Locking Wheel Nuts

R

ronk

Lifer
 Durham
Although not on my Z - a ham fisted tyre fitter has used an air gun to wang the wheel nuts on my daughters car to a torque way off the scale.
I was able to get the hex nuts off with a breaker bar and a good heave, but the locking nuts are causing me some concern! I tried but the key/ adaptor is I fear just going to self destruct. Its already slipped twice and has just started to round.

Any idea's if in the worst case it does round off? ie is there a gismo or a method to get the nuts off without the key?
 
My guess is you're using a 12 point socket on them. I'd use a 6 point socket and airgun to avoid rounding them off.

If you don't have access then go back to the garage that did it to sort it.

Without knowing the exact typre of locking nut, method to grip it, locjking method/key, etc. hard to make furhter comment.
 
Update:-

A friend of my daughters used a airgun and has been ble to free 7 of the 8 ( 6 hex and one locking) - The last one, a locking bolt, had the gun chattering away without movement. I'm told that he had a more powerful gun in his arsenal but was reluctant to use it just in case it went completely pear shaped. I think had I been there I would have given him the green light to bash on!

So its a trip to the tyre garage tomorrow to see the ham fisted gits,although I wonder if the main dealer (Vauxhall) may have a bit of better kit?

For info, its a locking wheelnut with an internal splined drive, which currently shows no signs of damage, so at this stage all is not lost.

Thanks for the reply - I'll let you know what happens.
 
Sounds like your making progress.

Airgun's the way to go as you can see. Alternatives of extraction or welding another nut on top, are not worth you thinking about.
Leave it to the garage and then they get to fix it, buy new locking nuts of f they screwu p a new rim.
 
I went back with my daughters car, to the tyre monkey - He was less than helpful! Four cars in the family, three with expensive tyres! He should have tried a bit harder instead of " Looks like its F'ubar'd) His apparent lack of concern means I'll not go there again - Its probably cost him £2.5 k of sales.

Our local Vauxhall dealer who supplied the car were a different kettle of fish, took the keys and in half an hour came back job sorted. They put the standard bolts back in and even put some black plastic caps on. Crossed the fellas hand with a tenner for the morning bacon sarnies in the workshop, everbody happy!

I asked how they did it and he said with brute force - I reckon they have a proper toughened steel universal key in their tool kit, a key that can be used over and over again instead of the occasional tool supplied with the kit.

I googled the problem last night and saw many many horror stories, so all in all today has been a good day! :thumbsup:

(Apart from driving around in a car with a cuddly toy on the parcelshelf) :rofl:
 
Sounds like you got a result at the Vauxhall garage :thumbsup:

Shame how unhelpful the tyre dealer was :thumbsdown: I'd name and shame them
 
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