Motoring Locking Wheel Nut

[Trem]

A bit of a long shot and I think I already know the answer but may as well have a try here.

I have a McGard locking wheel nut that has been put in too tight. It sheared one key and after ordering another one from Germany the second key is now close to being knackered.

I have tried twatting a socket over the nut, with and without metal weld glue to no avail. The major problem is the locking nut has a spinning ring around the base so twatting things on doesn't work as all they do is spin on the ring.

Also the reverse thread sockets won't work because, again, of the spinner.

I have gone through 3 cobalt drill bits trying to drill and after 10 minutes of constant drilling and oiling it barely left a scratch on the nut, easily the hardest metal I have ever come across.

Now I think welding a nut to the locking nut and trying that way *should* work but this could damage my wheel.

So any ideas that I have missed that I could try?

Help appreciated, this is driving me up the wall.

 

[Fuggz]

Ring up a few local tyre companies cos I bet they have come across instances of this before. Ask them how to go about it, or even can they fix it? Won't take a mechanic long to weld something onto the nut, though it might need a special type of weld if it is of a very hard metal. Personally I would ring up some mechanic somewhere making sure I had a quote off him first before going further.

 

[Tom]

Get the blowtorch on it and then try undoing it with the key. Freeze-release spray is also good. Welding a nut to it won't harm your wheel but you may need a new stud, just make sure the battery is disconnected before you do it.

Also, get a long piece of scaffold tube (3 feet or more), put it over the end of your wrench, get a mate to hold his foot over the nut so it doesn't come off, and push down hard on the end of the pole. DIY breaker bar.

 

[old.user4556]

Ack Trem, doesn't sound good

McGard locking nuts seem to be damn near impossible to remove for your average joe, a very good deterrent. I used to have a set on my old car.

 

[Trem]

Get the blowtorch on it and then try undoing it with the key. Freeze-release spray is also good. Welding a nut to it won't harm your wheel but you may need a new stud, just make sure the battery is disconnected before you do it.

Also, get a long piece of scaffold tube (3 feet or more), put it over the end of your wrench, get a mate to hold his foot over the nut so it doesn't come off, and push down hard on the end of the pole. DIY breaker bar.

The keys won't grip to the nut in any shape or form, the new key is ok but the nut has chewed bits on it making grip impossible.

I so don't wanna take it a garage, they will rip me off big time, its the damn spinner thats the problem, if it wasn't for that a reverse thread socket would shift it.

Ta for the suggestions though luvs.

 

[Tom]

Post a picture so I can see the nut, and 'understand' how the spinny thing works.

 

[Trem]

Arrow points to the spinny bit, not mine but very much the same.

 

[Ctuchik]

Ring up a few local tyre companies cos I bet they have come across instances of this before. Ask them how to go about it, or even can they fix it? Won't take a mechanic long to weld something onto the nut, though it might need a special type of weld if it is of a very hard metal. Personally I would ring up some mechanic somewhere making sure I had a quote off him first before going further.

aye, what he said, trying to weald something on that nut probably wont help as i doubt u would get it to stick good enough, and as you said, would end up damaging the wheel and u'd still have the nut there.

safest thing to do would be to get it to a tire specialist and have them sort it out, and it will probably be cheaper then trying to do it yourself and end up having to buy a new wheel.

 

[Tom]

That, Mr Trem, is a bolt, not a nut.

Weld a nut to it and undo it that way.

 

[Fuggz]

If Tom's method fails to work try ringing Kwik Fit cos apparently they have a tool designed just for this purpose.

 

[Trem]

That, Mr Trem, is a bolt, not a nut.

Weld a nut to it and undo it that way.

Aye same thing

I also thought that welding summat to it won't give it enough umph to shift it, it was tightened by a paranoid gorilla (me) who didn't follow the torque guideline

 

[Uara]

Trem with a blow-torch, things are bound to go wrong

 

[Pfy]

Removing McGARD - wheel lock/broken lugnut

?

or

Laser Locking Wheel Nut Remover from Halfords Price £10.99

Aside from the result of my quick google. I don't know.

 

[old.user4556]

Do these help with the McGard nuts with the spinners though?

 

[Trem]

Do these help with the McGard nuts with the spinners though?

Nope, could possibly use the reverse thread method if the spinner is tack welded but if I am having welding done I may as well try Toms idea. The main thing was for me to try and shift it myself, I have become quite obsessive about it.

 

[Shagrat]

I have become quite obsessive about it.

why did that instantly conjure up images of balloons and a small patch of garden??

 

[Fweddy]

I reckon you can remove it yourself if you try hard enough and use enough different heavy objects and dangerous substances. Use some of that famous Tremgenuity we all love so much.

 

[Fuggz]

I reckon you can remove it yourself if you try hard enough and use enough different heavy objects and dangerous substances. Use some of that famous Tremgenuity we all love so much.

I can see a big repair bill rearing it's ugly head...

 

[Trem]

why did that instantly conjure up images of balloons and a small patch of garden??

I reckon you can remove it yourself if you try hard enough and use enough different heavy objects and dangerous substances. Use some of that famous Tremgenuity we all love so much.

I have already lost a spanner on the house roof trying. Got a long bar in the glued/twatted on socket then put a spanner on the bar. I was jumping on it when it slipped, I could hear it spinning for quite a while in the air but couldn't see it, I then heard it twat down on the house roof and slide down into the gutter. It would of took my head off if it had hit me. Ch3tans fault tbh.

 

[Fuggz]

I have already lost a spanner on the house roof trying. Got a long bar in the glued/twatted on socket then put a spanner on the bar. I was jumping on it when it slipped, I could hear it spinning for quite a while in the air but couldn't see it, I then heard it twat down on the house roof and slide down into the gutter. It would of took my head off if it had hit me. Ch3tans fault tbh.

Christ sake be careful. Take the fecking car to Kwik Fit or someone before you seriously injure yourself! And a long bar (4-6 foot long) was mentioned by Tom too earlier. You can apply much more pressure with a long bar or pipe (over the spanner) than jumping on a bare spanner or one with a short bar on it. You will avoid injury and be far more in control. I have been chastised today on Freddys so you can be too.

 

[russell]

Havent read the other posts but Mr Russell (very clever mechanic) says try a coal chisel and a large hammer. He says be careful not to damage the wheel. If you hit it hard enough to stop the spinning you can put a groove in it for the coal chisel to knock it round- or something like that -he was muttering at me very quickly on the way out the door

 

[Trem]

Cheers Russ.

I *may* visit a garage today but then again my pride *may* make me buy a coal chisel instead

 

[old.user4556]

but then again my pride *may* make me buy a coal chisel instead

Trem:

1) Take pics.
2) If you go up in flames, get the Mrs to take pics.
3) Create thread and post.

 

[Fuggz]

Christ sake be careful. Take the fecking car to Kwik Fit or someone before you seriously injure yourself! And a long bar (4-6 foot long) was mentioned by Tom too earlier. You can apply much more pressure with a long bar or pipe (over the spanner) than jumping on a bare spanner or one with a short bar on it. You will avoid injury and be far more in control. I have been chastised today on Freddys so you can be too.

Bit of a knee jerk reaction that. I used to work on cars for a living - also fork lift trucks. I have driven Euclids too and mixed with heavy machinery fitters. Pretty heavy stuff floating around which would kill you if you made a mistake. Made me very aware of dangers regarding seemingly simple repairs. Trouble is your 'average joe', as has been mentioned, is blissfully unaware of these dangers in a lot of cases. Also a trained mechanic with the right tools can turn a nightmare of a repair into a 5 minute one - probably this one! I am now probably far too sensitive with regard to bad workmanship but having seen people try and work on cars with just the car jack and no other support on an incline with the jack leaning over I feel like bashing them over the head rather than helping them. Safety first then carry out the repair, and always consider what could go wrong!

 

[sayward]

Good heavens that was lucid and grammatical! Think you've been mascarading as someone else!

 

[Trem]

Bit of a knee jerk reaction that. I used to work on cars for a living - also fork lift trucks. I have driven Euclids too and mixed with heavy machinery fitters. Pretty heavy stuff floating around which would kill you if you made a mistake. Made me very aware of dangers regarding seemingly simple repairs. Trouble is your 'average joe', as has been mentioned, is blissfully unaware of these dangers in a lot of cases. Also a trained mechanic with the right tools can turn a nightmare of a repair into a 5 minute one - probably this one! I am now probably far too sensitive with regard to bad workmanship but having seen people try and work on cars with just the car jack and no other support on an incline with the jack leaning over I feel like bashing them over the head rather than helping them. Safety first then carry out the repair, and always consider what could go wrong!

I have axel stands, I am very nervous under cars.

Took my car to a garage yesterday and he said I have to book it in and they will try and get it off. I could see the £ signs in his eyes as he was talking to me.

After that I decided to go and buy a cold chisel, the biggest I could find. I have now ground it down so it fits nicely in the recess and I may try later today.

 

[Fuggz]

I rung up Kwik Fit and enquired about your problem and probed the guy a bit more about the tool he used etc. His reply was they don't use a tool as they are all useless. They whack a socket on them and use the air gun and that seems to do the trick - depending on the type of car it is. If they can get it off the cost is around £5-£10. As you seem to have already tried this method it would be a pointless trip.

 

[Trem]

I haven't tried the whacking socket on and air gun though, the air gun may be the trick. I think I have knackered the spinner enough to enable a socket to go on.

I have just tried the cold chisel but it did nowt apart from slowly knacker my wheel. I am going to admit defeat on this and visit a few tyre places today before I leave my wheel totally fucked.

Cheers for the help Fuggz, appreciated.

 

[Trem]

Booked in for 11am tomorrow, tried Kwik Fit and while being really helpful they said they couldn't do it due to the collar on the bolt.

 

[taB]

Very defeatest Trem Surely a jackhammer would sort it.