The "Today I did something to my car" thread

Nissan doctor

Limerick man wrote: »

A hammer solves all, as a mechanic you should know that!

It can solve a lot of things alright....but not removing mcgard lock nuts. They have an outer ring that spins freely so banging on a socket won't have any effect:(

Gary ITR

My Father has been driving my Focus, I went to change a tyre last week in work.... He'd put the locknut in a drawer in the kitchen at home for safe keeping :rolleyes:

no1beemerfan

TestTransmission wrote: »

You got a pic of it?I might have a Ford lock nut which might work which is of no use to me.

It'll be tomorrow evening before I get a picture.

Nissan doctor wrote: »

It can solve a lot of things alright....but not removing mcguard lock nuts. They have an outer ring that spins freely so banging on a socket won't have any effect:(

You know your stuff mr doc!

Nissan doctor

no1beemerfan wrote: »

It'll be tomorrow evening before I get a picture.



You know your stuff mr doc!

That factory ford/mcgard lock nuts should look like these.....from memory there are something like 20-30 different key designs used by these when fitted by car manufacturers. Any decent ford garage should have a master set to open them for you.

TestTransmission

no1beemerfan wrote: »

It'll be tomorrow evening before I get a picture.

Try and get a pic up asap so I can check, I'll be passing through Tipp tomorrow and all.Whereabouts are ya?

hoodie6029

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Went to change the brake fluid and change a track rod end on the wife's focus today when the feckin security wheel nut opener thing broke so have no way of taking off the wheels until I order a new one from Ford.

Will probably have to pay a fortune for it too.

Helped the brother put new pistons and shoes on the rear of his laguna and bled his brakes so got something done.

http://shop.difflock.com/nutbuster-locking-wheel-removal-socket-185mm-drive-p-224.html

not a whole lot of use to you now but for future reference.

Had a similar problem a few years ago and was told by two motors factors that a hammer and chisel was the 'only way' and to 'kiss good bye to those alloys'

Two minutes on google and 4 days later by post problem solved and perfect alloys.

Tallon

hoodie6029 wrote: »

http://shop.difflock.com/nutbuster-locking-wheel-removal-socket-185mm-drive-p-224.html

not a whole lot of use to you now but for future reference.

Had a similar problem a few years ago and was told by two motors factors that a hammer and chisel was the 'only way' and to 'kiss good bye to those alloys'

Two minutes on google and 4 days later by post problem solved and perfect alloys.

Cheers, off to rob a couple cars :P

Nissan doctor

hoodie6029 wrote: »

http://shop.difflock.com/nutbuster-locking-wheel-removal-socket-185mm-drive-p-224.html

not a whole lot of use to you now but for future reference.

Had a similar problem a few years ago and was told by two motors factors that a hammer and chisel was the 'only way' and to 'kiss good bye to those alloys'

Two minutes on google and 4 days later by post problem solved and perfect alloys.

Again, they are a little easier then banging on a socket but equally as useless on locknuts with a separate outer ring.

vectra

Fitted the wheels to the Toledo, Fitted flexi wiper blades..fitted the obligatory German Plates LOL



I think the Octy needs lowering

17's Vs 18's
Some difference alright





Close :eek:


German plated also showing theCupra splitter

Drummerboy08

Went looking for paint to refurb the stock Supra wheels I have, still cant decide on a colour for them.

EPM

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Went looking for paint to refurb the stock Supra wheels I have, still cant decide on a colour for them.

Keep it original

Gary ITR

EPM wrote: »

Keep it original

Says he who sprayed his wheels about 2 weeks after buying the car

no1beemerfan

Nissan doctor wrote: »

That factory ford/mcgard lock nuts should look like these.....from memory there are something like 20-30 different key designs used by these when fitted by car manufacturers. Any decent ford garage should have a master set to open them for you.

Thats them alright.

TestTransmission wrote: »

Try and get a pic up asap so I can check, I'll be passing through Tipp tomorrow and all.Whereabouts are ya?

I'm at my parents in Roscrea.

These are the pictures I took

Compton

vectra wrote: »

Fitted the wheels to the Toledo, Fitted flexi wiper blades..fitted the obligatory German Plates LOL



I think the Octy needs lowering

17's Vs 18's
Some difference alright





Close :eek:


German plated also showing theCupra splitter

Looks well Vectra, nice and clean too

Nissan doctor

vectra wrote: »

German plated also showing theCupra splitter

Should you not fit spanish plates?:P


I like the old Hi-ace in the backround, not many of them around now!

TestTransmission

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Thats them alright.



I'm at my parents in Roscrea.

These are the pictures I took

Apologies,working nights and could only find the locking nuts themselves earlier as I was half asleep.in roscrea at the moment and all

EPM

Gary ITR wrote: »

Says he who sprayed his wheels about 2 weeks after buying the car

The original colour to cure some kerb rash...and it was closer to a month...

no1beemerfan

Thanks anyways. Roscrea seems more popular than i thought but have no idea why! I'm off to Kenmare tomorrow and will be doing a lot of driving so hopefully won't get a puncture or i'm fecked :-(

TestTransmission wrote: »

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Thats them alright.



I'm at my parents in Roscrea.

These are the pictures I took

Apologies,working nights and could only find the locking nuts themselves earlier as I was half asleep.in roscrea at the moment and all

dgt

I did this


To change this



Then decided bigger and newer was better


As a result, I have a nice clean engine bay too

166man

@dgt, each time I see that you have posted in this thread, I hope to see pics of a gleaming Alfa V6, instead I got a Ford Fiesta... disappointed man...:D

dgt

Don't worry, the Alfa will get the same treatment as the Fiesta in due time...

But until then expect to see some of the other stuff appearing here too! :rolleyes:

Hal1

I'd say you could move that fiesta around like a wheel barrow with the engine removed .

dgt

Hal1 wrote: »

I'd say you could move that fiesta around like a wheel barrow with the engine removed .

We have a Seicento here, I can lift the back half of it off the ground

Tragedy

McGard nuts are a pain in arse. My key slipped when trying to take one off, resulted in me buying two more from Germany. Tried the new one, it slipped when torqued and started ringing itself. McGard(and others) told me drilling all 4 would literally take hours, most drill bits would just melt trying to get through them - and it would take several weeks for McGard to send me out a special drill bit set to get them off.

There are sets similar to the one posted earlier that basically 'screw' on to security nuts and can then be used to take the locknut off with a wrench, but people's experience of them on McGard were hit and miss and the few successful people required one of the screwnuts for each locknut as they didn't work when re-used.

I needed wheels off quickly, Atlas near Merlin welded a socket on to each locknut to get them off - took about 30mins and only had a couple of scorch marks on one wheel. Cost me €100 but I was in a rush and it was cheaper than the alternatives.

This might work for you: http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=19543&highlight=locking+wheel+bolt

McGard are just a **** design, any new car I buy will have them removed and replaced as part of the sale.

no1beemerfan

Ya as soon as I get them off I'm putting different security nuts on. If ford are looking for too much I might try the welding something to the nuts.

flyingsnail

Tragedy wrote: »

I needed wheels off quickly, Atlas near Merlin welded a socket on to each locknut to get them off - took about 30mins and only had a couple of scorch marks on one wheel. Cost me €100 but I was in a rush and it was cheaper than the alternatives.

no1beemerfan wrote: »

Ya as soon as I get them off I'm putting different security nuts on. If ford are looking for too much I might try the welding something to the nuts.

That s not a bad idea. If you have an old leather welders apron or something similar, try cutting a hole in it so it fits snugly over the nut. This should help stop some of the scorch marks and splash back getting on the wheel.

Nissan doctor

In my experience, the damage to mcgard keys is caused by a number of things, none of which is poor design.

Usually its either using an air gun to loosen/tighten them(the key, when new, has a sticker saying not to use guns on them) or not holding them flush on the nut when trying to loosen them with a wheel brace/breaker bar or whatever so they slip off the nut and get damaged.

I've used them on several cars for the exact reason that they are a pig to remove without the key and never had an issue with them(aside from being paranoid about loosing the key:P)

Plug

I blame it on some mechanics or tyre fitters raping them. They have a lower torque than the standard wheel nuts.

Tragedy

Nissan doctor wrote: »

In my experience, the damage to mcgard keys is caused by a number of things, none of which is poor design.

Usually its either using an air gun to loosen/tighten them(the key, when new, has a sticker saying not to use guns on them) or not holding them flush on the nut when trying to loosen them with a wheel brace/breaker bar or whatever so they slip off the nut and get damaged.

I've used them on several cars for the exact reason that they are a pig to remove without the key and never had an issue with them(aside from being paranoid about loosing the key:P)

It depends on your individual key design too. My key had one small corner that no matter what would slip when torque was applied(even while having someone push the wheel brace directly against the locknut while I turned it). Sure enough, with the two replacement ones the exact same corner slipped when I tried remove it. The problem was the security nuts were made out of bloody chocolate and too shallow. The previous car had these on it http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROVER-75-MG-ZT-LOCKING-WHEEL-NUT-KEY-NUMBER-12-NEW-RRV100051-/290645659092?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43abd4cdd4#ht_1253wt_1396 and they were far, FAR superior though no doubt not as secure.

The McGards on my dads Mondeo are fine, but that uses a completely different wheel nut design(and much better imho!)

kearney13

Bad day today, lucky it was in the yard. The clutch stuck to the ground in the caddy. Straight out I thought it was the release cylinder, but on inspection I found this :eek: thats the clutch cable hanging there and if ya can make it out the pedel housing was welded up to keep it in place very dodgey work done. Have a new housing ordered from the local scrap yard putting it in tomorrow