Locking Wheel Nut Issue
Moderator: RichardW
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- Posts: 6
- Joined: 12 Jan 2020, 16:38
- Location: Durham
- My Cars: C4 Cactus 15plate
Locking Wheel Nut Issue
Hi all!
I've got a massive headache due to the good ol' locking Wheel nuts (15 plate C4 Cactus)
So I Bought the car from a family ran garage who knew the Nut key was missing so agreed to pay my local Citroen dealer for a new one! I stupidly checked the key against the back left corner and hey it fitted so drove away.
Now, after wanting to change the tyres I have come into an issue.. The front (Both)wheels are not bloody working with the key. Visually the nuts are identical in terms of where the pins are meant to drop and only visual difference is the nuts on the back two corners are offset and raised so the key drops in. However with the front two they seem to be flush with the rest of the Nut so not allowing to key to drop in.
Sorry for the rant.. hope I made sense and I have pics of the bolts to help. The garage provided me details of a place that can take em off for me as last resort if needed at a charge of £27.5 each. Any ideas before I just bite the bullet?
I've got a massive headache due to the good ol' locking Wheel nuts (15 plate C4 Cactus)
So I Bought the car from a family ran garage who knew the Nut key was missing so agreed to pay my local Citroen dealer for a new one! I stupidly checked the key against the back left corner and hey it fitted so drove away.
Now, after wanting to change the tyres I have come into an issue.. The front (Both)wheels are not bloody working with the key. Visually the nuts are identical in terms of where the pins are meant to drop and only visual difference is the nuts on the back two corners are offset and raised so the key drops in. However with the front two they seem to be flush with the rest of the Nut so not allowing to key to drop in.
Sorry for the rant.. hope I made sense and I have pics of the bolts to help. The garage provided me details of a place that can take em off for me as last resort if needed at a charge of £27.5 each. Any ideas before I just bite the bullet?
- Oldpug
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
I`ve lost count of this issue being posted on here and other car forums.Locking (or should it be F****) wheel bolts cause more grief than all the other car problems put together. Get all four removed, bin them and fit standard bolts. Low life don`t steal wheels any more.
- myglaren
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
What he said²! ⇧
First thing I did on buying the car was to chuck the stupid things away.
No-one would want my wheels anyway, deadly boring.
First thing I did on buying the car was to chuck the stupid things away.
No-one would want my wheels anyway, deadly boring.
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- Joined: 12 Jan 2020, 16:38
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- My Cars: C4 Cactus 15plate
Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
I agree with both replies by the way! I'm just wondering any DIY ways of getting them off. It just makes no sense why the front bolts are not accepting the key when it's the right one?Oldpug wrote: ↑12 Jan 2020, 17:43 I`ve lost count of this issue being posted on here and other car forums.Locking (or should it be F****) wheel bolts cause more grief than all the other car problems put together. Get all four removed, bin them and fit standard bolts. Low life don`t steal wheels any more.
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
Same advice as I've given before on the subject, pop in to a tyre bay and let them get them off, most are ready equipped for the job and often will do it for free in about ten minutes.
Man is, by nature, a lazy beast, he does not need twice encouraging to do nothing.
- Paul-R
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
The two locking wheel bolts on the front look to be non-OE to me. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't fit properly and it was only the thread size that's correct.
As the others have said, get them removed by a tyre bay and fit ordinary bolts. Note that there are two different spanner size bolts, 17mm and 19mm, so make sure you get the same ones. It helps not having to carry two sizes of wheel spanner.
As the others have said, get them removed by a tyre bay and fit ordinary bolts. Note that there are two different spanner size bolts, 17mm and 19mm, so make sure you get the same ones. It helps not having to carry two sizes of wheel spanner.
As I get older I think a lot about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
I think the offset is an optical illusion. These bolts rely on quite a tight fit on the central boss - I've had trouble with one before where there was a bit of build of rust on the edge of the central boss which stopped the key fitting on properly. Looking at your photo of the front one, it looks to me like there is a dent on the edge of the boss - this is probably enough to stop the pins engaging:
Potentially if you can file this off, then they key might work. These are a pain to remove as the central boss bit is designed to shear off if you attack it, which then leaves a very shallow flange to get any removal too onto....
Potentially if you can file this off, then they key might work. These are a pain to remove as the central boss bit is designed to shear off if you attack it, which then leaves a very shallow flange to get any removal too onto....
Richard W
- Paul-R
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
I do believe you're right Richard. Looking closer I can see what you mean. I think that the dent might have been caused by one of the pins in the locking wheel bolt key being hammered on.
It would be interesting to see a photo of the other front wheel locking bolt.
It would be interesting to see a photo of the other front wheel locking bolt.
As I get older I think a lot about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
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- Location: Durham
- My Cars: C4 Cactus 15plate
Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
As soon as I get in from work I'll get a photo over
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
Here is the photo of the other Front Nut that won't work also!
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Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
Looking at those again I'm wondering if the outer boss is already ripped off them, I haven't got any here to look at but I seem to remember that the outer boss had a flat surface.
A photo taken from the side instead of straight on would be a help.
A photo taken from the side instead of straight on would be a help.
Man is, by nature, a lazy beast, he does not need twice encouraging to do nothing.
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- (Donor 2020)
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Currently Renault Zoe 2014 ZE - x 2521
Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
Here's the originals:
Man is, by nature, a lazy beast, he does not need twice encouraging to do nothing.
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- Paul-R
- Donor 2023
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2013 2.0 HDi 163 C5 Exclusive Tourer
2003 2.0 HDi 110 C5 Exclusive Estate (Gone)
2001 2.0 HDi 90 Xsara Estate (Gone) - x 1383
Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
I'm not convinced that the centre boss has been broken off, the surface is too regular and there's still a dimple in the centre from machining. No, I now believe that the bolts are the originals but with damage causing a problem for the key to locate properly. I would try the key again (after removing the rears first!) only a bit more forcefully to, hopefully, overcome the distortion.
And if that fails, down to the tyre fitters you go!
And if that fails, down to the tyre fitters you go!
As I get older I think a lot about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
Inside every old person is a young person wondering what the hell happened.
"Trying is the first step towards failure" ~ Homer J Simpson
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- Posts: 6
- Joined: 12 Jan 2020, 16:38
- Location: Durham
- My Cars: C4 Cactus 15plate
Re: Locking Wheel Nut Issue
I'll give it go when I'm off work on the weekend and let you know how it goes. Think a POA will be position the key with pins all matched up and give it a bit of force. Then if no joy.. Shop it is any suggestions of decent merchants to get the standard nuts from?Paul-R wrote: ↑13 Jan 2020, 17:37 I'm not convinced that the centre boss has been broken off, the surface is too regular and there's still a dimple in the centre from machining. No, I now believe that the bolts are the originals but with damage causing a problem for the key to locate properly. I would try the key again (after removing the rears first!) only a bit more forcefully to, hopefully, overcome the distortion.
And if that fails, down to the tyre fitters you go!