Locking wheel bolt

E_T_V · 6th March 2016, 21:19

I've made a rookie error and lost my locking wheelnut key.

It is this type. (stock photo - I can take a picture of mine for the pattern if that helps

Anyone know how I can get a spare key please?

trikey · 6th March 2016, 21:21

They are a pain to remove, I use a small punch on the edge and tap them around, its a nightmare, no idea where you would get a key without the key info.

hortonds · 6th March 2016, 21:27

A friend of mine was sold a 75 with locking wheel nuts but he didn't give us the key, then two days later she kerbed it. I got it off by hammering a slightly smaller imperial socket over it and then undoing it. Ruins the socket but a fairly cheap and quick fix.

trikey · 6th March 2016, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by hortonds

A friend of mine was sold a 75 with locking wheel nuts but he didn't give us the key, then two days later she kerbed it. I got it off by hammering a slightly smaller imperial socket over it and then undoing it. Ruins the socket but a fairly cheap and quick fix.

You cant do that with the bolts in the original post, they have a rotating collar to prevent that!

Tian905 · 6th March 2016, 21:52

They are McGard locking wheel nuts.

1.) You can send them a picture of your design and proof of ownership, plus cash they will send you a new key.

2.) Drill out the wheel nut, then chisel the collar off and hammer on a socket (I did this on all 4, trashed a set of expensive drill bits, takes about an hour for each)

3.) find a member with the master set of keys and speak to them nicely!

The keys are made from the cheapest steel possible it seems, and monkeys with air guns do not help.

Ian.

stevestrat · 7th March 2016, 07:59

I had McGuard on a Volvo S80, would never have them again, key is made of chocolate and very easy to damage.

john2443 · 7th March 2016, 09:13

I had mine removed by a tyre company who had a Dynomec nut remover tool.

£25 IIRC for all 4, came off without damaging the studs or wheels.

Event tyres, mobile service, came to the office car park, took them off, fitted a new tyre. Even if you're a tight wad like me, £25 was much better value than spending half a day with drills and chisels undoing them myself!

Spinning ring round the outside prevented hammering a socket on - if you could do that they wouldn't be worth having in the first place!

I replaced them with standard studs, a couple of quid each from motor factor.

Salad-Dodger · 7th March 2016, 13:22

The whole head came off one of mine using the key. I got a garage to remove that one. I then removed the others and replaced them with standard bolts.
They are more trouble than they are worth. I still have them in my workshop but I've no idea how to identify what the key is. You are welcome to the key, you never know, it may be the one you need. Steve

andrewinpopayan · 7th March 2016, 18:16

Go down to the local car breakers, they usually have boxes full of "keys" for wheel nuts.

E_T_V · 22nd May 2016, 21:58

Just to close out this.

I found the code for the wheelnuts in the car info

Sent it to McGard along with some euros and they returned a key to me.

Sadly the wrong one!

Anyway top marks to them for customer service. I sent then a picture of the wheelnut and they mailed out a new/correct key without any hassle.

6th March 2016, 21:19	#1
E_T_V Loves to post MG ZT-T Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Scunthorpe Posts: 423 Thanks: 8 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Locking wheel bolt I've made a rookie error and lost my locking wheelnut key. It is this type. (stock photo - I can take a picture of mine for the pattern if that helps Anyone know how I can get a spare key please?

6th March 2016, 21:21	#2
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,766 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	They are a pain to remove, I use a small punch on the edge and tap them around, its a nightmare, no idea where you would get a key without the key info. __________________ Lest we forget..

6th March 2016, 21:27	#3
hortonds Avid contributor Rover 75 CDTI Tourer Automatic Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Dunstable Posts: 196 Thanks: 4 Thanked 31 Times in 22 Posts	A friend of mine was sold a 75 with locking wheel nuts but he didn't give us the key, then two days later she kerbed it. I got it off by hammering a slightly smaller imperial socket over it and then undoing it. Ruins the socket but a fairly cheap and quick fix. __________________ 300,000 miles and back on the road Jobs done: Everything you can possibly imagine ... I have the "Triggers Broom" of cars.

6th March 2016, 21:52	#5
Tian905 Avid contributor MK2 MG ZTT+ CDTi & MK2 Rover 75 Classic CDT Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Manchester Posts: 175 Thanks: 6 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	They are McGard locking wheel nuts. 1.) You can send them a picture of your design and proof of ownership, plus cash they will send you a new key. 2.) Drill out the wheel nut, then chisel the collar off and hammer on a socket (I did this on all 4, trashed a set of expensive drill bits, takes about an hour for each) 3.) find a member with the master set of keys and speak to them nicely! The keys are made from the cheapest steel possible it seems, and monkeys with air guns do not help. Ian. __________________

7th March 2016, 07:59	#6
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,473 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	I had McGuard on a Volvo S80, would never have them again, key is made of chocolate and very easy to damage. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map

7th March 2016, 09:13	#7
john2443 Avid contributor ZT CDTI / 1951 Healey Tickford Drop Head Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Brighton Posts: 207 Thanks: 19 Thanked 28 Times in 23 Posts	I had mine removed by a tyre company who had a Dynomec nut remover tool. £25 IIRC for all 4, came off without damaging the studs or wheels. Event tyres, mobile service, came to the office car park, took them off, fitted a new tyre. Even if you're a tight wad like me, £25 was much better value than spending half a day with drills and chisels undoing them myself! Spinning ring round the outside prevented hammering a socket on - if you could do that they wouldn't be worth having in the first place! I replaced them with standard studs, a couple of quid each from motor factor.

7th March 2016, 13:22	#8
Salad-Dodger Gets stuck in MG ZT-T 190 Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Chatham Posts: 592 Thanks: 34 Thanked 66 Times in 62 Posts	The whole head came off one of mine using the key. I got a garage to remove that one. I then removed the others and replaced them with standard bolts. They are more trouble than they are worth. I still have them in my workshop but I've no idea how to identify what the key is. You are welcome to the key, you never know, it may be the one you need. Steve

7th March 2016, 18:16	#9
andrewinpopayan Loves to post Rover 75 CDT manual tourer SE with farkles Join Date: May 2014 Location: Bradford BD12 Posts: 497 Thanks: 148 Thanked 73 Times in 62 Posts	Go down to the local car breakers, they usually have boxes full of "keys" for wheel nuts. __________________ 2001 75 2.0 CDT tourer. Bodges and "quick fixes" have a nasty habit of reminding you at the MOST inconvenient AND expensive time that you should have done the job properly in the first place.!

22nd May 2016, 21:58	#10
E_T_V Loves to post MG ZT-T Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Scunthorpe Posts: 423 Thanks: 8 Thanked 9 Times in 9 Posts	Just to close out this. I found the code for the wheelnuts in the car info Sent it to McGard along with some euros and they returned a key to me. Sadly the wrong one! Anyway top marks to them for customer service. I sent then a picture of the wheelnut and they mailed out a new/correct key without any hassle.