This is a typical example of the work we handle, based on how this kind of job is normally carried out. It is not a record of an individual customer’s visit.
Locking wheel nut problems usually surface at the worst moment: a flat tyre on a driveway in Bicester or in a workplace car park, and the key is not in the glovebox, the boot or the spare wheel well. Sometimes the key is there but has worn, cracked or no longer grips the nut. Either way, the wheel cannot come off until the locking nut does.
The situation
Common reasons a locking wheel nut stops tyre work include:
- the key has been lost, or was not handed over when the car was bought
- the key is damaged or its pattern has worn
- the nut was over-tightened or has seized with corrosion
- an earlier removal attempt has damaged the nut
Before you call
Check the usual places: the glovebox, the boot floor, the spare wheel well and the tool kit. Some keys come with a code on a card or in the handbook, which a dealer may use to supply a replacement key. If you need the car moving sooner than that, or the key is damaged, specialist removal is the practical option.
What we check first
The type and condition of the locking nut, the wheel it is on and whether anyone has already tried to remove it all affect how the removal is approached. Tell us about earlier attempts when you call, because a damaged nut needs a different technique.
How removal is handled
We use specialist locking wheel nut removal tools and procedures intended to avoid damaging the alloy wheel. Once the locking nut is off, it is usually replaced with a standard wheel nut so future tyre work is straightforward. Removal without any mark on the wheel cannot be guaranteed before the nut has been assessed, and we will be honest with you about that.
Finishing the tyre work
Because a locking nut problem usually comes to light because of a tyre problem, we deal with both on the same visit wherever possible. That could be a puncture repair to BS AU 159 standards where the tyre is suitable, or a replacement tyre if it is not. Let us know the tyre size if you can see it.
Get this sorted
For the full service details, see our locking wheel nut removal service. We provide this 24/7 across Bicester and the surrounding towns, or you can go back to the Mobile Tyre Fitting Bicester homepage.