This morning I attempted to adjust the handbrake on my FFRR, but was thwarted at the first stage.

Whilst attempting to undo the rear offside locking wheel nut, the locking wheel nut key / socket cracked, leaving me no way to get the locking wheel not off

I popped over to the Cambridge LR parts department with the hope of buying a replacement key, but was disappointed to learn that it needs to be ordered in, so I will have to wait until Tuesday.

I tried to get the stuck nut loose with the broken key, and although the locking wheel nut appears to turn, i've noticed that nut consists of two parts, a cap and the threaded part thats refusing to budge. Now that the cap is slipping over the structural part, will the locking wheel nut need replacing?

If it does need replacing I will leave it alone until it goes in for a service week after next for the dealers to sort under warranty.

Cheers

Justin 
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006


Last edited by JustinP on 9th Jul 2011 8:03pm. Edited 1 time in total

Locking wheel studs should not be tightened up fully, only nipped up until they are secure

Sadly the last person who had the wheels off was not aware, and probably over tightened it with his windy gun

As luck would have it, a local friend with a RR Sport has the same locking wheel nut key as mine, so I popped over to try removing my stubborn nut. But no matter how much force I applied the cap is turning but nut is refusing to move.

I will get it booked in for a service this week and get them to sort it at the same time.  
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006


Last edited by JustinP on 9th Jul 2011 8:03pm. Edited 1 time in total

Not much help I know but I never use locking nuts they only give you untold grief like this case and if a thieving pikey has a jack capable of lifting a Range Rover high enough to nick your wheels then they are going to have the were with all to get a locking nut off . 2008 MY Supercharged
Rimini Red / Jet
four zone climate
remote park heater
and no ugly kid windows.
magnus satis quod turpis satis

agreed, if it was not for the cost of a set of replacement tyres at over £1K, and the fact the wheels share the same stud pattern with some BMW's and VW's, I would probably replace them with normal nuts. 
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006


Last edited by JustinP on 9th Jul 2011 8:04pm. Edited 1 time in total

This happened to me on my D3 but I damaged the lock nuts so bad I could'nt get them n off. However worse still I had just fitted stormer 20inch wheels which I didnt like so I had replaced with 19inch wheels to find out two of the wheels i couldnt get of because of the damn locknuts. So I drove about with two stormer 20s and 2 x 19s on the car feckin nightmare. Two options and this does work believe me. Remove all the other nuts and drive the car around in a circle slowly what should happen is the nut will crack and dont worry the wheel wont come off . Once you hear the crack you can eaily remove the nut. This is a method used by some landrover garages apparently to remove stubborn or damaged locknuts. Despite trying this on the second locknut I couldnt get it to budge so I brought is to a Quickfit and they burned it off with a torch without damaging wheel. Needless to say since then I take locknuts off and replace with normal ones. Hope that helps.  Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
Gone Audi A5 2.7TDI
Gone Discovery 3 HSE
Gone Mercedes CLK
Gone Range Rover 2.5 DSE

Hi,
On some of the locking wheel nuts, there are two parts with the same pattern as the locking key. The idea is that the outer bit protects the inner bit from some loon trying to batter it off with a cold chisel. It is actually the inner bit that is effectively "the nut", the outer bit spins harmlessly.

So, you need to ensure the key is engaged on the outer section, then rotate it round until it slips over the inner section, then it will stop moving and you will need a socket / wheelbrace to slacken it.

I "removed" one with the incorrect key once because my pal was in a bind... I held the key onto the nut with a socket and breaker bar and beat it right on with a big hammer. Then once it was locked up, backed it off no bother.

I personally would not be a fan of driving in circles with only one wheel nut fitted until it cracked... That can't be good for the cast components in a hub / wheel.

googsy2 wrote:

....Remove all the other nuts and drive the car around in a circle slowly what should happen is the nut will crack and dont worry the wheel wont come off . Once you hear the crack you can eaily remove the nut...

That sounds like a sure way to oval the wheel nut holes to me  
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006

Justin

Believe me it worked I had a post on the D3 forum at the time  Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
Gone Audi A5 2.7TDI
Gone Discovery 3 HSE
Gone Mercedes CLK
Gone Range Rover 2.5 DSE

You can get a socket set that will undo locking wheel nuts, they use pins and shape to the nut as required. Ring around a few garage one will have a set. 2004 black Vogue TD6

letsavit2 wrote:

You can get a socket set that will undo locking wheel nuts, they use pins and shape to the nut as required. Ring around a few garage one will have a set.

Gator sockets?

Click image to enlarge

yep thats it, one of them. 2004 black Vogue TD6

That tool won't help! They're a rubbish design and the problem isnt grip, it's the outer sheath spinning. They are a pig to get off from direct experience. See the below post and pic of my own nut that had to be attacked with a grinder, chisel and scaffolding bar!

Count yourself lucky that it's under warranty!

http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/post54641.html#54641 My Previous RR's!

2008 TDV8 Vogue
2006 TD6 Vogue
2007 TDV8 Vogue
2007 RRS (I know, it doesn't count!)
2005 4.4 Vogue on LPG
2005 TD6 Vogue
2003 4.4 Vogue
2001 4.6 HSE
2000 2.5 DHSE
1999 4.6 HSE
1997 4.6 HSE on LPG
1995 2.5 DSE
1989 3.9 EFI classic
1988 3.5 EFI classic

hoppy_70 wrote:

Count yourself lucky that it's under warranty!

It's booked in to be sorted this thursday, I will post back with an update when I get the car back.

I'm seriously thinking about ditching the locking wheel nuts to avoid tis happening again. 
Gone - Range Rover Supercharged 2006

I'd ditch the Locking Wheel nuts too....

I had the same problem on my S-Type Jaguar (same bolts), the locking key snapped, and after finally getting a replacement Key from Jaguar, I took all 4 off and binned them....

The way I see it, if thieves want your wheels, they will remove them no matter what, the lock nuts will only delay them or they will just steal the car....

It'll take thieves a bit of work to lift a 2 Tonne plus car.....