I had this problem recently on another car - the Dynomec tool worked on 3 wheels (check the website and then phone them for details of which garages have the tool locally).

It looks like slightly softer metal pipe (surrounded by a hardened one) which is hammered into the lock nut and thus deforms into the locking nut profile. The deformed former is then rotated by an impact wrench to loosen the troubled nut!

If you are near Leeds, Dynomec claim to remove any problem locking nut for £10 per wheel.

Thanks.

Got it fixed this afternoon. Micheldever Tyres managed to get it off with a bit of hammering and welding. I think they welded the wheel nut key onto the bolt. Didn't get too close as there were plenty of sparks. No damage to the wheel at all.

The mechanic definitely knew what he was about and it took no more than 20 minutes.

No charge also which did please me, they did damage the nut in the first place mind you.

I have now removed all of the locking wheel nuts and replaced them with normal lug nuts. I shall take my chances as I don't want a repeat of that saga!

I replaced all my locking nuts a few days ago, the new key was different inside - had a black spring clip on the inside that seems designed to better fit the lugs.

Don't forget to copper grease your nuts (wheel nuts that is)  Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
Gone Audi A5 2.7TDI
Gone Discovery 3 HSE
Gone Mercedes CLK
Gone Range Rover 2.5 DSE

googsy2 wrote:

Don't forget to copper grease your nuts (wheel nuts that is)

Katash, I agree and would personally not use copper grease on threads, just a torque wrench to the correct value.

However, if you do use copper grease, as i see it, it wont cause any issue with regards to the nuts coming undone. But will essentially over-torque the studs. (after all it isn't friction that keeps the nuts done up).

If i had to advise though it would be against using copper slip, its just not designed for it to be needed.

I was told to do this a few times at it makes easier removal. Has never caused any issues for me. Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
Gone Audi A5 2.7TDI
Gone Discovery 3 HSE
Gone Mercedes CLK
Gone Range Rover 2.5 DSE

I use Shell Rhodina II for wheel nuts/bolts. It is designed for open gears in a marine environment (winches and the likes) and is therefore ideal for this use. I have a 5 kg tin sitting in my container/workshop, that will last me a lifetime as I only used the volume of a small marmalade jar in the past 15 years

Just a thin layer on threads will prevent them from seizing due to corrosion (especially in places where there is a lot of salt on the roads. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Always used copper grease on wheel studs and for that matter all nuts and bolts.
Makes life far easier in the longer term. Never had a problem with wheel nuts coming off in over 40 years.

Copper grease the outside of the nut where it meets the wheel, not the thread as this alters the torque value, stretch that stud and it's likely to fail.
And copper grease the mating surface of the wheel to hub, you don't want the wheel and hub corroding togeather.

i personally had a nightmare with some mercedes chrome topped locknuts, the merc tool sheared off and the two front locknuts were WELL on there. (had already done the rears) i could not drill them for toffee. i bought a left handed locknut removal tool and it just stipped the nut a little and bottomed out. i eventually turned my garage upside down looking for a solution. i found my old black and decker powerfile. i snipped up an old wider flooring belt-sander belt into about 7 powerfile sized belts, and set about 'filing' the head off, i made a circular fence from some old tinplate and slipped it over the nut first to protect the wheel. after about a minute, off constant twisting you get a dishlike shape and you keep checking its grinding centrally. and just when you are nearly there you run out of belts, and snip up some more. the wheel evetually gives in and is released. and the remains simply undo with fingers etc. do people still steal wheels? maybe theres a shotage of spare housebricks down back alleyways to prop the car up? you get a nice reminder every now and then as the rusty grindings are all over your drive!

The guy that removed mine welded an 18 inch welding rod onto the looses cap part of the nut to get leverage to prise it off, that gave him access to the proper nut underneath which was then undone using a wheel brace.

20 minute job. He had tried the Dynomec tool first, it didn't work. 03 4.4 V8 petrol / lpg. 1st of many hopefully. I love my Rangie