Below are some of the more common questions we hear about car wheel lock nuts and bolts.
What can I do if I have lost my lock nut key?
You can go to the local dealer and if you have the original serial or batch number for the lock nuts or bolts fitted to your car they maybe able to reorder a key. This can be expensive and often takes a few weeks before the replacement key is ready. You may find that the dealer cannot help.
If you are unable to source a new key for the wheel lock nuts or bolts then the only other option is to get them removed. In most cases the locking wheel nuts can be taken off but they may well be damaged in the process and need replacing.
How can I take off my locking wheel nuts without a key?
To get your wheel locks off without a key is not a simple task without the right tools. Many people will say you can drill them out or use a hammer and chisel to break the locks off. In many cases this will not work and simply damage the lock nuts and bolts further, making removal more difficult. These techniques can often lead to damage to your wheels too.
We have a patented tool with custom fittings to allow us to remove almost all types of wheel locks. Many locking nuts and bolts have a spinning collar to stop thieves being able to force them off, the custom fittings we use help us remove these more sophisticated locks.
Will removing my wheel locks damage my alloys?
We use a specialist tool which will not damage your wheels when we take the lock nuts off.
If you were to try and remove the locks yourself then it is highly likely you will cause damage to your alloy wheels.
Some mechanics may use a welding method, where they weld a standard bolt to the lock, this will undoubtedly cause damage to the lacquer and powder coat of the alloy wheels.
My wheel nuts are stuck and I cannot undo them, what can I do?
Many tyre fitters use air powered nut guns which can over torque the wheel nuts or bolts when refitting your wheels. You may find that when you come to try and change a wheel, the brace you have simply will not undo the nuts or bolts.
Often, simply using a long handle brace will give the leverage you need, but you may not have access to this. We carry torque wrenches with enough leverage to allow us to undo over tightened wheel nuts and bolts. If this is not enough we have impact socket tools which will get the job done.
How much does it cost to get my locking wheel nuts off?
The cost to remove locking wheel nuts varies widely from one company to another, but we aim to give a clear and simple price which is good value.
In most cases all 4 lock nuts will need removing and this is where we start our pricing. In most cases we charge £55 to remove wheel locks, however there maybe times where we need to charge more. Eg, if the locks have been damaged by somebody else trying to take them off.
We do charge a call out fee for jobs outside of the Maidstone area, this ranges from £10 to £20 depending on how far you are. We will always confirm all pricing before booking a job so that you know exactly what to expect.
How long does it take to remove locking wheel nuts?
We aim to have 4 locking nuts removed within half an hour. The time it takes to take the wheel locks off is dependent on the style of lock and if there is any damage to the nuts and bolts. More sophisticated wheel locks such as Peugeot and Citroen or Jaguar and Land Rover can sometimes take a little longer. McGuard and EVO lock nuts and bolts can sometimes take a longer too.
We do ask for photos of the locks before we price and book work in, we can usually tell at this point how long a job will take and we will try to give you an accurate time frame. The only other issue which can make a job take longer is if the wheel nuts or bolts have been over tightened, we cannot tell this from a photo.
Can I reuse my locking wheel nuts after they have been removed?
I most cases the process of removing the lock nuts and bolts will render them unusable.
Some style of wheel locks can be taken off without damaging them, these are usually what we call budget locks. However if the key is broken or lost you will still need to replace it before you can use the locks again.
Do I have to have locking wheel nuts or bolts fitted?
What are wheel locks for?
These are two similar questions which can be answered at the same time.
The only reason for wheel locks is security, they are designed to deter would be thieves from trying to steel alloy wheels.
It is sometimes believed that wheel locks have to be fitted for safety and that they keep the wheels on. This is not the case. You can have wheels fitted with standard nuts or bolts only.
If you are getting your wheel locks taken off then will need to replace them as it is unsafe to not have all nuts or bolts fitted. Many people decide that locks are not necessary and will replace them with a standard fitment nut or bolt.
We carry a full range of standard fitment nuts and bolts and we can supply these to replace your wheel locks when we come to remove them. We can quote you at the time of booking for this. We can also supply either budget or EVO / McGuard replacement wheel locks.
We hope the above FAQs have been helpful, of course you may have a question which is not covered here. Feel free to send us an email to sales@alloywheelnutsandbolts.co.uk with any queries you may have.
For more details about our service visit our main locking wheel nuts removal page.