Snapped Locking Wheelnut Key!

[television]

Thank you for the update, and some good news too

 

[dbanbery]

yeah,

i got a nice letter telling me that they would try and sort something out and then i had a phone call from a customer relations manager who sorted it all out. good service. i would have preferred it not to happen in the first place but whatever, its sorted now.

 

[cleverdicky]

Hello sounds like a succesful tale. I'm pleased you got better treatment than I did once.
The last time I used Kwik-fit was about 13 years ago. I had got them to replace a tyre on to my spare which was then refitted and used existing wheel as new spare (because the tyre was better).
A week later down a dual carriage way I heard a loud drumming noise just before the back wheel of my transit fell off. Never heard or felt anything before.
What was most annoying was how rude and dismissive they were.
Never again!

 

[dbanbery]

The guy behind the desk wasnt much help, but rather than take it out on him i deemed it prudent to write a polite but direct letter to the head office. the impersonality of these sort of companies makes the only worthwhile means of resolving such matters is the approach i took. the fact i was able to produce all the receipts for everything would have helped, but i wasnt asked for them.

i would go back to Kwik fit, but i wouldnt go to that particular branch again if i was sending the missus. i would go back there myself, but i would watch them do up my lock nut with a toque wrench, like hey should do, just to make sure.

i had that happen on two previous cars, but i was pottering round town and i heard a drumming noise when i went round a few bends and my wheel nuts had worked themselves loose. the saab actually had nuts and now bolts and when i took the centre cap off two were loose in the centre cap!!!!! oooops

that was down to me, and a dodgy tire place - nothing became of the problem as i caught it before it created havoc, butsince then i have always made sure they are on tight afterwards... strangely enough this was the first time i dint check them!

 

[Alex Crow]

yup, use a heavier duty version of it made by snap-on.

the best wheel bolt extractor we use has an internal tapered l/h thread and works very, very well on MB locking bolts.

have also drilled off dozens of bolts too.

 

[turbopete]

ive used something that looks identical but a different make at the last garage i worked at. seemed to do the job well!

 

[Mounis]

I always take lock nuts off my self before hand and re fit them and re torque all wheel bolts after the tyres have been done... saves the hassle I guess... Shame that despite paying for a service you have to do stuff yourself...

 

[GrahamUK]

1. What torque would people recommend on the locking wheels nuts ? I have read 110 Nm but this seems excessive. I would like to confirm as I am now dealing with a snapped head on a locking nut !

2. Also what is the torque for the standard nuts ? (Again I have read 110 Nm but would like to confirm.

Thanks,

Graham

 

[dieselman]

110Nm is correct for 12mm bolts. Make sure you read the Nm scale on the wrench, not the Lbft one..

 

[television]

They are all listed here but 110 is correct

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=49411

 

[GrahamUK]

Thanks for both of the above replies.

I am about to try to get a nut welded to the remains of my original fitment locking nut. I was the last "idiot" to tighten, but I'm sure I was actually below spec at about 80 Nm.

I have already had a good tyre depot fail when trying the key and when hammering on tight sockets. I might try on other depot in the hope of them having some of the internal threaded socket removal type devices (as per snap on in previous thread).

Would it sound like this remval device is worth a go or should I just proceed to the welding option ?

Thanks,

Graham

 

[television]

I think that your only option is to drill it out

 

[GrahamUK]

Thanks Television,

Would you feel drilling out is easier or more successful than the welding a second nut extertnally method ?

Thanks again,

Graham

 

[television]

Because of the paint on the wheel,,welding is not so easy,, the same with stud removers,,if the bolt was so tight as to break it,or stuck, then these stud removers would not undo it either,, All of the pulling on the wheel brace can often end up just bending it, or breaking off the bolt. Impact or shock is the only safe way to remove them.

Put the wheel brace on the nut so the the handle is horizontal, and just give one stamp with your foot and they will always undo,,impact wrenches also work well .

I would still opt for drilling, and it does not take long

 

[AndySlade]

Had the same trouble myself, went to local M-B dealer, he had the telephone number of a guy who regularly drills out bolts for them, thread master or something similar. it's booked in for Wednesday. most annoying thing was, when local M-B rang him, he had just left the area, having been at the Nissan dealers next door!

Only had the car a week, I have had problems getting wheels off a car before, so always check on every new car I get.

 

[television]

Had the same trouble myself, went to local M-B dealer, he had the telephone number of a guy who regularly drills out bolts for them, thread master or something similar. it's booked in for Wednesday. most annoying thing was, when local M-B rang him, he had just left the area, having been at the Nissan dealers next door!

Only had the car a week, I have had problems getting wheels off a car before, so always check on every new car I get.

Good point to do that, there are some idiots out there that over tighten far too much

 

[dbanbery]

its good practice to check the nuts, ive had wheel nuts undo [in my saab turbo] and when i took the centre cap off half the nuts dropped out.

my initial issue when i set up this post was about quick fit, and i now watch them like a hawk when i have tyres done on my car.

Personally, the bolt weld onto the face of the nut is usually preferable, however if there is a company that specifically does this sort of removal they will know what to do. the wheels i had on mine at the time when this happened were the really tight recessed holes for the bolts, but there wasnt any damage to the wheel i remember of.

 

[cleverdicky]

There is a little back street tyre and exhaust place near me that has a good reputation for getting these off for people.
They use different methods from special sockets to drilling.

What people forget though is to ensure the threads are clean and a tiny dab of grease won't hurt to stop any corrosion either.