C5 II locking wheel bolts

[rmunns]

In putting back on a front wheel (alloy) on my 2009 X7 I noticed that the locking key and bolt were damaged. (Not me, honest!). A previous owner had allowed the tool to slip, thus (a) shearing off one of the 'pegs' in the tool and (b) shearing off some of the metal on the bolt itself.

I had only checked one of the four bolts, but decided I needed to get a new set since it was better to get stuck with one of the bolts here, at home, rather than out-on-the-road. Lo and behold, in searching eBay I noticed that there is a tool for extracting worn/damaged locking wheel bolts. Advertised for the C5, but maybe appropriate for other makes / models. So clearly this is a problem that occurs more than occasionally.

I did see, on Youtube, that it is possible to get locking wheel bolts out without using the special 'key', but, again, not for a side-of-the-road situation.

Anyway, in the end I was able to remove all four locking bolts and I have replaced them with normal bolts. Peace of mind!

[GiveMeABreak]

A new Alloy wheel locking bolt set was about £26 in the uk when I bought one a few years ago (only because the garage lost the key)! a Main casue of these to fail is mechanics using their air compressor wrenches incorrectly and not applying the correct torque by hand when refitting. Useful to know though.

[Paul-R]

Main casue of these to fail is mechanics using their air compressor wrenches incorrectly...

I would argue that there is no correct way of using an air hammer gun on locking wheel bolts. Whenever I have had any work done on the wheels of either of my C5s (new tyres, change of TPMS sender) I have always taken the locking wheel bolts off by hand first. I keep a spare set of standard wheel bolts for just such occurances.

[daviemck2006]

Every citroen I have bought that has the stupid lockers that citroen fitted as standard, one of the first things I did was remove them and bin them. The only people they stop getting the wheels off are the owners [emoji35]

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[Stickyfinger]

Dumped mine, who steals C5 wheels ?

[BenC5HDi]

Every citroen I have bought that has the stupid lockers that citroen fitted as standard, one of the first things I did was remove them and bin them. The only people they stop getting the wheels off are the owners [emoji35]

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Same here Davie, first thing I do with locking bolts is remove them and bin them. They're absolutely bugger all use.

I saw the chap remove mine off the C4 - all 4 in under 5 mins, so if someone really wanted your wheels, if he can do it, I'm sure others can...

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[daviemck2006]

That's my thoughts. If we can legally buy the tools to remove them then anyone can. They only inconvenience the owner when he gets a puncture in the dark in the pissing rain!

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[Peter.N.]

My latest 406 purchase didn't have the unlocking socket but I noticed that all of them seem to have one pair of pins at 180 degrees so I found and old one and ground away the two pins that weren't and it worked a treat. Now I've got them off I have thrown them away and put ordinary bolts in.

Peter

[GiveMeABreak]

Dumped mine, who steals C5 wheels ?

Unless you happen to be at a Citroen car convention...

[Stickyfinger]

Ah yes....forgot about that "Nest of Naughtiness" that is a Citroen Car Club gathering.

Apparently once, someone played The Rolling Stones on their cassette recorder.....degenerates