Lock Nut Key damaged

nice_guy80

The key for the lock nut for my Ford Mondeo was damaged the last time i replaced my front tyres, without me realising it.

I went to get tyres today, the fella in the garage (different garage to before) couldn't get the lock nuts off the car.

Went to Ford dealer, I need a code to order lock nut key (which I don't have)

What are my options?

Kevin!

nice_guy80 wrote: »

The key for the lock nut for my Ford Mondeo was damaged the last time i replaced my front tyres, without me realising it.

I went to get tyres today, the fella in the garage (different garage to before) couldn't get the lock nuts off the car.

Went to Ford dealer, I need a code to order lock nut key (which I don't have)

What are my options?

Weld an unused socket to the lock nut or purchase a locking nut removal kit from eBay

martinr5232

A good ford dealer should have a master set to remove them.

Noccy_Mondy

The main dealer should have a master set which opens every lock nut, can't see how they didn't have one! Try another dealer, they are sure to have the master keys. Then order a whole new set of locknuts and keys, since you don't have the code.

nice_guy80

Ok. Appreciate the quick responses.

Is there a need for the lock nuts on the car at all?

It is a Saturday though, maybe I should have pressed the fella at the parts desk a bit harder for a remedy there and then

Noccy_Mondy

Is it the mk4 mondeo? What spec, and alloys? Depends on the wheels. I'd personally have them on a more newer car, safer bet.

Noccy_Mondy

Also, find your solution quick enough, because if you get a puncture some wet night, it's game over!

_Brian

I got one on EBay recently for an Audi.
Sent te guy a photo and he knew which key I needed and had it out I the post to me in a few days.

wonski

Go through every single paperwork, manuals etc that came with the car. There is a chance the code is there.

martinr5232

nice_guy80 wrote:

It is a Saturday though, maybe I should have pressed the fella at the parts desk a bit harder for a remedy there and then

Service dept probably wasnt open ring them monday and they will sort you out if not go to a different dealer.

As long as the nut isnt damaged its straight forward but if they are damaged its a different story.

bazz26

Also check the spare wheel well as it can also be inside with the tool kit or jack set.

Audioslaven

I had this exact same issue yesterday. I took all four off. I was welding on nuts to the bolts and then threading the bolts off. Two came off this way. The other two I had to weld a socket on them and i got them off. I purchased four new ordinary bolts from the dealers for 13 euro and got rid of these lock bolts.

If you ever see a guy with a air gun putting in these lock tight bolts, take the gun off him and hit him over the head with it

nice_guy80

I have the key for the gun/spanner

The problem is the threads in the key split!
I had a lock nut key for my previous car (audi) and there was never a problem.

I have been quoted €20 a tyre to get the four of them off.

heldel00

This happened us before. Brought it to local tyre place that had a very nice and strong but thoroughly ignorant polish man working there and with brute force and the need to sweat out a hangover from the night before, he managed to get it off!
(He told me himself about the hangover btw before anyone makes assumptions!)

kuli81

Had the same problem, went to opel service. They asked for code (I didn`t have one). A guy in opel asked me to make a picture of the nut and email it to him. Key was delivered in 5 days, cost €35.

dr.fuzzenstein

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I have the key for the gun/spanner

The problem is the threads in the key split!
I had a lock nut key for my previous car (audi) and there was never a problem.

I have been quoted €20 a tyre to get the four of them off.

Someone was going to rob you to the tune of €80?! That is mental!
Lock nut for my cmax broke. I was booked into Ford for a recall and they took the lock nuts off for free. As I had a bag of nuts from a previous car, they put those on. Total cost? Zilch. It is unbelievable what ripoff merchants are out there, should be criminal to charge that much. And I bet he was charging you extra for the new wheel nuts.

nice_guy80

Got a friend who is a mechanic (he fixes all sorts of heavy machinery)

He took a chisel to the threads on one locking nut, in order to smooth out the irregularities on it, then hammered in a matching socket into the thread.
Basically he wore down the socket to the same shape as the locking nut thread, then put a manual bar onto the locking nut and after a few hammers loosening the locking nut.

The socket that had been hammered onto the locking nut now had the required shape of the locking nut and was used to take off the other three locking nuts.

I had got 4 replacement nuts at the local ford dealers - €20 frickin euro!!!! Robbing backstards.

Toyotafanboi

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Someone was going to rob you to the tune of €80?! That is mental!
Lock nut for my cmax broke. I was booked into Ford for a recall and they took the lock nuts off for free. As I had a bag of nuts from a previous car, they put those on. Total cost? Zilch. It is unbelievable what ripoff merchants are out there, should be criminal to charge that much. And I bet he was charging you extra for the new wheel nuts.

it's not really fair to call €80 robbery to remove 4 lock nuts.

what if the garage had to weld on 4 sockets to remove them? that'd be €30-40 in sockets alone, before we mention labour or new nuts.

Ford removed your Ford lock nuts and fitted some nuts you already owned for free, great, but that is not comparable to bringing the same ford to an independent tyre fitter to have them removed and not already owning replacement nuts.

Noccy_Mondy

nice_guy80 wrote:

I had got 4 replacement nuts at the local ford dealers - €20 frickin euro!!!! Robbing backstards.

Ya I had to do the same, 5er a piece. Although someone said vw are 7 or 8 a pop

dr.fuzzenstein

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

it's not really fair to call €80 robbery to remove 4 lock nuts.

what if the garage had to weld on 4 sockets to remove them? that'd be €30-40 in sockets alone, before we mention labour or new nuts.

Ford removed your Ford lock nuts and fitted some nuts you already owned for free, great, but that is not comparable to bringing the same ford to an independent tyre fitter to have them removed and not already owning replacement nuts.

In that case the main dealer is the better option, since they can remove most of their own lock nuts.
This does not apply to non OEM nuts, of course.
Best way to get a good deal out of a tire fitter would be to buy some tires, I'm sure they would be able to come to an arrangement.

lomb

I always remove the lock nut prior to going into tyre place and replace it after with very little force on the wrench. They are always going to airgun it on and damage it. Its first off last on anyway to protect the bolt so this works well.