Locked wheel nuts with lost key: best way to remove them?

Py · Post by Py » 12 Aug 2008, 08:01

Hello,

I'm discovering things every day on this car. Today I discovered I had 4 locking nuts fitted, on a car with simple steel rims (no fancy alloy wheels). And even stranger, they're 2 of them on each rear wheel, and none at all on both fronts...

Anyway, previous owner has lost the keys (gave him a call). So I have to get rid of them. It looks like the red part is some kind of cap, that can be removed, to gain access to the actual head of the screw with an usual wrench, making the screw a "normal screw" back again?

So, can the lock in the middle be drilled off to get that red cap off?

Thanks in advance!
Py

ratfink_v70_2000 · Post by **ratfink_v70_2000** » 12 Aug 2008, 09:43

Hi, when the tyre fitters air wrenched my locking wheel nuts on (without me knowing, only found out months later!) I had to hammer a socket over the head of the locking wheel nut to get them off. The socket needs to be tight enough to dig in to the locking nut, then just undo as normal, though it might take a couple of attempts to make it bite.
I had all 4 off in 20 mins max.

Post by **billofdurham** » 12 Aug 2008, 12:31

If that does not work try a Google or eBay search for 'Locking wheel nut remover'. They are out there as the car thieves know and some are fairly inexpensive.

Bill.

Solutech · Post by **Solutech** » 12 Aug 2008, 13:41

Hope your not hinting at a previous career there Bill

.

I detest lock nuts with a passion . The keys or sockets always break when I get near the damn things lol

fushionEdge · Post by **fushionEdge** » 12 Aug 2008, 18:24

most tire shops will be bale to get them off if you cant.

Post by **billofdurham** » 13 Aug 2008, 12:29

Hope your not hinting at a previous career there Bill

I was on the other side.

As these removal kits are readily available it seems a waste of time, and money, fitting locking wheel nuts. As we always said, "If the little b.....s want them they'll have them, no matter what security devices you have fitted".

Bill

Py · Post by Py » 14 Aug 2008, 09:50

Hello,

After starting to mess around these "bolts", it appears that they aren't locked wheel nuts, the red part is in fact a kind of cap which encapsulates the actual, normal bolt. Maybe something supposed to be used to fit spikes-spiders or something like that.

Anyway, with some hammering, I was able to break them apart, and the underlying bolts are now free!

Thanks to everyone who took time to help and respond!
Py