Broken wheel Lock

[minimonster]

So last year I had my tires rotated by a terrible mechanic. He torqued everything on with an impact wrench to like 500 ft pounds. This past week I went to swap out my summer wheels with my winters and i had the hardest time getting my wheel locks off. I actually stripped my key. Three of them came off by hammering on an old socket but the fourth broke on me. The top portion of the mcgard wheel lock came straigh off. I tried everything except drilling it out. Today I got fed up and decided to bring it to my local shop to have them drill it out. I didnt want to do it myself as I am not to experienced in the drilling out of studs department and didnt want to ruin my hub. Anywho - he said it would cost about an hours worth of labor which in my area is about 95 bucks! I also bought the craftsman bolt out kit from sears which didnt work at all! Anyone else ever have this problem? I reccomneded having them weld a socket to the stud but he wasnt into that idea.....

 

[I can fix anything]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...d=1652&supersede=&store=snapon-store&tool=all



big twist off socket

blue point # lsr2501

 

[mrholeshot]

he didn't want to weld a nut on because it could damage the wheel that then he would have to pay for. The way I do is take a brass drift and a BFH and hit the center of the nut a few times. This pushes the nut into the cone and adds some clearance. Sometimes you can screw them off by hand afterwards.

 

[mrholeshot]

So last year I had my tires rotated by a terrible mechanic. He torqued everything on with an impact wrench to like 500 ft pounds. ....

If you saw someone do this why didn't you say something and have the shop owner have him torque the lug nuts down? Or is this just assuming he did this? As a shop owner (or former shop owner) I see people blame technicians for everything from "My car ran fine until I had it towed into your place" to "My baby was born without arms due to the stress over getting my car fixed". Maybe you key was just worn out

 

[Chris Adams]

I can tell you how to do it yourself, but mostly guys won't bother.

One, get a jack under the car, lift till the wheel is free of the ground.
Two, remove the non-locked lugs, leaving one locker, the one that won't come loose.
Three, rotate the tire till the only remaining lug is at 3 or 9 o'clock.
Four, if it's on the rear, set the e-brake. On the front, lock it in park, or have assistant (or a weight or bungee cord) hold down the brake.
Five, GENTLY lower the car till the weight of the car pushes the tire slightly around. A very small amount does it.
Six, raise the car, rotate the tire to the opposite side, 3 to 9 or whichever.
Seven, repeat five.
By two to ten repetitions the remaining lug will be loose enough to remove with pliers.

I've done this about a dozen times. worked every time.

I used to have a lot of buddies that would go WestPac with the key to the lugs in their pockets, LOL.

 

[Taylor J.]

So last year I had my tires rotated by a terrible mechanic. He torqued everything on with an impact wrench to like 500 ft pounds. This past week I went to swap out my summer wheels with my winters and i had the hardest time getting my wheel locks off. I actually stripped my key. Three of them came off by hammering on an old socket but the fourth broke on me. The top portion of the mcgard wheel lock came straigh off. I tried everything except drilling it out. Today I got fed up and decided to bring it to my local shop to have them drill it out. I didnt want to do it myself as I am not to experienced in the drilling out of studs department and didnt want to ruin my hub. Anywho - he said it would cost about an hours worth of labor which in my area is about 95 bucks! I also bought the craftsman bolt out kit from sears which didnt work at all! Anyone else ever have this problem? I reccomneded having them weld a socket to the stud but he wasnt into that idea.....

Judging by your name, was it a Mini Cooper?
My mom just got one and I went to rotate the tire and broke one of the locks off also. Once I finally got the lug off, I put the lug and lock in a vise and pushed the two together. It has held up so far.

 

[Chuckw]

They will shatter if you hit them with an air chisel. I bought a junker for rebuilding my sons Cougar and it had locks on all four wheels. I had tried everything, so I told the wife I needed a new tool, bought an air hammer, chisel, cutter, and had them off in no time, with no damage to the Mags.

 

[Seanbev24]

OP, what "bolt-out" set did you buy? I've had good luck using the twist socket type that I Can Fix Anything posted. Craftsman has a few piece set for the same price as the single snap-on socket, about $50. At my local store, the set is in the random specialty section with brake tools, not in the extractor/bolt-out section.

I've used it 4 times and each time it only took a couple seconds. After getting them off you might as well throw the wheel locks in the trash, as any thief can buy the same set. After wearing out the sockets stealing wheels, he'll probably warranty them

 

[minimonster]

If you saw someone do this why didn't you say something and have the shop owner have him torque the lug nuts down? Or is this just assuming he did this? As a shop owner (or former shop owner) I see people blame technicians for everything from "My car ran fine until I had it towed into your place" to "My baby was born without arms due to the stress over getting my car fixed". Maybe you key was just worn out

I didnt see him put my wheels on so I never had a chance to say anything. And Im not assuming he put them on too tight - he DID put them on too tight. All my lugs inclduing the locks were very hard to get off. Im sure the techs in your shop were blamed when they shouldnt have been. But this guy genuinely screwed up.

 

[minimonster]

Judging by your name, was it a Mini Cooper?
My mom just got one and I went to rotate the tire and broke one of the locks off also. Once I finally got the lug off, I put the lug and lock in a vise and pushed the two together. It has held up so far.

Yes its a mini cooper...

 

[Wrenches of Death]

The way I do is take a brass drift and a BFH and hit the center of the nut a few times. This pushes the nut into the cone and adds some clearance. Sometimes you can screw them off by hand afterwards.

Your method works very well, I've used it a few times. I use a brass hammer that I made out of a piece of boat shaft back in the mid 70's instead of a punch. I can hit it harder without risking life and limb. Your method would be a very good candidate for a "tips" sticky.

I've gotten to the point where I don't trust anyone to remove or install a wheel on anything I own. If I need new tires for one of the cars, or tires rebalanced, I put the car up on jack stands, throw the four wheels in the back of the truck and bring them to where ever I'm buying the tires.

And I will still watch them like a hawk when they mount the tires on the wheels. You wouldn't believe the number of alledged "tire techs" I've had to explain the balance dots/circles to on the new tires to, or even the concept of a torque wrench.

What the hell happened to all of the GOOD tire techs?

I guess that maybe they all got old and either retired or died. ;-(

WoD

 

[Travis E.]

I can tell you how to do it yourself, but mostly guys won't bother.

One, get a jack under the car, lift till the wheel is free of the ground.
Two, remove the non-locked lugs, leaving one locker, the one that won't come loose.
Three, rotate the tire till the only remaining lug is at 3 or 9 o'clock.
Four, if it's on the rear, set the e-brake. On the front, lock it in park, or have assistant (or a weight or bungee cord) hold down the brake.
Five, GENTLY lower the car till the weight of the car pushes the tire slightly around. A very small amount does it.
Six, raise the car, rotate the tire to the opposite side, 3 to 9 or whichever.
Seven, repeat five.
By two to ten repetitions the remaining lug will be loose enough to remove with pliers.

I've done this about a dozen times. worked every time.

I used to have a lot of buddies that would go WestPac with the key to the lugs in their pockets, LOL.

This may work if the wheels are not hub centric.

 

[wafrederick]

Sometimes the blue tipped wrench,torch has to be use.Be careful to the rim when doing this.I had the worst one on a Mazda 6,some jackass put locking lugnuts on all the lugstuds on all four corners.I got most off them off pounding on a 12mm hex socket and taking them off with an impact.The locking lugnuts went goodbye and replaced with the convential lug nuts.I would love to strangle who ever thought of the chrome cap lug nuts,these can be a real PITA to gett when they are mushroomed pounding a socket on.I do not anymore.There is a socket for these,one is 19.5mm and the other side is 18.5 mm and it is a flip socket which I purchased from my Matco dealer.

 

[Taylor J.]

Yes its a mini cooper...

Seems like these are not pressed on very tightly...

 

[Wrenches of Death]

There is a socket for these,one is 19.5mm and the other side is 18.5 mm and it is a flip socket which I purchased from my Matco dealer.

I never knew that such a beast existed. One has been added to my "to get" list.

Thanks!

WoD

 

[crewchief888]

ive never had a wheel lock on anything ive owned.

never had wheels stolen either.
had a van stolen one time, still had the aluminum slots on it when the cops found it later that night.

unfortunately the doors and hood were gone, and it was torched.

 

[Chris Adams]

This may work if the wheels are not hub centric.

Works on 4x4 with the big hub, just takes thirty repetitions.
I know.

And that's pretty hub centric.

You only have to move the lug about five or six thousandths of an inch before it loosens up.

 

[CBradio]

Sometimes the blue tipped wrench,torch has to be use.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Not safe. Watch the video, and then picture a torch as opposed to a welder

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[atari]

The temp gage we make were I work! well the display anyway. Hitting a lug with the wheel still on the car is a lot different then burning a whole rod on the rim.

 

[CBradio]

If you feel like taking the chance, go for it. Read the last line of this.

http://www.worktruckonline.com/Article/Print/Story/2010/01/Caution-Welding-Wheels-Is-Dangerous.aspx

 

[88thunder]

I've had success in junk yards by really tightening down all lugs EXCEPT the lock nut and then unscrewing the lock nut by hand.

 

[38D]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Not safe. Watch the video, and then picture a torch as opposed to a welder

Which i why you should take the shrader valve out first!

 

[CBradio]

Which i why you should take the shrader valve out first!

I'm willing to bet that that valve core couldnt drain out the air as fast as its building up. If you're willing to risk it, go for it. I would try the air hammer first, or pounding a socket on, or twist sockets, or anything before i did that.