I hate locking wheel nuts

RichAwty · Jun 11, 2017

So the key to my locking wheel nuts snapped and after several phone calls nobody wanted to know because they have a spinning outer ring that makes it a pain in the ass. Had enough waiting and trying to get another key etc so out came the grinder, chisel and hammer...
Anyone had a similar situation and used a bit of an unconventional method to get them off?

cs_dave · Jun 11, 2017

Yeh but called a guy n his tool got them off in about 10'min

bashracing · Jun 11, 2017

If I get really stubborn ones I use old cheap 1/2'' sockets
cut them in half around the circumference leaving just the 1/2'' drive with the hole in the centre
sit them up against the face of the locking bolt head
mig welder on maximum, straight down the centre hole of the socket
the heat from welding releases it grip and then use a 1/2'' bar to just spin them off

Chrisgti6 · Jun 12, 2017

What did the wheels look like after that?

I've managed to remove a set of them with the rotating outer ring before. I smashed a smaller socket on and the outer ring gripped the centre and came undone.

RichAwty · Jun 12, 2017

Chrisgti6 said:
What did the wheels look like after that?

I've managed to remove a set of them with the rotating outer ring before. I smashed a smaller socket on and the outer ring gripped the centre and came undone.

They looked like they had been attacked with a grinder but they were going to be scrapped anyway so wasn't very careful. They had already been curbed to hell and back so I wanted to replace them which was when the key snapped

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boultonn · Jun 12, 2017

My locking key started to round off a while ago so took the CS attitude and replaced them with regular bolts, so much easier now.

Christopher · Jun 12, 2017

LOL @ that photo! Jesus!
I took the Mrs' car to a local Kwik-Fit and they had special tooling to remove it.

Smiffyboy1990 · Jun 12, 2017

Hateful things.

RichAwty · Jun 12, 2017

Christopher said:
LOL @ that photo! Jesus!
I took the Mrs' car to a local Kwik-Fit and they had special tooling to remove it.

Nowhere I rang wanted to do it and when i found 1 that would they wanted £100 to do it, spent a few quid on some new cutting discs for the grinder instead. Would pay for it to be done if they were nice alloys that I wanted to keep nice but as they were headed for scrap anyway I decided to save a bit of movey.

Christopher · Jun 12, 2017

RichIsGod said:
Nowhere I rang wanted to do it and when i found 1 that would they wanted £100 to do it, spent a few quid on some new cutting discs for the grinder instead. Would pay for it to be done if they were nice alloys that I wanted to keep nice but as they were headed for scrap anyway I decided to save a bit of movey.

Yeah, fair enough.
I think we were only charged around £50 for all four.

aucky · Jun 12, 2017

When I had TPI bolts I drove down to Luton where they're based. It was like the second one they tried, £10, sorted.

BuCkLeY... · Jun 12, 2017

We use dynomec at work its brillant and only takes few mins for set unless stupidly tight

CrippsCorner · Jun 12, 2017

boultonn said:
My locking key started to round off a while ago so took the CS attitude and replaced them with regular bolts, so much easier now.

Problem is most insurance companies won't cover aftermarket wheels unless they're secured with locking nuts.

DrR · Jun 12, 2017

Do people actually steal alloy wheels?

boultonn · Jun 12, 2017

Kind of hoping no one bothers to steal oem wheels

TheEvilGiraffe · Jun 13, 2017

kayzee said:
Problem is most insurance companies won't cover aftermarket wheels unless they're secured with locking nuts.

Considering you can get locking wheel nut removers from screwfix/halfords for about £25 .. and once your wheels have been stolen, the evidence has presumably gone... unless the thief puts the bolts carefully back into your hubs for you and sends your insurer a time-stamped photo.. how would the insurer know you didn't have locking wheel nuts ?!

loggyboy · Jun 13, 2017

Ive not bothered with them for years.
As for insurance, most excess will be worth more than the wheels anyway, even if the are declared as modified, most insurers will only replace with OE equipment. And unless you live in a really shitty area - no bugger steals rims anyway now. 20 years ago when alloys were worth more than the cars they were fitted to maybe.

Christopher · Jun 13, 2017

BuCkLeY... said:
We use dynomec at work its brillant and only takes few mins for set unless stupidly tight

What's that?

RichAwty · Jun 13, 2017

BuCkLeY... said:
We use dynomec at work its brillant and only takes few mins for set unless stupidly tight

Is that the same as the one that AA and RAC use?

BuCkLeY... · Jun 13, 2017

Ye u smash a metal blade they called. It then makes skeleton key basic. Then just undo with bar works wonders tbh just not on over tightened ones

BuCkLeY... · Jun 13, 2017

How its used

loggyboy · Jun 13, 2017

BuCkLeY... said:
Ye u smash a metal blade they called. It then makes skeleton key basic. Then just undo with bar works wonders tbh just not on over tightened ones

Is it just me or does this need translating?

BuCkLeY... · Jun 13, 2017

Sorry was touch typing haha ill let video do talking easier

Alex H · Jun 14, 2017

Can you not get the hub off and drill them out from behind?

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Christopher · Jun 14, 2017

Fair enough, never seen that before. Looks great

Ibysmalls · Jun 14, 2017

I had locking nuts and I managed to weld a bolt to one of them then unscrewed that bolt. Messed up my alloy but i was getting rid of them alloys anyway.

Got 1 out like that. Rest I went to a tyre place and they hammered in a key (universal thingy) type of a socket then twisted that.

I think they get the key that matches it as much as possible then they turn it. Like a full kit. But that guy didnt charge me a tenner, i was charged 15 squids a tyre! No choice.

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bozothenutter · Jun 14, 2017

loggyboy said:
Is it just me or does this need translating?

for some reason I was reading it in a scottish accent........

Andy_con · Jun 14, 2017

i called Renault, they took some vehicle details, charged me £25 and I went and collected a brand new key 2 days later. very hassle free

Ibysmalls · Jun 14, 2017

I called renault too, said they couldnt help me and said something about at the time of import they log which keys are on which cars, but didnt on my version or something.

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Christopher · Jun 14, 2017

Differs, franchise to franchise. Some are right c*nts about it.

CrippsCorner · Jun 14, 2017

TheEvilGiraffe said:
Considering you can get locking wheel nut removers from screwfix/halfords for about £25 .. and once your wheels have been stolen, the evidence has presumably gone... unless the thief puts the bolts carefully back into your hubs for you and sends your insurer a time-stamped photo.. how would the insurer know you didn't have locking wheel nuts ?!

You fraudulent bar steward.

TheEvilGiraffe · Jun 14, 2017

kayzee said:
You fraudulent bar steward.

How so ? No ones ever asked me about locking wheel nuts !

CrippsCorner · Jun 14, 2017

I'm telling your insurance company immediately.

And the police.

imprezaworks · Jun 14, 2017

So you had locking nuts on the wheels?
Yes mr insurance chap
Well that's a pain, guess they really wanted them
Yes mr insurance chap.

Done.

Jekyll · Jun 14, 2017

kayzee said:
Problem is most insurance companies won't cover aftermarket wheels unless they're secured with locking nuts.

That must be old news. I have no locking nuts and I've declared my wheels and also a stud conversion.

I hate locking wheel nuts

West Midlands

South East - Essex

South East - Essex

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