S Rear wheel to do the coil/dampers but the old owner never supplied me with a wheel nut key.

i've never seen one of this shape until i looked at the cars wheels today.



would the old socket and hammer technique work on this type? the other nuts are 17mm in size and after a trip to halfords they let me try the lasertool with the left hand thread but its for 21mm & 25mm wheel nuts and just span freely around the edge so no use from that.

also regarding the size of the socket i'd need to use, i don't want too loose or too tight.

SB118 said:
snip
Click to expand...

how tight was the socket? my dad said i can use some of his old ones but by old they are all imperial measurements and are either far too big or small but don't fit down the hole in the alloy wheel.


thanks for your time.

[email in trust if required]
 
Last edited:
Got to your local BMW dealer and buy a new key? Mine was about 8 notes for my Audi, they had a big box of them, tried a load of them til they found the right one - fairly simply tbh
 
Matt82 said:
go down halfords, but a sacrificial 16-17mm 12 pointed socket and then do your worst
Click to expand...

BMW had a tray of about 20 keys and none fitted, also mensioned the tyres are for 180+ mph or something yet my car won't do more than 125 lol.


17mm socket £4.29 not bad - gave it a pounding and it came free easy, hopefully it'll be same story on the other 3.

thanks for your replies. :D
 
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