Snapped Locking Wheelnut Key!

[turbopete]

i would imagine so, yes. teyre like a socket but with ribs/threads thet grip the head of the nut/bolt tighter as it turns anticlockwise, till it grips tighter than the hold of the nut/bolt and therefore undoes it!

 

[exeng]

I have done these before and sometimes the locking wheel nut has a hard ring around the outside so the snap on tool would not work and the only option was to drill the head off but they are top quality and are very hard if its the type i am thinking of so you need the best of equipment to drill them

 

[teddycatkin]

Fancy going to Kwik Fit anyone ?

 

[rob the painter]

I have done these before and sometimes the locking wheel nut has a hard ring around the outside so the snap on tool would not work and the only option was to drill the head off but they are top quality and are very hard if its the type i am thinking of so you need the best of equipment to drill them

I have found this also. Usually the socket that grips the outer ring just destroys the outer ring. Once this has been removed, the next socket size down usually grips the solid inner ring and the offending nut/bolt can be removed.

 

[dbanbery]

had a go tonight again.... couldnt manage to dig out the remains of the key, so set about trying to drill it. i have got about 5mm into the head with 6mm bit and then i think its gone blunt now. going to try again later on in the week with some HSS bits and hopefully get it off. theyre all coming off when i get the new key and i'm putting my normal bolts back in.

 

[television]

Its much easier to start off with a small drill, say 2mm or 3 max

 

[dbanbery]

hmm. to be fair the drill bits i have are rubbish, so i'm not really expecting them to be much good. i actually melted the end of a smaller bit on some of the wheelnut key. i was using a dremel, but the key is definately some sort of alien hardness metal, as the nut itself is softer than the key material... when i say soft i mean the difference between f.ing hard and so hard that no mere mortal can possibly deform its shape. i tightened the other nuts up as much as i could to relieve pressure on this one - i got to a point where i was worried i was going to destroy the thread on the hub.

 

[joe1972]

Yes, carefully drilling a hole, then using a screw extractor usually will do the trick. I even managed to get cylinder head bolt remnants out of a block with this method.
Trick is to get the hole size 'just so' to match the nice large'ish screw extractor (large'ish so it can handle the torque).

'Kwiksh*t' are an absolute waste of space. However, from what I've heard I believe there are a few branches about who are the exception. However, on the whole this companies whole ethos towards it's customer client base is nothing more than crap. Nearly as bad as 'National Tyre Fit Centres'....and the number of people coming back with various wheel bolt issues astounds me.

To be fair though, these issues do surface even with dealerships from time to time. My father-in-law has been buying new wheel bolts after each service for the last three years on the trot. This time around he was a little early collecting the car after a service at the dealership. He stood and watched in horror as the s-type Jags soft alloys got a bashed about. then watched as the monkey did the bolts up with an air wrenched, heard the click of the torque hammer, then saw him go around (not even diametrically) the wheel bolts again with the air wrench.
Every time you hear that torque hammer click it is actually turning those bolts by a fraction, so a little tighter. to see the monkey go around several times basically confirms he doesn't give a rats arse about torque. A good fitter will use the air wrench to a much lower torque to get the wheel bolts on, then finish by torquing the bolts to factory spec' with a hand torque wrench.
The best of this is, I think that dealership must be doing a roaring trade in wheel bolts, as he's spend over £150 in replacement bolts in the last three years. This time around tho, I do beleive he is taking action, even those the chief monkey at the service desk didn't like it.

 

[hmang]

you shouldn't have to do it but

i always make a point of asking that they won't use a rattle gun on the locking bolts

 

[dbanbery]

i have watched them in the past and they have torqued them up with the wrench a number of times - i cant help think that me watching them was a factor in whether they do their job properly or not. to be fair it makes me think the backyard garage without the air tools are the better places to go for tyres.

the head is going to be drilled out fully - i dont trust extractors, had the end of one snap in a cylinder head rocker cover once and because they have a red hardness it was junk. the car got scrapped shortly after, but i dont trust them in the slightest. the last thing i need is something else of stupid hardness being stuck in the stud. i'm at the point where i'm not entirely bothered about the wheel either - the set are scabby anyways. as long as i can get it off without making it complete junk then i'll be happy.

 

[television]

Have to agree that no stud extractor will undo a 12mm bolt that has been over torqued, they are for removing broken studs no under stress

 

[Stomper]

Had a key snap on my Honda (back and fore to work car) and the best way I found of drilling the nut off was to remove the centre cap, then the large spindle nut and remove the wheel complete with brake drum and hub unit. This then allowed me to use a pillar drill so as to get much more accurate drilling and made chiselling the nut off far easier. Even then it was a hell of a job but at least I saved damaging the alloy wheel.

 

[dbanbery]

Had a key snap on my Honda (back and fore to work car) and the best way I found of drilling the nut off was to remove the centre cap, then the large spindle nut and remove the wheel complete with brake drum and hub unit. This then allowed me to use a pillar drill so as to get much more accurate drilling and made chiselling the nut off far easier. Even then it was a hell of a job but at least I saved damaging the alloy wheel.

the wheels are tatty anyways and need a refurb. they will never be show items so i'm not really that bothered about them getting damaged, as long as the wheel goes back on and does its job i'm not that fussed at the moment.

i dont know whether it is possible to do this on my car anyways....

 

[television]

Had a key snap on my Honda (back and fore to work car) and the best way I found of drilling the nut off was to remove the centre cap, then the large spindle nut and remove the wheel complete with brake drum and hub unit. This then allowed me to use a pillar drill so as to get much more accurate drilling and made chiselling the nut off far easier. Even then it was a hell of a job but at least I saved damaging the alloy wheel.

With drum brakes yes, not with disc as you would not be able to get the pads out

 

[exeng]

The use of a torque wrench means nothing have you ever seen them set it or back it off after use they generally pick it up and after several clicks at what ever it was set at and it done.
Use only high quality extractor and you should be ok but i avoid the taper type as they can expand the broken part i have seen cylinder heads cracked with these tryiny to remove snapped plugs in crossflow motors

 

[panason1c]

The use of a torque wrench means nothing have you ever seen them set it or back it off after use they generally pick it up and after several clicks at what ever it was set at and it done.

In the case of a tyre fitters shop where the torque wrench is (or should be) regularly used on a daily occurance it shouldnt be becessary to back it off after every use.

 

[exeng]

you should always undo the spring pressure on a torque wrench after use as it becomes weak and gives incorrect torque i have mine calibrated on a regular basis
and different manufactures have different torque values for their bolts

 

[dbanbery]

my torque wrench is always stored unsprung.

took the car to a garage known by the family and he welded a bolt onto the end of the buggered nut. he commented that is was put in way tighter than 110Nm. its out now so i'm happy. waiting for the replacement key for the other 3 now from merc.

 

[matrixabc]

you only need to drill the head of the bolt off so use a final drill just larger than the diameter of the stud/bolt, then when off use mole grips to get the stud out. I had to resharpen my drill may times to finally drill the head off.

 

[dbanbery]

just as an aside, i've been rather busy recently with other stuff, but i did write in to Kwik-Fit about my issue, and have received correspondence from them. basically they have agreed to replace my locking bolts with New Mercedes items, so its all good.

the offending nut was removed by a mechanic matey welding another bolt onto the end and removing it. he said it was ridiculously tight. sorted now though! i have removed all of them now and replaced it with standard nuts.

generally i am happy that they agreed to replace my bolts, but i think it serves for a lesson to make sure you stipulate that they dont air gun the locknut on.