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D2 - Wheels and Tyres Refurbing, center caps, tyre brands, tyrefitters - discuss it here

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  #11  
Old 7th July 2015, 05:22 PM
Nick Jones Nick Jones is offline
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Dezzy,

No windy gun..... Might just work, but not with the current key!

Thanks for the link - plenty of choice. I thought mine was stamped "C" but it looks nothing like the "C" that is listed. Looks more like the "J" but the stamped letter definitely isn't "J".

Hopefully will get to try a couple more place tomorrow......

Andy,

Yep, cobalt drills and working up in size would be my method - but I really don't want to!

Cheers

Nick
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  #12  
Old 7th July 2015, 05:39 PM
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Dezzy Dezzy is offline
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Other thing would be to try a stud extractor or if you can fit one down a bolt remover rather than drilling all the way out and re-tapping?
Stud extractor
Nut / Bolt remover
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  #13  
Old 7th July 2015, 09:00 PM
Nick Jones Nick Jones is offline
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I've only ever had bad/catastrophic results with studs extractors....... but I like the nut/bolt remover alot. I think I'll buy those as even if they don't fit down the hole/over the head (not alot of space) I will use those fairly often for other things.

Thanks for the link!

Nick
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  #14  
Old 7th July 2015, 10:39 PM
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Adrian E Adrian E is offline
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Top tip with dodgy fixings - undo all the others and the final bolt will be a lot easier to loosen

A sharp tap rather than consistent pressure is more likely to loosen it enough to wind out as well, without further destruction of the key.

Doesn't sound like these are the same locking keys as normally used? Sure mine are just the pin type.

Another option is a lot of tyre fitting outfits will have a 'universal' locking key removal tool. You can buy them relatively easily, if not. They grip the barrel of the locking key so don't rely on you having the correct key - bit of a gift to wheel thieves though, obviously!
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  #15  
Old 8th July 2015, 10:51 PM
Nick Jones Nick Jones is offline
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Today I
- visited the local Audi specialist to see if they had a suitable unknackered key, they didn't.

- Visited the tyre place nearly next door to them (I've bought several sets of tyres from them in recent years) and they had a go with an electric rattler gun first after beating the key into the nut as far as possible. This held but the gun didn't have enough torque to undo the nut. They then tried their "big gun" the pneumatic one used on trucks and tractors - the key held it for about 5 seconds before slipping. Didn't undo it. "That bolt is proper tight they observed, some bloody tyre fitter did that up" (I managed not to laugh!). They suggested a garage just up the way that gets the problem ones off for them. Run out of time but keep that in mind.

- Later I visited the local Audi dealership who reckon they can shift it..... tomorrow afternoon.... I have my doubts, but very happy to be wrong!

Nick
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  #16  
Old 17th July 2015, 11:32 PM
Nick Jones Nick Jones is offline
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With the pro's defeated...... or threatening large bills without promising success I returned to the attack myself.

Plan B:
I tried driving around with the other 4 bolts loosened (but not removed). I stayed on quiet roads and didn't do anything daft (initially). After about 5 miles of taking it steady I tried braking hard enough to deploy the ABS - several times, then some weaving and the latter eventually provoked some clonking - at which point I tightened the remaining bolts and went straight home to undo it..... or not as it turned out. Still stuck firm. Tried loosening the other bolts off, or doing them up really tight - no joy.

Plan C:
At this point I broke out the dremel and carbide burr to cut the rotating ring off and then attempted to use a proprietary removing tool. That failed as none of the sockets supplied in the set were the right size and even after reducing it a bit with the dremel and putting some notches in it I couldn't get the tool to bite as the bolt head was so hard.

Plan D:
Found a bit of thick wall tube that just fitted over the bolt head. I welded a big nut on one end of it then trimmed it as short as possible. Then managed to weld it to the bolt head by working down the inside of the tube. Not easy as the MIG torch is not much smaller than the pipe ID. Was hoping the considerable heat might help too. Seemed like it might almost work as I could really put some torque into it finally, the 3' breaker bar flexing considerably - before the weld broke

Plan E:
As my tube was now full of weld it wasn't re-usable. I found the biggest nut/socket combination that just fitted into the hole in the wheel and used the socket as a jig to hold the nut while I tacked it. Then retrieved the socket and welded it properly. Access was better this way. Once again I was able to get enough torque into the bolt to flex the breaker bar considerably, but once again, the weld broke. Bolt is just too damn tight or corroded.

Plan F:
Desperate measures. Break out the die grinder and carbide burrs. Slow progress, noisy, lots of sharp swarf, grinder (electric one) kicks like a mule. Took about 45 minutes to chop the head down to the point where I could break the bolt by pulling on the wheel. The stump unscrewed from the hub with a pair of pliers - not corroded, just TIGHT.

So success at last. A few minor marks on the wheel, but mostly in the bolt hole. No damage to the surface where the bolt clamps it. Reassembled with a new bolt and some copper slip after cleaning up the wheel/disc faces.

One to to go. May go direct to plan F for this one, though the best burr I have is showing signs of attrition.

Nick
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  #17  
Old 20th July 2015, 04:56 PM
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You know that they unscrew anti clockwise right?
Only joking they obviously don't unscrew

Nice work though Nick, at least you got one off
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  #18  
Old 20th July 2015, 08:46 PM
Nick Jones Nick Jones is offline
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Yeah..... righty-tighty, lefty-loosey...... Tried both ways anyway. Simply too tight I think.

I'd like to beat the tyre fitter responsible with my breaker bar...... has caused me much grief!

Nick
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  #19  
Old 21st July 2015, 08:27 AM
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He's laughing at you
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  #20  
Old 21st July 2015, 11:46 AM
V8man V8man is offline
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Well done mate. Plan F is always the go-to plan. Never give in.
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