Help! The garage broke the special tool for removing the locking lug nuts on our 98 VW Jetta. They can’t locate a replacement. It’s snowing hard and we need the snow tires on asap. Any other way to get them off and the tires changed?
There are several methods for removing locking lugs and why can’t the garage figure this out?
Air chisel them loose.
Grind a flat on each side of the lug and use a pipe wrench to get them loose.
Tack weld a nut on top of the lug and then a socket/ratchet to remove them.
Options 2 and 3 are preferable to 1 and of course the lugs will be destroyed.
There is also the possibility all of the “normal” lugs could be removed and the car slowly moved back and forth a few times while hitting the brakes hard with only the locking lugs in place. There may be enough flex in the wheels to shake the lugs loose.
Locking lugs are not one of my favorite items. I’ve removed all of them from both mine and my family’s cars. No locking lugs means never an unexpected problem; such as a missing special tool while trying to change a flat tire on the side of the highway in the dark.
I will add that the dealer should be able to supply the tool and you may try a tyre store or two t see if they have the tool.
You gotta be kidding me!
Every shop should have one of these for just this reason. http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/lt40025.html
Tester
10-4, Tester. I can’t believe not one tech in the shop has one of those kits w/several special sockets for just this purpose, or the tool you showed on the URL. I jammed a 12 point socket on a locking lug nut one time and it worked. Good to “dry out” locking lug w/2 plus 2 to get all grime, etc, off for more friction. On some locking lug nuts the only part you can get on rotates in relation to the rest of it- that’s a real
bear. Maybe should use air chisel as last resort- I always gouge wheel w/them things. What about heating locking lug cherry red, yellow, whatever, and jamming whatever device will fit on an impact gun onto now soft lug and zip off w/gun? Maybe a non- chrome device is better- more friction. Maybe roughen chrome locking lug w/wizzer cut off tool or die grindr w/a burr or rotory file. ok4450’s idea of grinding flats sounds like a winner.
The only tool on hand may be a socket. They/you could select a socket that’s just a tiny bit smaller than the locking lug nut and driving it on with a hammer. Then, turn the socket with a breaker bar. It might work. I’m assuming the locking lug nut has a round circumference.
I still think you’re better off to get those locking lugs removed, throw them away, and replace with regular lugs.
If someone really wants your wheels they’re going to get them anyway; probably by using one of their own personal lug removal sockets that Tester showed you. That socket can be used repeatedly on wheel thefts. 