[photn02]

Hi All,

Whilst trying to undo the lock nuts on my wheel so i could change the water pump, i striped the Key completely.



I tried two local tyre places, one tried the reverse tool with a battery powered gun, the other tried hammering a socket over the nut and undoing it. Unfortunately both failed.

Im concerned that the reason the key broke is because the nut is on too tight. I have never had an issue with using the key to undo the nut before, (Mind you the key is 12 years old).

Anyone with any suggestions, it would be appreciated.

Here is a picture of the Locking Nut.





Ohh, the Lock nut set is a Mcgard set, i emailed them and they are seeing what they can do.

Has anyone had any dealings with Mcgard or this kind of situation?

 

[cheap sleeper]

Whoever hammered a socket over it and did not succeed failed ya. That is a the procedure I have done probably 200 times during my time as a tire tech. If you have an airgun, hammer a 20mm (you'll have to go buy one as it's a weird size). 20mm I believe is the size that just barely doesn't slide over that particular size nut. Use a SLEDGE hammer, not a little claw hammer. The sledge will hammer the socket on MUCH tighter with very little swing effort. Be careful to not hammer it on SOOOO far that it splits the socket, but don't barely hammer it on either, or it'll just slip right off. It is a bit of an artful balance. Once you have a socket hammered on nice and tight, use a hammer gun softly to bump it til it breaks loose. Ps. Buy yourself a couple or 3 sockets incase you trash the first one figuring out how hard to hammer it on. If you get it right with the first one, you can just get your money back on the others. Disclaimer!: I could be mistaken about the size of the socket, so you gotta find a socket size that is just barely too small to slide over the nut.

 

[photn02]

cheers mate.

Ive gotten an email from Mcgard where they believe they have found the correct key to unlock, but not 100% certain.

Issue is i need to get all 4 nuts off LOL.

If the Key they send doesnt work then i will try and use this method. im just worried that it wont work. them im not sure what my options are...

Is it possible to remove the whole hub assembly and take the wheel off and the hub? push comes to shove ill use a grinder to cut off the wheel studs from the back of the hub.

I just dont want to damage the wheel.

 

[photn02]

what size are the nuts normally anyway?

was thinking of getting this tool and try to remove the lock nuts

http://www.toolbuddy.co.uk/us-pro-t...-nut-remover-twist-socket-set-1322-4469-p.asp

 

[photn02]

i just checked,

the wheel nuts are a 19mm socket and the lug nut appears to be 20.1mm in diameter.

so im assuming a 20mm socket is enough? or would i use a 19mm?

 

[sailor]

Individual sockets (brands) can vary for this unofficial purpose, you need to actually try them to see what fits.

The tool kit you found might help if nothing else does, designed to TRY to grip that surface that's made to be difficult to grip.

Cross fingers that McGard replacement socket does the trick for you, was there a code # on your socket to help find the correct one?

More extreme measures are a PITA & hard to avoid some cosmetic wheel damage, hope one of these methods works for you.

 

[photn02]

it was weird on the Mcgard nut, there wasnt specifically a number, but there was "Mcgard Patent No 4,664,000" written on it. Now ive sent that off to Mcgard and they have advised that they have a nut that might fit but cant garuntee it.

im just hoping that they send it expedited. just want to get this sorted.

What are "more extreme measures"?

 

[sailor]

A friend likes to go through assorted "cool" clunkers faster than I do underwear.

Often in the past I ended up being his 'cheap' mechanic.

The old ATX Miata he picked up, which he used duct tape & bondo on to hold the broken mirrors, also had virtually frozen on lug nuts with NO key for the 4 McGuard STYLE cheap locking nuts. (among other problems)

Studs were almost breaking from removal of the regular nuts, so the lockers laughed at the socket trick.

I got most off with welding lug nuts onto the lock nuts (the first try only worked on one). Final just wouldn't come off, top of the nut broke off, and the rest came loose only with a die grinder & carbide bits chewing through one side to loosen it. Stud needed replacement after that, but the wheel was off. Some paint damage in the lug holes from the welding.

Might not have been the BEST way, at that point anything that worked was a good one.

 

[photn02]

interesting,

here is hoping that the Mcgard one comes through or the socket option.

I thought about maybee trying to get the hub off and using a grinder on the back of the stud to cut it off.

But not sure that would work.

 

[sailor]

Getting the hub off ranges from difficult to impossible.

Wheel center might be too small for a wrench to take off axle/hub nut for starters.

 

[cheap sleeper]

A thin wall socket will go throught the wheel's hub bore if you take center cap off. I tighten mine while the car is on the ground with even my factory rims on it, so you should be able to.?

However, that would be a HECK of a job to get the entire knuckle off with the wheel on! I swear all 4 of those will come off with the exact procedure that the first guys didn't do well enough. You have to have a socket size that is just barely too small, it needs to be IMPACT sockets which are THICK, so they dont split. When you SLEDGE hammer an impact thick-wall socket on nut that is barely too big for the socket to fit over, it WILL bind with it so hard that it will let you take the nut off. It is MUCH MUCH easier and faster than any other way besides using professional removal sockets (which don't always work anyway). A million used tire shops world wide are doing that with success right now while I am typing this hehe. I literally would have all 4 of those off of your car in under a half hour with a couple of sacrificial sockets. Go to a pep boys or equivalent. They have removal socket kits. It's like 5-20 bucks a lock to remove, depending on where you go.

 

[photn02]

cheers mate yeah im hoping the socket trick will work.

going to try it this weekend of buy a chisel and see how i go.

Issue for me is that they dont readily sell the removal tool kits in australia.

 

[photn02]

Local tire place tried the reverse threads and pretty much said that they cant do much for me.

 

[Elizabeth]

Another idea would be to use a cutting wheel, and cut a wide deep notch in the top of the nut. then wack at it straight down with a chisel and hammer. Crack the nut (in half, or at least enough to pry/turn it loose) on the wheel?
Cracking the nut might be easier if you super froze it when wacking at it
(carbon dioxide spray etc..)

Cutting down to where you can see the threaded stud. Then put a lubricant in there? (I would use tranny fluid. it really is great) but others would suggest other stuff to help break the grip of the threads.
Also once you have shot to the stud. try cooking the nut with a torch...

 

[photn02]

Thanks guys,

Got them all off, used q 19mm long socket and belted it on the nuts with a sledge hammer/splitter.

Thanks heaps all its very much appreciated for your help.

 

[rambleon84]

i like hearing things worked out after a struggle. good job!

 

[photn02]

Yeah, must say thanks again.

I am so happy that they are off now. it was also a good anger/tension release mechanism hahahaha

 

[cheap sleeper]

Alriiiight! Glad to hear you got them off! Good stuff!

 

[amc49]

Had same problem on McGards on a Contour and could not find the key after breaking the original. Took a 3/4" nut IIRC and 3M glued it to the end of the lug as a pattern, the points of nut came slightly past the OD of lug to minimize work but still enough hex to use a socket on. Took a dremel and a small OD rock (for chainsaw IIRC) and spent maybe 10 minutes on each wheel grinding six flats on each lug to match the 3/4" nut guide. Then took a 3/4" socket and removed all lugs on four wheels easily like normal. Total work time maybe 40-45 minutes. Piece of cake...............