Have A Puncture, Don't Know How To Remove Alloy Wheel.

TedKelly

I realise this probably sounds stupid but this is my first car with alloy wheels and I just cannot get the bloody thing off. I know there's some kind of locknut system??? (which I know nuttin about). All I have is a diagram, with 2 little black plastic things that I have no I dea where they go. No matter how hard I try to loosen the nuts, they won't budge. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Numan

Usually there is one locked nut per wheel. You should have a small metal part (unlockinging nut) to attach to the nut on one end and your wrench on the other?

Where are you based?

fletch

Have you had a good look around the back boot/glove box etc for the unlockinging nut?

colm_mcm

VW use also use plastic covers over the wheel nuts that you have to clip off before removeing the nuts.

TomMc

Sorry for your troubles Ted ! It's not your week ! Hope you find the Key Nut.

TedKelly

fletch wrote:

Have you had a good look around the back boot/glove box etc for the unlockinging nut?

Yeah fletch but I haveto be honest, I wouldn't know what one looks like. I found a plastic bag (Unopened) with something that looks like plumbing fixturing to me. Now that I've opened it it says "cable gland kit pbw20s brass cable glands complete with shrouds, Locknuts & Eart Tags". That's hardly it is it?

TedKelly

colm_mcm wrote:

VW use also use plastic covers over the wheel nuts that you have to clip off before removeing the nuts.

I can see the nuts (5?) but can't loosen them

TomMc

I'm not familiar with VW's but see if one of the nuts has slots of sorts which are not on the others. You need a key nut ... bit like these to attach onto said nut and then remove with a wheel brace.

http://mcgard-europe.de/englisch/produkte.htm

TedKelly

TomMc wrote:

I'm not familiar with VW's but see if one of the nuts has slots of sorts which are not on the others. You need a key nut ... bit like these to attach onto said nut and then remove with a wheel brace.

http://mcgard-europe.de/englisch/produkte.htm

Looks like this is what I'm missing. What do I do now? Are they all generic? If someone else had a VW one, would it work on my car?

ballooba

There is a tiny little pouch in the outside of the VW toolkit with a velcro cover. It's in there. It's the same size as a socket for a similar size bolt/nut.

sundodger5

if it is a fairly new vw the (un)locking nut is in a little pocket that is part of the tool kit pouch. easier to feel it than see it.
best of luck

TedKelly

Yeah checked that lads but no joy. Am I totally screwed now or what?

quarryman

its gotta be there somewhere. Sometimes in the glovebox.

What about that "plumbing fixture"? Sure that's not it.

Did you check around the spare wheel well?

TedKelly

quarryman wrote:

its gotta be there somewhere. Sometimes in the glovebox.

What about that "plumbing fixture"? Sure that's not it.

Did you check around the spare wheel well?

Checked everywhere quarryman, it's not there.

TomMc

That puncture repair tyre foam might be the only solution (unless its a slow puncture) till you get it to a tyre centre. Just from reading your first post again, it says you cannot get the nuts off. Are they too tight or does one of the nuts look different to the other 3/4 and you don't have the key to get a grip on same.

TedKelly

From what I can make out, all the nuts are the same. I have no problem getting a grip on them but they won't budge.

TomMc

Not knowing VW's can't be sure what exactly is the case.

Have a look at this photo (expand as required)

http://www.fallastarmedia.com/vortex/wheelbrg/large/003.jpg

See the nut at 11o'clock in the picture is round on its outer (circumferance) and so needs a key nut attached to get a grip on same. All the other nuts are standard ones with 6 sides and can be removed with a wheel brace. If your nuts! (sorry bolts) are all like this and you can grip same and they won't budge, they may have been overtightened with an air gun. Some WD40 may loosen them slightly or just use more strength (but don't shear them by too much force or using the wrong fitment).

quarryman

TedKelly wrote:

From what I can make out, all the nuts are the same. I have no problem getting a grip on them but they won't budge.

if all the nuts are the same then you prob don't need an alloy key.

They won't budge? Did you try putting in the wrench and standing on it? Hop up and down a little bit

TedKelly

quarryman wrote:

if all the nuts are the same then you prob don't need an alloy key.

They won't budge? Did you try putting in the wrench and standing on it? Hop up and down a little bit

Yeah did that.

unkel

TedKelly wrote:

Yeah did that.

As in putting the wrench at horizontal level, holding on to the roof of the car, jumping up several feet and landing down with two feet full force on to the wrench*?

* Anti clockwise

Only once ever did I not get any movement.

TedKelly

it's not moving man....

unkel

Then my plan B typically would spring into action. Ring the AA. I guess you are not a member?

TedKelly

No unfortunatly not, thanks anyway.

folkswagen

attach an extension bar over the wheel brace and jump on that - worked with my VW - it was due to the nuts having been put on with a machine - hard to remove by just a human:)

copacetic

what kind of tyre iron have you? the ones that come with a lot of cars will bend before turning the nuts. (i tried unkels method before with one that came with a focus an bent the iron without budging the nut) I had to buy a steel extendible one which turned them first time.
Although this was just one particularly stubborn wheel nut.

unkel

Yeah what the last two posters said. The longer the wheel brace (and it needs to be strong), the more torque is applied to turn the nut when you put pressure to the end of the brace

crosstownk

The AA are the people who run VW Roadside Assistance. Some AA units have these stud keys on board. Call the AA and ask if they can help. If your car is in warranty then the AA will come for free.

Every VW dealer should have every type of key in the workshop - but if the lockset is not OE equipment then you might be in trouble.......

rebel.ranter

It sounds to me like there are no lock nuts on your wheels. As other posters have mentioned the bolts were probably put on with an air wrench. You should get an extendable wheel brace, you can buy these fro about €10. They give you way more leverage than a standard wheel brace. I have one in each car for herself should she get stranded, although we do have Hibernian Assist (which is the same as RAC, BTW Aviva Hibernian parent company has bought RAC now too).
You should check with your insurance policy, a lot of policies offer breakdown assist free of charge, you might be covered.

MercMad

See if you can find a steel tube to do over the wheel brace, a piece of scaffold, anything like that, or call to a nearby garage and ask for a power bar.

Some WD40 would help too !

Good luck !

Fey!

Buy a can of WD40 and drench the 5 nuts. Leave them to soak for a few minutes, then try unbolting them; you may need to stand on the bar to achieve this.

Best of luck.

pablo21

Short sharp shock i.e. Hammer and chissell!

DublinDilbert

what typically happens is that the steel locking nut bytes into the surface of the aluminum wheel...

You'll need a nice long "breaker bar" as others have said the longer the better and a decent socket (preferably an impact one with a tick wall ) the correct size... places like halfords sell an extendable breaker bar and a few sockets fairly cheaply.... you could also pick up one of the X type ones cheap, or go with the braker bar and socket from above...

In my experience most wheel braces that come with cars aren't worth a dam... sure the wheel brace that came with my E46 wouldn't shift a thing, it only has about 6 inches of leverage!

barryfitz

Ahhh Nuts!!! :d

TedKelly

MercMad wrote:

See if you can find a steel tube to do over the wheel brace, a piece of scaffold, anything like that.

Good luck !

That did the trick, borrowed a pole from a garage (like a piece of scaffold). Thanks for the help.

unkel

Nice one! Thanks for the update

TedKelly

lol

Fey!

Good to hear you got sorted.

Unkel; hahahahahaha!!!!

TedKelly

Cheers Fey

colm_mcm

How come you still have this car?

TedKelly

baby steps colm, hopefully I won't have it too much longer. Everything is not black & white. I suppose you'd have this whole situation well sorted by now yeah???

Henry Ford III

Fit big fake Vampire teeth Ted, and kick some ass.

TedKelly

Henry Ford III wrote:

Fit big fake Vampire teeth Ted, and kick some ass.

If only it was that easy m8

colm_mcm

TedKelly wrote:

baby steps colm, hopefully I won't have it too much longer. Everything is not black & white. I suppose you'd have this whole situation well sorted by now yeah???

being in the motor trade, I'd probably have an edge! Hopefully it all gets sorted soon.

TedKelly

yeah unfortunatly that's an edge I don't have. No doubt you wouldn't have ended up with the car in the 1st place. At least I'll learn a lesson from the hole thing (even if I do have to learn the hard way)

colm_mcm

Nobody thinks it would happen to them I suppose. I treat anything from the UK as suspicious. We've checked the service records on loads of UK BMWs that people have tried to trade in, and a huge number of them have been clocked.