Removing Locking Wheel Nuts Without The Key

[Guest DazH]

Right the story begins.

It was a miserable afternoon. Last day free before I was dragged back to work so I had to go out and do it. So I did. Removed the O/S front wheel and started pulling at the suspension. Was going really well! Replaced the drop-link and control bar bush. All is good at this point, I'm happy. Pop the wheel back on along with the center hub cover. Turn the car around to start work on the other side, as you do......

These bolts are not budging? SNAP! Broke my extension bar. Was silly of me to use such a small drive when I have a big meter long breaker bar in the garage. So I drive away to get it (the garage is a 5 min drive from home)

Got the big ol' breaker bar and attach the socket to a new extension bar. SNAP! That one as well......... <_<

Not the end of the world. Not that expensive as they were cheap ol' bits anyway B). I'll get my cordless impact wrench charged up and tackle it tomorrow as it's about to start bucketing down. Where's the locking wheel nut? Ah balls. Remember when I put the hub centre cap back onto the other wheel? Yeah, the locking wheel nut was still attached to the bolt. I've drove to the garage and back and in that time, it's come lose, pushed the cap off and probably ended up down a drain somewhere..

It's not an original BMW locking nut and looks like one of those Halford's jobbies. Went to halfords and they said I have chance of getting a key for it (for obvious reasons but, it's worth a go)

The tires need changing now so off with the wheels! Job number one. Get these sodding wheel nuts off.

The plan is, to push a socket slightly smaller than the diameter of the nut to make a shape and turn it this way. I don't own a lump hammer so going to get one off a mate tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'm getting the sledge out! :angry:

As soon as I manage to get them off, I'll post my results and technique so this will hopefully help someone else. Until than, has anyone else got anything to add to my ideas?

- Do's?

- Don'ts?

- Changes?

- Advice?

- Wise mottos when using a large hammer on your car?

Will keep you posted ;)

Daz

[G4VHD]

It looks like a standard BMW locking nut mate

[Guest DazH]

It looks like a standard BMW locking nut mate

Was told by the tyre place, although similar, it isn't <_<

Even if it was, I can't approach BMW as I don't have ANY info on it therefore they wouldn't be able to issue me one anyway. Apparently they come with some unique card...

[Tarmacterror]

Hope this helps

http://www.dynomec.co.uk/images/locking-wheelnut-remover.png

[Guest DazH]

Hope this helps

http://www.dynomec.c...nut-remover.png

cheers mate :)

I'm going to give the old-style method a go and if that don't work, Might look into getting something like that

Daz

[Guest DazH]

_-=-_ Result _-=-_

Done. The car only came with 3 locking wheel nuts and I have managed to remove them all :)

To follow in my footsteps, you will need:

- A 19mm standard socket. Not a cheap one as you'll ruin it after the first nut. (Not the black ones used for impact wrenches)

- Another socket deep enough to take the thread length of the bolt

- Largest socket you have

- Something to knock the bolt through the 19mm socket

- A big ol' lump hammer

- A mate

First thing you'll need to do is get the 19mm socket over the locking wheel nut. Simply apply an extension bar to the 19mm socket and give it a good few knocks with the lump hammer to get it over the locking nut. This will grip it and should give you enough to remove the nut with a breaker bar.

Now for the hard bit. You are left with the nut tightly wedged into the 19mm socket.

There are a number of ways of getting it out. I will show the way I done it with the limited tools I had at the time.

I used a number of sockets to create a space in which I could knock the nut out through the space in the top of the 19mm socket. After a few different combinations, I found this to be the easiest for me

You don't have to use this exact set-up as long as you create a space in which the nut can freely drop after you begin knocking it out of the socket. If the bottom of the nut touches anything, you won't be able to knock it through for obvious reasons.

The socket seen to the top of the stack is just another socket with a Hex Allen key like nib. It was in my tool box at the time and worked nicely to knock the nut through. You can use anything you deem fit.

After good few hard knocks with the lump hammer and a friend to hold the stack in place whilst you do so, you should get this result:

As you can see from the image below, you don't need the socket to dig into the nut too much. JUST enough for it to grip. I believe the 19mm socket does a great job.

I hope this helps a few people who find themselves in the same position I did.

If you have ANY questions or require any help, PM me through BMWOC.

If you are reading this thread and not already a member, please follow this link, Join then contact me.

http://www.bmwownersclub.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=global&section=register

Daz

[Snypa-D]

Top post :)

[Jayzzle]

I had this exact same problem, caused by the exact same thing lol. I must have left it on one day when changing a tyre in my front garden and driven off down the road with it on, anyway it was lost. My locking bolts were different to yours...

They look similar to that. The way I fixed it, was I bought some deep impact sockets off ebay, they were only like £20 or so, and a breaker bar for like £10 off ebay also. The reason I bought them was because the spyder wrench thing I had was sheeeeeeeet, because the bolts felt like it was welded on or something, and it just rounded out the inside of the wrench. Anyway, I did much the same thing as you, smashed the 19mm socket on and offed it with the breaker bar, to get the socket off the locknut, i just screwed it into the wheel a bit again and tapped it with the hammer untill it was off, then put it back on just enough to undo the rest of the nut. Golden :)

[Cailinrua]

I know I risk the wrath of Admin, but, we take locking wheel nuts off, it's all we do. We even take them off for some BMW main dealers.

The locking nuts shown on this thread aren't really locking wheel nuts, if you can get it off with an old socket (and lump hammer) then it's no different to the other nuts, is it? Modern locking nuts don't come off like that, the spinning ring stopped that.

We offer a valuable service to BMW owners, see what we can do,,

If admin are unhappy with this post perhaps you will contact me to discuss the best way to offer this service to help your members.

[Guest DazH]

Hi,

To say it doesn't work is either calling me(and everyone else who has done this) a lier or indirectly saying my '97 BMW 7 Series isn't a car.

A locking wheel nut is a wheel nut that requires a unique(or probability sorted shape) key to remove the nut. Mine aren't really locking wheel nuts? Trying my best to NOT be sarcastic but, what are they then? Why was it that without the "Key" my not so "Locking" nuts where such a headache to remove?

Youtube video and Facebook links removed as (for profit)advertising is not permitted

Daz