18 replies to this topic

[bAAx]

hello peeps long time no see ok thanks to the good guys at opel (teehee, again, from my previous life when i believed i had to go there for maintenance ) who screwed my new "HT" rear wheels on so thoroughly, the people at my lotus dealership (where i go now, having seen the light in the end) destroyed my security bolt locking nut (completely removed the profiled inside of the nut that grabs into the security bolts).. so i cant get my wheels off (for two whole months now).. so i cant have them replace the seals around where the drive axle leaves the gearbox which are leaking a bit.. so i cant drive the car.. so im going ever so slightly mad -> anyway.. opel doesnt care about simply getting me a new unlocking nut (according to lotus, GM threw away all the data that links a particular car with a particular bolt-set that lotus gave em, or so they claim, it is a fact however that you simply cant order a new nut through opel) and wants to WELD bolts onto the security affairs (yes, inside the rims, which will undoubtedly scoff/damage them), and get them out like that. -> thanks to my lotus dealership i got hold of my particular number of security-bolt set (there are several hundred different ones, alledgedly) and they ordered a new security nut from hethel that would fit my bolts on my wheels (am i still making sense here?) but the wait is desperately long, and its unclear if lotus even has it in stock, or if its on backorder, possibly going for extremely long wait for it to be manufactured (i waited a year for my alarm key-fob...) -> SO, heres the question im sure you felt coming: does anybody have any good solutions for removing those damned security bolts, be it by knowing how to get the security nut off lotus double-quick, or just vandalising the bolts in an intelligent, non-destructive and generally VX friendly way..? obviously, for new members, im for real and i actually own one of these great plastic cars, just check my record thankyouplease! Axel

[i need nos]

vauxhall charge 45 pounds for a new set where u can get a set from halfords, mc-guard ones for 27.99! get the local tyre shop to break off your old bolts for a few pounds!

[NickH]

IIRC Vauxhall dealerships have some kind of a master socket for taking the locking wheel nuts off That may solve the problem but I know you said you can't drive it, so it may not be of use after all!

[rik]

i lost mine at some point. My boss at work, who is a mechanical genius, got them off within a minute. He used a socket wrench, with a socket which was slightly smaller than the diameter of the security wheel nut. Then hammered it on with a mallet (this will wreck the socket and the wheel nut), but they will be stuck together enough to unscrew it normally. I then replaced them with "evo" locking nuts which are a million times better

[Michael]

You have PM Michael

[bAAx]

damn you guys are just the dogs! .. i mean that in the nicest possible way thanks ill look into these suggestions! Axel ps if i get the bolts off, i can get the seals fixed and get to the driving pronto! to think i was already thinking about getting an EVO IX instead jeezes

[Guy182]

i lost mine at some point. My boss at work, who is a mechanical genius, got them off within a minute. He used a socket wrench, with a socket which was slightly smaller than the diameter of the security wheel nut. Then hammered it on with a mallet (this will wreck the socket and the wheel nut), but they will be stuck together enough to unscrew it normally. I then replaced them with "evo" locking nuts which are a million times better

was that on mcguard nuts?

i know you can do that on the nuts with like grooves on the side a piece of cake as i had to do that before. but the mcguard ones have round edges?!

[bAAx]

i know you can do that on the nuts with like grooves on the side a piece of cake as i had to do that before. but the mcguard ones have round edges?!

i know for a fact the original ones have round edges too.. yer bastards yer bhooo

[VIX]

i lost mine at some point. My boss at work, who is a mechanical genius, got them off within a minute. He used a socket wrench, with a socket which was slightly smaller than the diameter of the security wheel nut. Then hammered it on with a mallet (this will wreck the socket and the wheel nut), but they will be stuck together enough to unscrew it normally. I then replaced them with "evo" locking nuts which are a million times better

As I recently discovered, Vauxhall don't have any master socket, in fact if you destroy a locking nut they can't help at all - no change there!
A local tyre fitter got all the lock nuts off inside 5 minutes using the above method. The socket wasn't destroyed as my wheel nuts were properly torqued and came off easily. Cost me the price of a pint. I am currently not bothering with locking wheel nuts with the OEM wheels but may buy a new set for when the TD's go back on in spring.

[speedyK]

i lost mine at some point. My boss at work, who is a mechanical genius, got them off within a minute. He used a socket wrench, with a socket which was slightly smaller than the diameter of the security wheel nut. Then hammered it on with a mallet (this will wreck the socket and the wheel nut), but they will be stuck together enough to unscrew it normally. I then replaced them with "evo" locking nuts which are a million times better

I used a similar technique*, but didn't force the undersized socket on very far. Was able to remove the locking nut without destroying it or the locking nut and could re-use it no probs




*When my bonnet release failed, necessitating access via the wheel arch to remedy – which in turn meant taking off a front wheel – the locking socket being of course under the bonnet Talk about Catch 22!

Luckily, with Meldert's help (by posting up some pics of his lhd under bonnet arrangement) I was able to work out a plan of attack to free the catch –just!). Membership on this forum was worthwhile for this alone – doesn't bear thinking abouit what the GM monkeys would have done to my car if I'd presented the locked bonnet to them * shudder *

Hey Axel, You fancy doing Hock again at Whit? Several VXers are interested in forming a group

[rasputin]

i got a set off vauxhall for£21+vat and ive just ordered a spare key lotus are talking bollocks!

[Guy182]

mine had spare key anyway??

[Guy182]

^^ i lied,, it was my clio that came with two locking wheel nut keys!

[bAAx]

lotus are talking bollocks!

could also be your vaux dealer doesnt know he cant order what youve just ordered

i would be very surprised if he came up with the goods, but do keep us posted

[bAAx]

[quote name='speedyK' date='Dec 9 2006, 14:42 ' post='533456']
Hey Axel, You fancy doing Hock again at Whit? Several VXers are interested in forming a group
[/quote


actually keith (and hello :D long time no see!!!), i would! i think this time around i might even be a little bit more competitive :) and what do you mean "at whit"? i only hope my wheels will have come off by then :D (i have little hope, as always ;) )

[rik]

i lost mine at some point. My boss at work, who is a mechanical genius, got them off within a minute. He used a socket wrench, with a socket which was slightly smaller than the diameter of the security wheel nut. Then hammered it on with a mallet (this will wreck the socket and the wheel nut), but they will be stuck together enough to unscrew it normally. I then replaced them with "evo" locking nuts which are a million times better

was that on mcguard nuts?

i know you can do that on the nuts with like grooves on the side a piece of cake as i had to do that before. but the mcguard ones have round edges?!

mine didnt have round edges, it had grooves (the evo ones are round). Maybe they changed at some point? my build number is 675

[davemate]

info:

if you are worried about marking your wheels try buying one of these:
Gator grip

story:
Same again here,
triex vxl when the locking nut wasnt included with the car, and they were useless and unhelpful. i asked how many sets they had out back and they said loads and loads, so i said do you mind if i look through them on the off chance that i can find a matching one. but no, he would let me for no reason at all. twat.

so i drove to all the local tyre fitters and a garrage hammered ontop of the existing ones and got them off without a mark. this is particularly difficult with the massive resess and tight space on the oz wheels, so i gave the guy a 10 quid tip.

just but a really cheap (cheaper the better) socket set and they should be soft enough.

i think that there is a company thet sell a reverse thread socket set, but i am not sure if there is the right size for the nuts.

[bAAx]

.. to conclude this thread: i contacted mcgard germany by mail, with a picture of the broken "key", my wheels w/ the security bolt, and a shot of my VIN number. they immediately (2hrs later) replied that i should send my broken key to them and id get a replacement for free. I did so and bingo yesterday morning (1 week after i sent my key, christmasholidays included) i got the replacement and it FITS!! (note that i needed NO id number for the key, just the old broken one) Wonderful, minimal fuss, maximum result! (eat your heart out vaux/opel) good on ya Mcgard!!!! <<<<<so this is where to go!!! I think someone ought to plonk this in the useful threads list as it will avoid lots of brokenboltgrief good buyve! axel

[P11 COV]

Good ole Germans...makes you embarrased to be British. P.S. I had the weld them on technique done on my original NA when i lost the key. They did it without any damage but it did cost a bomb. It was the last resort as I had tried all other avenues (except the Germans!)