Blowout of a Conti run flat, slow leak of another so I tried to replace all four tires at Tom Bush Mini in Jax before returning to BHM.

Tried first at a gas station where guy couldn't get my lock off and partially stripped my key.

Dealer can't get locks off with my key or theirs... Stripped theirs too. Tried to grind off and that didn't work either. Something about them being machine tightened too tight?

Anyone else encountered this? I'm going to have to hope a plug will last 500 miles.

16" black wheels, 2012 Justa.

 

If you're handy with metal tools, you could get a large easy-out, drill the hole to the correct size and use the easy-out to extract the bolt.

 

Gator Grip? http://www.sears.com/gator-grips-uni...a=00947078000P

 

Man I hate it when places over tighten lugs

 

In this order.

Pound a large impact socket over the lock... (Works 99% of the time..)

Then..
Pound a cheap craftsman socket over the lock...


Then..
Weld a bolt to the head of the lock... (Risk wheel damage)


Then..
Burn it off with a torch... (Wheel damage!)


Then..
Cut off wheel with grinder... Wheel is destroyed.

I've never had a wheel that I could never get off...

Edit - I rock plugs for the lifetime of the tire.

 

I removed all my wheel locks after one of mine stripped and replaced them with standard wheel bolts. The coded portion of the lock is just force fit into the splines. Mine came loose. Very poor design.

 

I had to remove the front wheel off my wife's Clubman to get to the running light/fog light bulbs and when I was finished I used my 1/2" torque wrench to tighten them to 102 foot pounds and she asked if that was really necessary - I'm going to show her this and see what she says.

 

[QUOTE=danjreed;3769949]In this order.

Pound a large impact socket over the lock... (Works 99% of the time..)

Then..
Pound a cheap craftsman socket over the lock...
QUOTE]

This works. I had a similar problem with a 69 Impala I bought. It didn't come with the key at all. I took it to a tire shop that had a universal key set but they didn't have the right one either. Then ended up pounding an impact socket over the bolt and finally got it out.

 

I'm shocked the dealer couldn't get the wheel lock off. This isn't rocket science. I've always seen the socket pounded over the wheel lock work.

Also, I've never had a problem with a properly plugged tire. Although you're not supposed to plug a runflat.

 

You can plug a runflat, just don't bother plugging one that was driven while flat.

 

The above mentioned cures work. Lame the dealer could not make this happen. Tighten them to spec and then recheck them again after a short drive and retighten them. Sometimes they work there way loose. Seen it on the street and the track. Always retorque after 50 miles or less.

I have had great results with tire being plugged and then an internal patch.
I did it on one of my runflats that got a nail after only 2k miles. Last and worked fine. Did not track the car with tire as that would make me to nervous about loosing a tire at speed.

 

The problem with the socket method is, depending on the wheel type, there might not be clearance on the sidewall of the socket. I know there wouldn't for my wheel, at least.

 

Sometimes it takes a 12 point thin wall socket. Probably exceptions like everything but that is likely your highest clearance option.

 

I also forgot about the universal key socket, which anyone can order (IIRCC ~$150). Basically a bunch of pins inside a socket. The ones you don't need retract out of the way although this solution may not work with a stripped lug.

 

This is why it is so important to hand torque your wheels and don't allow anyone to use an impact gun. Using a torque gun is the number one cause of warped rotors.

 

agreed.

 

Depends, if they are using torque sticks... No problem..

Straight impact sockets = problem.

 

Pounding a socket over the wheel lock and then using an impact wrench to remove it worked for me without harming the wheel on a Corvette.

 

My front passenger wheel lock just stripped today. It was torqued to the proper spec, but stripped anyway. Poor design.

Can someone explain the "pound a socket over the lock" method? What size and type of socket for the stock locks? Is the socket supposed to cut into the lock and basically form a bolt head?

 

Essentially. Use a 12pt socket that is ever so slightly smaller than the wheel lock and pound it on with a hammer.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using NAMotoring

 

There's an outer ring on the MINI wheel locks that spins. Apparently this prevents someone from clamping down with pliers and twisting the lock off. I don't see how the socket method will work with this outer ring.

A 23mm seems to be ever so slightly smaller than the lock, but it will be contacting the ring and not the fixed part of the lug bolt. I'll give it a try but haven't found a 12pt impact yet, trying Lowes and Sears today.

(edit) The outer ring is no longer a problem, I cut it off. The required impact socket size now appears to be 19mm or 20mm. EZ-outs may also be a possibility.