This article will show you how to Remove Locking Wheel Nuts Without a Key!
While initially Servicing a Mk2 MX5 I had recently acquired, I decided that changing the front brake pads would also be a good use of my time, as this was an advisory item on its last MOT before taking ownership of the car. I went ahead and ordered new pads, and upon arriving gathered what tools I'd need and headed for the car.
First job, loosen the wheel nuts slightly while the car is still on the ground. After releasing two of the wheel nuts successfully, the wheel brace would not fit on to the third nuts. Upon further inspection it was discovered that the car has Locking Wheel Nuts (as shown below), and no key came with the car!
There are several types of Locking Wheel Nuts, some have splines on the outer edge and require a special socket type adapter, others have an internal set of splines requiring a special kind of torque wrench adapter. Other types include special holes in the nut with an adapter housing pins that match these holes. These solutions are intended for the first type, as these are fitted to my car, although you may find some success with other types of locking wheel nut.
Solutions
After researching the topic I came across the following solutions to the problem, each reporting varied levels of success.
1. Get a replacement key. (often expensive and hard to achieve.)
2. Drill out and replace the stud. (Messy,big risk of alloy damage.
3. Weld something to the nut. (Specialist tools and messy.)
4. Hammer a slightly undersized socket onto the nut. (A few success stories!)
5. Hammer a slightly oversize torque adapter into the nut (Internal splines or drill.)
6. Reverse threaded locking wheel nut removal tool. (What I used, and recommended!)
Locking Wheel Nut Removal Tool
The tool I selected for the job was a 2 piece, 1/4" drive, Locking Wheel Nut Remover made by Laser (www.lasertools.co.uk). I obtained my own from my local Halfords store for just under £17.
The tool itself comes in two sizes and consists of a socket with a deep reverse thread, designed to fit over the locking nut and cut a thread into it as you undo the nut anti-clockwise.
Using The Removal Tool
To remove the locking wheel nuts without a key from your car you will need; the removal tool (select best size from the two available), short 1/4" extension bar, 1/4" T-bar or wrench, Extension or strong tube to fit over T-bar for more torque, Lump hammer.
- Place the removal tool on the end of the extension bar and place over the wheel nut.
- Strike the end of the extension bar several times with a lump hammer to drive it part way onto the nut.
- Attach the T-bar or wrench to the extension and turn a quarter turn in an anti-clockwise direction.
- If the socket fails to bind, or goes on an an extreme asngle, repeat the first step again until you get a good straight quarter turn.
- Now continue to turn the wrench a quarter turn at a time, using the extension if required. Slow and steady seems to work best.
- After several full turns (depending upon how tight your nut is) the nut should loosen and be free to remove, but wait!
- Re tighten the wheel nut until it is tight and then the removal tool will start to loosen. Turn it back in an anti clockwise direction until it undoes the wheel nut again. Repeat this several times until it becomes quit easy to swap from loosening the wheel nut to the removal tool. This will help when removing the nut from the removal tool, ready to take on the next wheel.
- Completely remove the wheel nut, and then remove the nut from the tool by gripping the nut with grips or a vice, and turning the wrench clockwise.
The procedure above worked well for me, allowing me to remove the locking wheel nuts on all four wheels, without a key! The first wheel was the trickiest, but you soon learn the knack for hammering it on and then removing the net from the tool after extraction. The tool also survived very well and I reckon it is fit to remove another four should the need arise.