Unfortunately the locking wheelnut key has disappeared. Only identified when a tyre was wrecked by a pothole.

Wheel removed by local mobile tyre fitter but did not have time to remove others. (will cost £100+)

 

Stupidly I looked at Youtube and comments on this site and decided to have a go. How difficult could it be to hammer on a socket. A 22mm socket was suggested, I found a 7/8inch socket which is 22.2mm and hammered it on. Unfortunately that 0.2mm must be critical as when a bar is applied the socket just turns the sleeve and not the stud. I am now unable to remove the socket. I  have tried mole grips which grip the exposed end the socket. The end is exposed by 8mm or so

 

I am therefore trying to consider my options:-

Drill out the offending stud through the 12 drive hole - but this is hardened steel

Try to break the socket (angle grind a slot in the exposed end of socket and use cold chisel to crack the socket . Then remove it in pieces.

Weld the socket to the stud through the 1/2 drive hole, though there is a 8mm  gap between the top of the stud and the bottom of the 1/2" drive hole.

Weld something to the socket so i can use a slide hammer or equivalent to remove it.

 

Ps wheel was in a poor state when i bought the car the odd extra scar will not be an issue.

annoyingly now found a 22mm socket.

 

What are your views.

 

Many thanks in advance

 

 

Edited 27 February, 20206 yr by Smallholdertoo

Hi,

 

grind a slot in the top as far as you can, then hammer something into the square that a bit bigger and it may split the socket.

 

Not sure if this will work but on one of the other locking nuts put a bit of WD40 on it then push is some blutac this should give you an imprint of the pattern you could then take this to the dealer and see if they have any way of matching this to the keys.

 

John 

As above go to dealer and they have a complete set of all variants and should be able to order up a new wheel bolt and lock nut

Half inch long extension bar into socket and wiggle up and down to remove socket

These security sockets often have a number engraved / stamped on them. It is worth keeping a note of this number (somewhere safe - not on the car?), so that it is much easier to get a replacement if the need arises.

Thanks for the suggestions. Bought a new key from Ebay. the Seller identified key from a picture i sent him, so now  just left with the 7/8" socket preventing me removing the last lock stud. So thoughts about the best method of removal would be appreciated.

 

I have tried the 1/2" extension bar but too little room to wiggle much.

Still tempted to weld onto socket and use slide hammer or equivalent.

Try a longer 1/2" extension bar to wiggle it a bit more! Combined with a T bar might be good as well.

 

Or with 1/2 drive try tightening up a little first.

 

Sockets are usually made with hardened metal so can be hard to drill/grind etc -

 

If you need to welding can be "interesting" depending on what the socket is made of and for certain you'd have to gring the chrome off. Beware heat build up as well, I've always found this can build up after a few welds. Be careful of anything nearby with welding  eg fuel tank/filler, tyre,  the alloy wheel and hub behind it,  you could melt the grease in the wheel bearing.

 

 

I speak from bitter experience :-

• One was kind of similar - couldn't get a wheel off a hub due to corrosion. In the end I took the suspension to bits and fitted some new(well from a scrap car) parts.
• Another was doing lots of welding on a Morris 1000 when I discovered that from new they were lead filled -  it basically ran off the car after the body had obviously got up to a certain temperature!

 

Edited 3 March, 20206 yr by bigjohn

In the end I welded on a 1/2" drive onto the socket. This had been modified by welding a T piece on the end of it. Just used a large hammer to knock the t bar to remove.

 

Many thanks for your help.