locking nut key and studs

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norslit

New Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
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4
Car
2010 c180k sport estate
Hi everyone
I have just purchased a v class without the wheel locking nut key for the alloy wheels , I have managed to source the key but on previous mercs there as been a kit which included studs for the steel spare wheel, can someone please tell me if I will need to source new studs for the spare or will the alloy studs be ok
thanks in advance
norslit
 
Hi everyone
I have just purchased a v class without the wheel locking nut key for the alloy wheels , I have managed to source the key but on previous mercs there as been a kit which included studs for the steel spare wheel, can someone please tell me if I will need to source new studs for the spare or will the alloy studs be ok
thanks in advance
norslit
Looks like its the same bolts for the alloys or the steel spare.
Should be M14X 1.5 27mm long bolts.
Remove one from your alloy and check its the same length.
 
i went to get tyres fitted today and the bloody fitter ruined my locking nut key on the 1st wheel costing me £36 for a new one, am in 2 minds if its worth the effort leaving locking nuts on the car
 
i went to get tyres fitted today and the bloody fitter ruined my locking nut key on the 1st wheel costing me £36 for a new one, am in 2 minds if its worth the effort leaving locking nuts on the car
I took mine off for that very reason. Rumour has it that the damn thing is made of chocolate anyway.
 
Today we nearly went shopping, ....
“Give me ten minutes love I’m just going to adjust the front wheel bearings” ( they have slight play).
Ooh, these locking wheel studs feel tight.....strong arm plus three foot scaf tube....BANG, key shears. I tried many tips to get them off, emergency extractor x 2, Drill ...no chance.
Four hours later and with the fantastic help of a local garage and with experience of Merc locking key problems, not to mention some tools I’d never seen or heard of before, plus MIG welder on the stud with the sheared key stuck inside.
I remembered that the front tyres were changed last year and the guy assured me the torque setting was spot on for my wheels, the rear wheels were off last Aug while I adjusted the handbrake so I know they were torqued up right.
All the normal wheel studs were tight but came off no problem, it was just the lockers, they are what I believe are called “flower” pattern.

Moral of the story....if you have this type of security lockers,
check that you can get them off —regularly, if you get a puncture away from home, you may have major problems.

As for me, it’s still quiet in our house, beans on toast for tea, the locking studs are in the bin, just ordered standard studs.


.
 
Studs are what wheel nuts go on to; what you have are bolts.
 
got mine all sorted bought the new key then went to see my m8 who is an independant merc specialist, what he done was put the locking nut key on the bolt fitted his socket and proceeded to hit it hard as hell with a copper hammer low and behold this broke the grip and the bolt came out easily when break bar was attached
done the other 3 for me too :)
 
I personally think they are more trouble than they are worth but having said that I will leave them on my car because I am the only one who removes the wheels so I know that none of the bolts are overtightened and the locking bolts will come undone when asked to do so .

Top Tip ( apologies to VIZ magazine) If you have locking wheel bolts - and you want to use them - you should have 4 of the original MB bolts in the car somewhere. When having new tyres fitted/brake work etc tell the bloke to use them and not the 'lockers' , then at your leisure fit the lockers properly at a later date
 
Top Tip ( apologies to VIZ magazine) If you have locking wheel bolts - and you want to use them - you should have 4 of the original MB bolts in the car somewhere. When having new tyres fitted/brake work etc tell the bloke to use them and not the 'lockers' , then at your leisure fit the lockers properly at a later date

Normally you'd have the 4 original bolts (plus the key) in the little plastic box the anti-theft bolts came in?
 
Normally you'd have the 4 original bolts (plus the key) in the little plastic box the anti-theft bolts came in?
On mine, the locking adapter was in the box, but the 4 spare lug bolts were missing, presumed half-inched.
 
On mine, the locking adapter was in the box, but the 4 spare lug bolts were missing, presumed half-inched.
Same on mine, even worse, I bought the car in Glasgow, got home and a few days later discovered that not only had the bolts been nicked, the whole toolkit had gone including the carrier.
To be fair the dealer got a courier to deliver one shortly after three discovery.
 
Not wanting to flog a dead horse..........the guy who helped me at the garage did state, (before he started work on the bolts), that we would probably find that the thread that protrudes the hub would have a level of corrosion and that this could be part of the problem.
Now wether this adds to the difficulties of removal I’m not entirely convinced, but his point was proven when all the wheel bolts came out with a definite one centimetre rust band on the ends of the bolts.
Hope the photos work.
 

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Not wanting to flog a dead horse..........the guy who helped me at the garage did state, (before he started work on the bolts), that we would probably find that the thread that protrudes the hub would have a level of corrosion and that this could be part of the problem.

The problem is normally the initial loosening of the bolts though ... after that first tiny bit of movement they normally come out OK, so I wouldn't think a bit of surface rust on the exposed end would be an issue.
 
The problem is normally the initial loosening of the bolts though ... after that first tiny bit of movement they normally come out OK, so I wouldn't think a bit of surface rust on the exposed end would be an issue.
I would generally agree, however, just got the new bolts and during fitting two of them they suddenly got “thread bound” just before the fastening point.
Taking them out, they both had signs of rust on about 5mm of the leading thread. I ran a tap through to clean them and all ok.
I was very tempted to put a very light smear of copper grease on the first 5mm of the bolts but my dad would have kicked my ar5e (if he was still here).
 
Normally you'd have the 4 original bolts (plus the key) in the little plastic box the anti-theft bolts came in?
Yes . The lockers are fitted at the dealership not the factory . They then leave the 4 spare bolts and the 'key' in the car . Obviously for whatever reason they might be removed by someone during the cars life but after more than 5 owners and 12 years they were still in the boot of my car when I bought it.
 

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