Didnt know where to post.


I just bought an 83 Berlinetta LG4

And the guy I bought it from got the rear locks off using a 19mm socket, hammering it on, and ratcheting it off.

I tried to do that to the front wheels...to no avail though.

I tried other sizes as well, but the 19 mm seems to best.

Any alternative methods to get these things off? I have dry-rot in all 4 tires, and the passenger front wheel bead is blown. I need to take the wheels off so that I can take them to a tire dealer and have em all replaced...

-blain

 

Weld a nut on top of it. Then wrench off that nut. You also might want to soak the threads with KROIL-It before wrenching. I have GTA rims and didn't want the weld splatter to damage them. I made a shield out of a coffee lid to slip over the nut before welding on the other nut.

Good luck,

Lon

 

As a last resort, the welding idea is an alternative. As for an easier, less destructive method, contact AW Direct @ 800 243-3194. They have a slew of simple-to-use tools to remove all types of locking lug nuts.

 

You can also try cranking the other four lug nuts on, super-tight. Then see if you can loosen the locked lug nut with a big pair of vise grips.

But, if your lugnuts were overtightened to begin with (past 100 ft/lbs torque), this method probably won't work. Try going to a specialty tire/suspension shop (not a Sears or Jiffy-Lube!), they'll have an assortment of reverse-drive sockets meant for that. They have threads inside that bite into the locked lugnut, and spin it backwards. You can buy 'em too, but they're expensive, and you need an impact wrench anyway. I drove away once with my lugnut key on the lug (oops); the tire shop I always go to removed them for me for free. Took the guy a minute.

 

You can go to Oriellys and buy a special tool that will take them off.

 

IF you can drive it go to Sears. I did because my tire went flat and they took mine off. I dont think it was easy for them but they didnt -bitch and they didnt charge me any extra.

 

thanks for your responses

I ended up using a 3/4 socket and hammered it on...had to manhandle it a bit but I managed to get them off!!

Nothing a bit of elbowgreese and a few obscenities couldnt handle. Ended up having to throw away the socket though....couldnt pull the second lugnut out of the socket after I got it off...

 

if u go to pepboys in the tool isle there are these special sockets for impactguns or any 1/2 drive and u hammer them on good and i use an impact gun on them and they take those locks rightoff. it takes me about 20mins max to take 4 wheel locks off. the only locks u can not get off are those gorilla locks like on the import rims.

 

hey man i just had this wheel lock problem my self
what i did was i used a 23mm 12sided socket and a hammer
its pritty much self explanatory i hammered it on but the down side is i could never get it back off and had to drive around all day to find a second one for my set
good luck

 

Ah, so many reasons for not using wheel locks.

 

I run special seven side lugnuts with a special seven sided deep socket on every lug- not just one per wheel No key way problems that way- they are like a standard lug only most people don't have the seven sided socket to steal them. (I have two, one locked in the back compartment in the car and the other in my rollaround for a spare.

 

yes that sounds all nice and perty but vice grips will still get them off

 

You can't grip vicegrips into my wheel lug sockets partner, nice try.

 

If someone wants your wheels they will get them.. Like steal the car. :lala: :lala: :lala: That was my experience, damaged car and no wheels.

 

i had one lug nut sticking on a wheel before the tow truck came to take the 83 to the grave, couldnt get it of in time and boke up a set of rims i payed 450 for, man was i pissed

 

I just did this last week

 

More reasons not to have Wheel Locks.

 

I just had my locking lug nuts taken off a month ago by a shop. They had the special sockets to do the job and it only cost me $40, including putting on my snow tires/rims with new lugs (that I had already purchased). Would have saved me almost two hours and a couple of broken sockets (Sears replaced them, but still...) if I would have just gone straight there to have them do it. I also made sure I have a spare key to the new locks... There's no reason to not have locks on there if you don't ever want to have to replace your rims after they "walk away".