Today I finally got the right sized hex key for my wheel nuts, hurray! But, the unique key that fits 1 nut on each wheel has been used by someone else to try and undo the standard 12mm barrel nuts, thus stripping it quite bad. I managed to get 1 wheel off OK, then went to do the 2nd and now it just spins inside the nut... grrr! I got the 2nd wheel off by hammering in a half-inch key with the lever/bar for my hydraulic jack for about 10 minutes... that let me get that nut off. I then realised the stripped key only goes in about 1cm and the shank was 2cm, so I thought if I hacksawed off the stripped bit it would be OK. Halfway through the key I realised I wasn't getting any further anymore - the blade was completely blunt and I couldn't find my spare... I chucked a file into my jigsaw and went to town for a while but didn't have much progress either I figured I'd have another go and push the key into the nut as hard as I could and pray it would grip... well it gripped alright - it gripped the stripped section and sheared it off from the rest of the key. I had though of doing this earlier to try and get the half-sawn bit off but decided against it and now I know why: The stripped part of the key that sheared off is stuck inside the barrel nut and I can't get it out. I've hammer-drilled it until I could drill no more and I've made a decent hole in it, but it hasn't helped me in any way to get it out. What I'm wondering is how to get that stuck bit of key out of the nut so I can get my wheel off. I'm happy to sacrifice the nut so long as I can get a replacement somewhere convenient. Any ideas? Thanks :zlove:
Have you got enough clearance around the nuts to hammer a socket over them and then use a ratchet to remove the nut?
Aaah yes I would but the reason I need my wheels off is so I can bleed my brakes because I just replaced the booster and MBC. Unfortunately the Zed isn't going anywhere. I'll take some photos tomorrow night once the batteries for the camera are charged to try and give a better idea.
Hmmm I suppose I could try, I did look to do that before I bothered to take the wheels off at all but couldn't see anything. Hey I could turn the wheel and see if that helps.
This happened with my buddies car and his was a star socket. The whole tip of the key busted off inside of one of the lug nuts. I had to drill and tap a thread into the tip of the key, then thread in a bolt and pull it out. For the rest of them I had to go to town with a grinder and get as close as I could to the pattern with the left over part of the key. It took a while but I eventually got it. There was no room at all on the sides of the "tuner" style lug nuts(very small in diameter with a center key). So this was my only option...to remake the key by hand. For all other issues I use these which work VERY nice and a mechanic should always have a set around for those stripped bolts. I even use thes on my Toyota head bolts that were stripped. A 12mm 12 point head bolt...as to why they used such a small head you got me. One of them was stripped though and I though I was screwed. I figured there would be no way that I could get around drilling and grinding the head of the bolt off for removal. I put these on and it twisted right off. Since I had all new head bolts anyways I ended up using these "Bolt Out's" on the rest of the head bolts instead of the 12 sided socket. They are a lifesaver to say the least. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952165000P?keyword=bolt+out There are also these that I picked up thinking that I could use them for this project of the broken wheel key. They did not work as they are too large to fit in the small space that the tuner style lug nuts have around them. Still handy to have though. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00947392000P?mv=rr Good luck man.
Just make up a dogy L shaped wheel brace out of steel rod or flat then mig/arc it to the the end of nut.Use some tin to stop the wheel cping sparks/splatter. You now have a wheel brace attached to the nut so just undo a normal.You might want to cool wheel slowly with water after wards .I use this idea to undo the smallest of bolts.Also great for removeing stuffed bearings , especially if the the out race is all thats left.You just hit the inside of thge race with weld on each side and the race contracts and usually drops out and if it doesn't you now have a nice lip to hit against.
Yeah lack of tools is a bit of a setback. I used the jack lever as a hammer... I put a file into my jigsaw as I don't have a grinder... I definitely don't own a welder lol, or thread tappers - plus drilling the key is like drilling titanium! Good tips though for when I do get the tools in the future though, thanks
Go and buy two Cobalt Drill Bits from your local engineering supplier(one about the same dia. as the indentation in the broken "key", the other one needs to be the exact dia. of the distance across the flats of your wheel studs). Drill a "pilot" hole down the centre of the broken key and then, using the larger drill bit, drill the remaining key all the way through. You should then be able to dig out whatever scraps of the key that are still in the stud.
