Locking wheel nuts

[DaveH23]

Getting the tyres changed at 8:30 in the morning and cant find the locking wheel nuts!

Can the wheels still be taken off and standard bolts/nuts be put back in as i understand the originals will get damaged removing them?

[hairykrishna]

Yes, you can put normal ones in. Depending on the design of the locking ones they might be an absolute bugger to get off though.

[DaveH23]

So pissed off about it!

I always keep them in the same place and the last time i can assume they were used was a few months back I got a new clutch and cable with a hand brake cable aswell fitted by a college that does'nt re open until monday!

Job for tomorrow is already paid for as booked through black circles!

[mrmr96]

DaveH23 said:

Getting the tyres changed at 8:30 in the morning and cant find the locking wheel nuts!

Can the wheels still be taken off and standard bolts/nuts be put back in as i understand the originals will get damaged removing them?

The garage will most likely either reffuse to do it, or they'll charge extra for getting the locking wheelnuts out.

You'll also most likely have to supply them with a new set of 4 locknuts, or 4 regular nuts as you'll otherwise be 4 nuts short of putting the wheels back on, and I dunno whether the garage would have spare nuts of the correct size just lying around.

Your best bet is to try to find the lock nuts, or postpone your tyre appointment until you do, or failing that get ready to pony up for the time getting the old ones off and also go buy some replacements.

[hairykrishna]

What do they look like? What's the wheel design - are the nuts in recesses or sticking out?

It's either a 2 minute job to get them off or it'll take hours!

[mat13]

They can all be removed quickly and easily if you have the right tools, if there recessed tapping them round with a punch is normally the easiest way.

[vrsmxtb]

The locking wheel nuts on my car failed on the front wheels, I suspect some tyremonkeys had used a power wrench to do them up and the keys and nuts couldn't take the torque required to undo them. Garage pretty much wrote off both alloys getting them off, badly gouged the wheel nut recesses - luckily I was due two new alloys in the insurance claim it was being done under. Hope yours are easier?

[DaveH23]

RELIEF!

Spoke to a tutor i know that arranged the work at the college for me and said he has them in his shed!

They were left at the workshop and he took them home but forgot to get in touch with me!

Trouble is i cant get them until around 10 tomorrow morning! Better than having to pay for more work though! Just have to see if the garage can still fit me in as they close at 1!

[mrmr96]

Good result. Now keep the lock nut in the ashtray like everyone else does!

[DaveH23]

I always keep it on top of a shelving unit in the garage but for some reason never checked for it when the last work was done.

Anyway spoke to the garage and have rebooked it in for 11:30 today.

[Monty Python]

DaveH23 said:

I always keep it on top of a shelving unit in the garage but for some reason never checked for it when the last work was done.

Anyway spoke to the garage and have rebooked it in for 11:30 today.

What happens if you have a bad puncture when you're out? How do you get the spare wheel on?

[miniman]

Any tyre place that can't remove a set of locking nuts is a pretty crap tyre place.

[mrmr96]

Monty Python said:

DaveH23 said:

I always keep it on top of a shelving unit in the garage but for some reason never checked for it when the last work was done.

Anyway spoke to the garage and have rebooked it in for 11:30 today.

What happens if you have a bad puncture when you're out? How do you get the spare wheel on?

^ exactly. It should be kept in the car.

[MX7]

Outside the top end stuff like Bentleys, has anyone heard of someone's wheels being stolen recently?

[Moar]

Saw an A3 on bricks last weekend.

Bottom of the range a3.

[hairykrishna]

MX7 said:

Outside the top end stuff like Bentleys, has anyone heard of someone's wheels being stolen recently?

A friends newish Fiesta, of all things, got done a couple of months back.

Having removed a few sets of locking nuts myself when the key was lost I'm pretty convinced they're still more trouble than they're worth. It's normally pretty quick to get them off, more so if you've had practice and have the correct implements I bet.

[wolf1]

miniman said:

Any tyre place that can't remove a set of locking nuts is a pretty crap tyre place.

I take it you've never attempted landrover or jaguar ones then. Even with the correct type of extractor it's not allways possible due to corrosion on the threads or previously being over torqued.

[bazking69]

Rule Number 1. Always check that your locking wheel nut key has been put back where it was left whenever you car has any work done on it, and check they haven't shagged it because theyv'e used the gun on it.