Removing Locking Nuts

[Kiriyama]

Can anyone tell me how to remove my locking nuts without a key?

I had my tyres changed in March and it looks like the garage damaged the key to my locking nuts. Yesterday, I tried to remove my rear wheel to change the brake discs / pads but found that as I turned the key, the 3 holes in the locking nut started to warp (by the way, ALL wheel nuts had been ridiculously overtightened!). I gave up and today, sent my Lexus to another garage to get the brakes fitted and played dumb about the damaged key and locking nut. As expected, they got the wheels off and never mentioned having any problems but now I've had chance to check their work, this is what I've found :

They'd clearly hammered some kind of toothed socket over the top of the nut to get hold of it because you can see 'tooth' marks all round it.

The locking nuts on both rear wheels are knackered. Not only is this annoying because I want to paint my calipers but it also means that if I get a puncture, I can't change the wheel!

I want the locking nuts out, whether I knacker them or not because they won't be going back in. Any ideas? Anybody know what kind of socket I'd need and where to get one?

I understand that they're there for security reasons so if you'd rather PM me, that's fine.

[dudi]

Two ways about it from here, weld something to the nut and get it off like that. Or you can drill it out, or atleast get someone to do either.

[dudi]

Looking at the pic now thats what they have done, connected something to the nut and used a specific tool to remove it.

[wildybeast]

there is a special tool for removing them.a good tyre fitting firm or garage should sort it for you.or take it back.thats not a very good job at all mate.

[Parthiban]

They can do it at Kwik Fit, I've had damaged locking nuts removed before on another car..........

[Purvesh]

Sorry but I find your issue a bit stupid TBH and one that you could've easily dealt with in a better way. You obviously couldn't have undone the current issue that they were knackered by the previous installers - but you knew of the problem before giving it to the garage and yet you expected them to perform miracles on them!!?! What did you really expect?!

You asked them to do a job, they did it. Fair enough they should've mentioned the consequences to you once they saw the problem, but they didn't and they fitted what you wanted. They probably saw the previous attempt and thought F' it lets get it done.

A smart person would've bought some replacement locking nuts, told the new garage the problem and then got the whole lot fitted right in one go.

Apologies for the lecture, but it had to be said. Roll with the solutions the guys gave and you'll be good to go.

[T7RY B]

Lexus could have told you that if you didn't have the key and that if they removed them they would have charged you Lexus labour prices!

They did the job you asked and now you are NO worse off.

Just get them removed either by Kwik-Fit or similar. Personally I would do it myself. Tightest old socket you can get on then hammer it on and remove them.

[TigerFish]

Halfords sell the sockets for removing them. The essentially have a reverse thread inside the socket and it screws its way on to the locking nut. The nut is obviously buggered after it is all done. or get kwik fit or someone else to remove them again (go back to the place you just had the work done).

I do agree with Purvesh, I'm not sure what you thought the garage would do about the problem. Sometimes it pays to just be up front with everything, almost all garages would have the kit to deal with the nuts and sticking a new set back on would've saved a lot of hassle.

[Rob]

just get a socket and bang it over the top, worked 4 me many times.

absolutely no need to drill them off - its more work than required

[Greeny]

pemberton tyres in wigan do that and charge £5 + vat per wheel

simple proceedure can normally be done in an hour

Contact Alan on 01942 222413

[Kiriyama]

Thanks for the lecture but it's not this garage that I'm ****** off with, it's the previous garage (North Staffs Tyre & Battery) that must have damaged the key but as it was back in March, it would be pretty pointless taking it back to them now and trying to blame them.

The key is not shattered or anything, just a little warped and I hoped that todays garage would have managed to use it by knocking it on with something (no miracles expected). I couldn't do that at home because even if I had managed to get the nut out, it would no doubt be wedged tightly into the key and I have no clamp or anything to remove it again.

I knew there was a strong possibility that they would have to take more drastic action, whether I told them about the key or not and I have no problem with them doing it, again, it is the previous garage that I am annoyed with. OK, I could have explained the problem to them but I know from painful past experience that SOME garages will simply tell you they can't take them off but as I was desperate to get the new discs on, I hoped (correctly) that they'd just get on with it once I'd left the car with them.

All I want to know now is how to get the nuts out, not to replace them with more locking nuts but to replace them with standard nuts that I hope to get from a breakers yard that has helped me in the past and I only gave the background story to save people asking me why I have no key.

Being called 'stupid' is neither helpful nor appreciated.

Thanks to those with actual suggestions, I'll try to get hold of some nuts within the next couple of days then set about getting the old ones out.

[Kiriyama]

Looking at the pic now thats what they have done, connected something to the nut and used a specific tool to remove it.

Not sure, all the damage seems to be at the base of the nut.

Rob's suggestion sounds familiar, sure someone mentioned that method before, might give it a go.

[Yaumeister]

Toyota/Lexus OEM locking nuts aren't the best, as I'm know quite a few sets go knackered due to corrosion. If you are going to get new ones, I can recommend a set from McGard.

Although I have to say, you should have just let the second garage took them off and leave them off in the first place, would have saved you time and money.

[Purvesh]

Being called 'stupid' is neither helpful nor appreciated.

Thanks to those with actual suggestions, I'll try to get hold of some nuts within the next couple of days then set about getting the old ones out.

Well that's what it is IMHO, sometimes people F up, I do all the time. Main thing is to take the 'feedback' on the chin and remember for next time.

I could comment on how wise it is to replace your locking nuts with just standard ones, but for sounding too sensible I won't.

[Kiriyama]

I'll take the risk, the market for stolen alloys is not what it used to be given that most new cars nowadays are sold with them.

[Purvesh]

I'll take the risk, the market for stolen alloys is not what it used to be given that most new cars nowadays are sold with them.

Love the reasoning, you certainly learn something new each day.

[Kiriyama]

Not just my opinion, advice given to me by someone working for a company that could easily have let me fork out for locking nuts.

Until today I've found the members of this forum to be nothing but polite, helpful and generally good natured.

I think I'm done with this thread.

[Purvesh]

Not just my opinion, advice given to me by someone working for a company that could easily have let me fork out for locking nuts.

Until today I've found the members of this forum to be nothing but polite, helpful and generally good natured.

I think I'm done with this thread.

Dude, I don't think you should say members when your clearly singling me out.

PM to stop this going

[Golgarth]

I cant see the pics for some reason but all I can suggest is to go to Halfords / any other tools dealer, buy a BLACK socket set. Once you have them try and find one that is JUST smaller than the lockign nut, then bang it ontop of the locker. The black ones are impact sockets and dont damage, I have had to do this MANY a time so I know it works.

[Rob]

the people that put the nuts on have prob done it with an impact gun so they are far too tight - i use a slightly reduced torque on the locking nuts compared to the others exactly for the problems u had above.

[Kiriyama]

The black ones are impact sockets and don't damage, I have had to do this MANY a time so I know it works.

Oh I didn't know that, thanks. Although it would probably be cheaper to ask a garage to take them out, I'm sure a new socket set would come in handy so I'll give that a go.

the people that put the nuts on have prob done it with an impact gun so they are far too tight - i use a slightly reduced torque on the locking nuts compared to the others exactly for the problems u had above.

Yeah, on the 2 wheels I tried to remove, I only managed to get ONE nut loose. There's surely no need to tighten ANY of them to that extent.

[Kiriyama]

Just had a look on the Halfords site to see if they do them and found these

Impact socket set

Funny thing is, I automatically typed Halfrauds into the search engine! I blame you lot!

[TigerFish]

Just had a look on the Halfords site to see if they do them and found these

Impact Socket Set

Funny thing is, I automatically typed Halfrauds into the search engine! I blame you lot!

Bear in mind that the locking wheel nut remover set is £9.99 so is cheaper than buying the socket set. I guess it depends if you are going to use the socket set much afterwards or not. Search for "Laser Locking Wheel Nut Remover" on Halfrauds website and you will see the item I mentioned in my post further up.

[DJ Wozza]

slightly

Does anyone know the correct type & size of locking wheel nut for the IS200 ?

(thread size & tapered/Flat end etc ?)

[Purvesh]

Not sure if this is of help to you:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cars-Parts-Vehicles_...id=p3286.c0.m14