can of worms

[stef_uk]

My car has been running lovely for ages and decided to upgrade my wheels bought some gridspokes of ebay but had to fetch them from redcar some 160 miles away...not a problem lovely weather take the family and make a day of it..got there no problem and tried to put the wheels in the boot...oooops there big arn't they, this was my first problem...easily solved i'll put the 18"s on and the old ones will fit in the boot, so i jacks her up undo the first 4 bolts no problem then i put the key in the lock apply pressure and it crunches...looking at the key (no:12) it is worn so instead of aggravating what was left i moved onto the fronts...these came of so i resigned myself to putting two 18"s on the front and sorting the rears out on my return..decided nothing much happening in redcar so drove down to whitby on the journey sounds developed...fisrtly the odd click and clunk...not scarey but audiable and then what sounded like a wheel bearing groan at above 50 panicking i jumped out checked wheel was done up checked for tyre rubb etc..all was ok...pulled off sound was gone...but appeared on occasion for the rest of the journey...thinking i had a 160 mile trip back i decided to swap a wheel 'just in case', this made no difference and the wheel bearing sound was still there...after 20 miles or so the sound went and i got home safely, however the sound has returned and i have a few questions i need answering....
firstly can changing the wheels cause a wheel bearing to fail?
do you think it is a wheel bearing?
could it be a warped disc?
i ask this because if the wheel bearing has gone/going surely the sound would be there all the time?, and to add the sound doesn't increase/decrease with cornering.
can i get hold of a new number 12 key?...if so where from?
and if i can't get a new key or if it doesn't get the lock off how can i get it off?

sorry for the drawn out questions but i like to tell the full story as it were

thx stef

[JohnDotCom]

No 12 keys available from any XPart Dealer or Rimmers.
Also they appear on EBay.

The rest is outside my remit I'm afraid.

[bl52krz]

Originally Posted by stef_uk

My car has been running lovely for ages and decided to upgrade my wheels bought some gridspokes of ebay but had to fetch them from redcar some 160 miles away...not a problem lovely weather take the family and make a day of it..got there no problem and tried to put the wheels in the boot...oooops there big arn't they, this was my first problem...easily solved i'll put the 18"s on and the old ones will fit in the boot, so i jacks her up undo the first 4 bolts no problem then i put the key in the lock apply pressure and it crunches...looking at the key (no:12) it is worn so instead of aggravating what was left i moved onto the fronts...these came of so i resigned myself to putting two 18"s on the front and sorting the rears out on my return..decided nothing much happening in redcar so drove down to whitby on the journey sounds developed...fisrtly the odd click and clunk...not scarey but audiable and then what sounded like a wheel bearing groan at above 50 panicking i jumped out checked wheel was done up checked for tyre rubb etc..all was ok...pulled off sound was gone...but appeared on occasion for the rest of the journey...thinking i had a 160 mile trip back i decided to swap a wheel 'just in case', this made no difference and the wheel bearing sound was still there...after 20 miles or so the sound went and i got home safely, however the sound has returned and i have a few questions i need answering....
firstly can changing the wheels cause a wheel bearing to fail?
do you think it is a wheel bearing?
could it be a warped disc?
i ask this because if the wheel bearing has gone/going surely the sound would be there all the time?, and to add the sound doesn't increase/decrease with cornering.
can i get hold of a new number 12 key?...if so where from?
and if i can't get a new key or if it doesn't get the lock off how can i get it off?

sorry for the drawn out questions but i like to tell the full story as it were

thx stef

sorry about your problem stef. dont know if rimmers will have any, but give them a buzz.

[ampwhu]

purchased a alloy key off ebay for about £4 delivered i think. quite easy to find.

[Phil]

Originally Posted by stef_uk

problem...easily solved i'll put the 18"s on and the old ones will fit in the boot, fisrtly the odd click and clunk...not scarey but audiable and then what sounded like a wheel bearing groan at above 50 panicking i jumped out checked wheel was done up checked for tyre rubb etc..all was ok...pulled off sound was gone...but appeared on occasion for the rest of the journey...thinking i had a 160 mile trip back i decided to swap a wheel 'just in case', this made no difference and the wheel bearing sound was still there...after 20 miles or so the sound went and i got home safely, however the sound has returned and i have a few questions i need answering....
firstly can changing the wheels cause a wheel bearing to fail?
do you think it is a wheel bearing?
could it be a warped disc?

Hi, you say the new ones wouldn't fit in the back but the old ones did, so I guess that means the rolling radius of the wheels is different front to rear, if this is the case then the abs will consequently get twisted knickers as it will see one wheel moving faster than another, this normally makes the modulator run, this does usually bring on the abs lamp though.
Changing wheels can't wreck a bearing although non genuine wheels with a different off set will over time cause more wear to the bearings. A warped disc would cause brake judder.

The droaning noise could be tyre castlation. Especially it was only apparant after the wheel change.

[Departed]

If someone has not refiitted the screws that hold the discs on, it's possible they moved slightly when the wheel was taken off, and muck got between the disc and the hub. This could cause wheel wobble.

[wuzerk]

a poor wheel bearing will usually start to sing at a certain speed and continue until you drop below that particular speed again.

[ml.williams]

id say either the different wheels and rolling radius change front to back is affecting the abs or the new wheel are out of balance from being stored ect so may be wise when you ahve a new key and can put all 4 on and off the car to get them all balanced properly and see if that is the course

[stef_uk]

thx for the replys guys will order a key asap if it doesn't work how do i get it off?...without hacksawing the wheel?

On another note i have decided to replace my pads and discs can anybody reccomend a good set up?...i remember the oem ones being poor in later life so probably best not to go with them..so any other suggestions would be great


stef

[GrahamP]

Originally Posted by stef_uk

thx for the replys guys will order a key asap if it doesn't work how do i get it off?...without hacksawing the wheel?stef

Get yourself a cold chisel with a hexagon shaft that a socket will fit and the cutting end the same or a mm or so larger in width than the splines in the wheel nut, drive it in, socket on the handle with torque wrench or swivel bar and unscrew it.