On my daily one of the sets of wheel nuts were overtightned by a tyre fitter. I didn't realise this, but fast forward a couple of years to now and they need taking off. Got 4 regular bolts off with a 2 foot breaker with a meter of scaffold tube on. The wheel locking nut key isn't having it and is stripping, it's had it.

Anyone had experience with locking nut removers or any other methods for removal?

What vehicle and are they the oe fit ones? I can help with some makes, some are plain difficult and need a welder to remove.

Dave

[Edited on 28/5/21 by obfripper]

What type of nuts are they? There's a variety of Youtube videos which describe how to remove the various types. On my wife's Fiesta I was able to remove them (after losing the "key" by hammering a socket on them and then undo them that way, but it sounds like you need actual bolt removers to get them to grip into them. To that end, I've used a set of Screwfix/Irwin bolt extractors to great success

Thanks for the replies. It's a '15 skoda yeti

Irwin nut removers worked on mine due to the centre nub sticking out. But wouldn't on some of the flat type ones.

" It's a '15 skoda yeti"

Doesn't help us know what locking nuts ya have

[Edited on 28/5/21 by coyoteboy]

If in doubt ring Mercedes F1 team- I'm sure after Monaco they've done multiple research papers on the subject.

quote:

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Originally posted by coyoteboy
Irwin nut removers worked on mine due to the centre nub sticking out. But wouldn't on some of the flat type ones.

" It's a '15 skoda yeti"

Doesn't help us know what locking nuts ya have

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Weld the outer collar to the centre part so it can't rotate, then use a spiral extractor or tap over a tight fitting 12 point socket.
If you haven't got a welder, tap over a socket and spin the collar until it falls off (this can take ages), then use a spiral extractor on what remains. You may find a top quality (irwin,snap on etc) extractor will be needed here as this part of the bolt is hardened.

Some other manufacturers use a nut that is similar, but the patterned key part is just a pressed in insert - a socket over the outside and a quick wriggle and you're left with a hole ready to be used with a heavy duty stud extractor.


You can get a sealey removal tool that uses a consumable punch that takes the shape of the key groove, however i've found them to only work where the wheel bolt is nipped up, if it's tight there's no chance.

Dave

I removed my Vauxhall Corsa C wheel bolt (after the crap key broke for the same reason as you..) by welding the collar to the bolt and then welding a threaded rod joiner (M12) to that. The whole thing came off (while still warm) with a 19mm socket. The locking bolts were all removed and replaced with standard items. The catalyst was probably more of a target to the scum than a set of corroded alloys with Chinese tyres.

Thanks for the replies everyone. As the bolt heads are so deeply recessed in the alloy wheels, welding /chiselling etc just isn't an option. Taken the unusual decision and booked her in to a garage to sort out

I just got a socket and hammered it right over the top of them, took them out in seconds but you do need some room for the diameter of the socket so may not work in your case. Hope you get it off.

Bought a 205 GTI a few years back without the locking wheel bolt key. I MIG welded cut down M12 bolts to the wheel bolts and had them out no problem.

Take care not to damage the wheel when welding.

I have just spent 2 days removing locking wheel nuts from the family car. They had rotating collars and the bang on a socket trick failed spectacularly - I had to weld on an extractor to get off the now ruined socket. I then got one off by drilling a centre hole and hammering in a splined tool. On the next one - the tool snapped. I then tried welding on a nut - due to the recess I could not get a good enough weld. The final solution was to make up a tool. A collar to fit over the nut with the largest hex end that would fit in the recess. Drilled for 3 1/4" pind at 120 degree pattern just fitting inside the diameter of the nut. Drilled three holes in the nut, banged in 3 pins, undid the nut. What a FXXXing drama just because some dick head perferrs a rattle gun to a hand wrench.

I had a Landrover and the front wheel nuts we're so tight I snapped my breaker bar... I then took it to a truck garage and they had to go and get their largest air gun to remove them. Some people are just total jerks doing them up.

Don't weld on a bolt, weld on a nut, through the middle. No additional room required but limited strength.

To be honest I couldn't get my wheel nuts off my truck last month without a breaker bar and my full 110Kg jumping on the end of it. I put them on with a torque wrench, but the salty manky roads over winter meant they were well seized onto the wheel surface. Went on at 110Nm, came off with approx 1500Nm!



[Edited on 1/6/21 by coyoteboy]

[Edited on 1/6/21 by coyoteboy]

Ive not done it, but seen the above done with a tube of steel wrapped round the the offending wheel nut, so when welding the nut, the wheel doesnt get damaged, , pull the sleeve out, and quickly with the nut and stud hot, try and turn it, it worked