Ocean wheel nut size (And replacing nuts)

[Rooney1000]

Hoping for some guidance.

Only had my 18 plate ocean for a couple of months but got quite a bad puncture yesterday. As seems to be common, the locking wheel nut key keeps slipping and wont grip enough to remove the nut - even had the AA out and they can’t get it to budge. The AA managed to plug the wheel but only safe for 100 miles so have booked into a local garage to get a new tyre (with hope they can remove the locking wheel nut either properly or by force etc). If this doesn’t work then I will be buying a replacement locking wheel nut key from lockingwheelnutkeys, have tried calling VW but they are next to useless.

In expectation of the same thing happening on the other wheels and not wanting to be stuck somewhere remote with a puncture that I can’t change I am considering replacing the locking wheel nut with a standard nut. This isn’t a question about my choice of doing this and if the wheels will get stolen, but what I want to know is what standard nuts I should be buying if I go this route? I cant seem to find anything anywhere, anyone know what size or have a link to a make etc ?

Also, can I just buy a set of 4 and replace the locking wheel nuts individually, as in a pack of 4 would cover all 4 wheels as in theory only need to replace one nut on each wheel (the locking wheel nut).

Hope that makes sense !

 

[Loz]

You can buy them individually from your local VW parts dept. part no WHT 001 964 A

 

[Rooney1000]

Great thanks - looks like i can get from here as well for a good price ?

https://www.onlinecarparts.co.uk/febi-bilstein-13824951.html

 

[Rooney1000]

Update on this - just checked it myself for the first time (wife got the puncture so I have not actually looked at it). The actual locking wheel nut key is fine, the issues is the the nut itself is slightly rounded off so it wont grip well enough to un-do. Therefore buying a replacement locking wheel nut key doesn't appear to be the solution.

Do I have any choice other than getting a garage to drill out the locking wheel nut ? If i call VW assistance would they be able to do something (or would they need to sort as van only 12 months old) ?

 

[WelshGas]

Update on this - just checked it myself for the first time (wife got the puncture so I have not actually looked at it). The actual locking wheel nut key is fine, the issues is the the nut itself is slightly rounded off so it wont grip well enough to un-do. Therefore buying a replacement locking wheel nut key doesn't appear to be the solution.

Do I have any choice other than getting a garage to drill out the locking wheel nut ? If i call VW assistance would they be able to do something (or would they need to sort as van only 12 months old) ?

I presume from what you say you are the 2nd Owner?
I'm still trying to work out how the Locking bolt could get damaged if the correct socket is used, unless it is faulty.
VW Assistance are part of the AA so I very much doubt they would carry any different kit to get the wheel off.
Most Tyre shops should be able to get the Locking Wheel bolt out but will destroy it in the process. Normally use a sacrificial socket banged on .
So you'll need a new bolt and I don't know if you will be able to get just 1 of the correct pattern from VW.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Try using some grinding paste. Spread some paste into the grooves of the key, make sure when you place the key on the bolt it is fully square, not at an angle. The grit in the paste should "bight" the metal and hopefully prevent it slipping. There is a specific product I've used called EZ grip, although it's quite expensive.

EZ Grip Aircraft Grade Friction Drops 3oz Bottle | Silmid

EZ Grip Friction Drops© Aircraft Grade solution has thousands ofhardened blocks of natural material that are almost diamond like in hardness. Available to buy from Silmid.

www.silmid.com

 

[Loz]

You could also try super glue or a hot glue gun as a last resort, but in any case, use a long breaker bar and have one person push the socket on whilst the other leans on the bar.

 

[Rooney1000]

Thanks all. 2nd owner so no idea why rounded off, just is. The key goes on but as soon as you apply a bit of pressure it just snaps off. Here is pic of it

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks all. 2nd owner so no idea why rounded off, just is. The key goes on but as soon as you apply a bit of pressure it just snaps off. Here is pic of itView attachment 44307

That has been well and truly b******d. I presume your key socket is undamaged and works OK on the other sockets?
I think you will have to use a sacrificial socket hammered on to get that bolt out.

 

[EddieEagle]

search
I went down this route.
Cannot work out how to post the link to them on here so screen shots.....

 

[Sandyvan]

That has been well and truly b******d. I presume your key socket is undamaged and works OK on the other sockets?
I think you will have to use a sacrificial socket hammered on to get that bolt out.

This seems to be getting more common, in a previous post I said I personally (not advice) don't torque the puzzle nuts up, just tight, always take extra care keeping the breaker bar, strong arm or T bar what ever you choose to call it square (flat) to the face and don't let it slip. Of course this only applies if your the first person to touch them correctly.

 

[Loz]

I think you will have to use a sacrificial socket hammered on to get that bolt out.

Those ones have a spinner on the outside might be easier to get a bolt welded on for emergency removal.

 

[Rooney1000]

So garage got it off somehow! Replacing with a standard nut, they checked the other 3 and said that whilst better the grip on the key is very average and they can see why this is a common problem.

 

[briwy]

The hole in the bolts aren't deep enough, that's why the key slips out and the then the slots get rounded off. Replaced ours years ago with McGuard ones with about twice the depth in the bolt.

 

[westfalia]

In the olden days when i bought my sportine alloys and had them
tyred up and fitted, i asked about a set of locking nuts, the guy scratched his
head a few times wondering why.
After explaining to him that i hail from blighty, a country that if it ain´t fixed down
some tea leaf will have it.
I was advised against the locking nuts on the grounds that if a wheel was
damaged on an unsuccessful attempt at nicking them, my insurance wouldn't pay out
but if the wheels got robbed then the insurance would cough up.

Do they still nick wheels ?
I would've thought it would be too much like hard work these days.

 

[andyinluton]

If you've got the trims over the ends of the bolts no-one can see whether you've got locking ones fitted or not so they are not a visual deterrent.

Anyone going out sufficiently well equipped to lift a van to get the wheels off probably has one of these with them https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0012MB360/?tag=eliteelect-21

I don't recall theft of wheels on the vans being a problem, I can't remember any reports on this forum of thefts.

The theft of spare wheels seems far easier.

 

[Sandyvan]

If you've got the trims over the ends of the bolts no-one can see whether you've got locking ones fitted or not so they are not a visual deterrent.

Anyone going out sufficiently well equipped to lift a van to get the wheels off probably has one of these with them https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0012MB360/?tag=eliteelect-21

I don't recall theft of wheels on the vans being a problem, I can't remember any reports on this forum of thefts.

The theft of spare wheels seems far easier.

So we fit a spare safe... Same difference really. never had a problem fitting and removing the puzzle bolts but we all have different skill levels.

 

[SimonB]

I had the same problem recently. You can't order a replacement bolt of a similar pattern from VW, you would have to order a set of them with a new "key" and you might have the same problem again.
The specialist wheel stockist I went to said there is no point having locking nuts as no-one steals wheels any more unless they are the really expensive ones. You can, apparently, order a locking nut removal socket from Amazon, Ebay or Halfords for around £20.
I eventually bought some standard bolts and replaced all the locking ones.

 

[Walrus]

I had the same problem recently. You can't order a replacement bolt of a similar pattern from VW, you would have to order a set of them with a new "key" and you might have the same problem again.
The specialist wheel stockist I went to said there is no point having locking nuts as no-one steals wheels any more unless they are the really expensive ones. You can, apparently, order a locking nut removal socket from Amazon, Ebay or Halfords for around £20.
I eventually bought some standard bolts and replaced all the locking ones.

So did I on the advice of my local tyre fitter who says the VW locking bolts are always a problem.

 

[T6 CFO]

Followed the advice on this issue and picked up some bolts to replace the locking ones


Mike

 

[SimonB]

Just as an aside on the locking wheel nut topic, I was told by tyre fitters not to over tighten the locking wheel bolt. Hand tight only, then a bit more was their method. Certainly not done up to the torque settings of the other 4 bolts.
Doesn't this mean that the wheel is, effectively, being held by 4 bolts rather than 5? Is there any risk attached to this?
When I recently tried to remove a locking bolt that had been over-tightened, the force required to shift it meant the locking key slipped and the head of the bolt was stripped. It also damaged the key making it too chancy to count on in future and the risk of it totally failing on a roadside somewhere was too great.
As mentioned above, I have now removed the locking bolts altogether and have 5 standard bolts on each wheel.