[TheLiverBird]

To cut a long story short, a BMW dealer replaced a corroded 442m wheel under warranty tonight. When they've put the new wheel on the locking wheel nut has sheared off completely: flush with the top of the bolt.

Now I know accidents happen, but I can't see how the technician didn't notice this? And they certainly didn't inform me of this before I left.

I checked the wheel whilst still at the garage but didn't spot anything. When I looked at home (needed to inflate the tyre to the same as the others) I saw that there was something amiss with one of the nuts, although I couldn't at first see what. I looked to see if they'd returned the locking wheel nut to the boot and there it was - minus the pattern in the middle - which is now attached to the bolt in the wheel! Surely they'd have noticed this when it happened???? There isn't even a mm anywhere above the top of the nut to 'grip' onto to remove it.

Anyway, I phoned the service department and I've arrange for it to go in asap (will be 8 tomorrow morning) as I'm not happy at all - not at it happening, but at not being told! And the fact that I have been left without a locking wheel nut I would have no way of removing any of the other 3 wheels either if I'd needed to.

My worry is now, how on earth are they going to remove the locking wheel nut without marking my brand new wheel? So, any advice that I can pass on to the garage tomorrow will be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

[TheLiverBird]

Originally Posted by Lobb

It'll need to be drilled off.

That's good news, because there's no chance they'll damage the wheel with a drill!!

[abc123]

I did see a trick where somebody welded a nut on top of the bolt and got it off that way (not sure if I understand enough to know if it is the solution for you

[Tengocity]

That's a muppet with an air gun or torque wrench, which is just laziness as everyone knows you find the risk of this with locking wheel nuts.

You're right to be annoyed, I'd be furious.

[Rukka]

I'm not sure I'm following what's happened?

You said "nut sheared off" - it's a bolt holding the wheel on. The "nut" part is your locking wheel "key" for want of a better word. The bit that lives in your boot 99% of the time.

So if the "nut" has broken and stuck to the wheel "bolt" then they should be able to remove that easily without drilling anything and just supply you with a new locking nut.

Am I reading that right?

As Tengo says though, some over zealous grease monkey with an air gun............


.

[F30Andy]

Don't stress. They are a BMW dealer.
If they damage your wheel they will have to replace it.

It's their fault the locking nut got damaged. Their problem to fix.

[a803sgo]

Get a socket that just barely fits over the bolt that's left and smack it as hard as you can onto the bolt until its tight, it will need proper whacking but once its on, slowly unwind the bolt and it should come off.

Be careful will the whacking and don't hit the wheel, seen a tyre fitter do this and it came straight off.

[Beancounter_74]

Originally Posted by F30Andy

Don't stress. They are a BMW dealer.
If they damage your wheel they will have to replace it.

It's their fault the locking nut got damaged. Their problem to fix.

^^^ This, just let them sort it, any damage they cause is their issue too.

[Daftasabrush]

Dealers have the master set of keys, there's only around 20 combinations so once the sheared off piece of metal from the key is removed, it'll be a few seconds work to undo it. They will then need to replace your key though (or replace all the bolts with new ones).

[TheLiverBird]

Originally Posted by Rukka

I'm not sure I'm following what's happened?

You said "nut sheared off" - it's a bolt holding the wheel on. The "nut" part is your locking wheel "key" for want of a better word. The bit that lives in your boot 99% of the time.

So if the "nut" has broken and stuck to the wheel "bolt" then they should be able to remove that easily without drilling anything and just supply you with a new locking nut.

Am I reading that right?

As Tengo says though, some over zealous grease monkey with an air gun............


.

Hopefully this'll make it a bit clearer! Or not!

The locking wheel nut (from the boot) the one that's inserted 'over' the bolt on the wheel has a 'pattern' (sorry for the shite wording) that fits into the same 'pattern' on the head of the bolt (that's in the wheel). It is this 'pattern' that has snapped off the locking wheel nut and remains filling the head of the bolt in the wheel. It is completely flush with the head of the bolt so I can't see an easy way of removing it - and therefore getting any traction on the bolt itself to remove it.

Maybe it's a bit clearer now, if not I'm screwed because I'm all out of words for bolts, nuts and patterns, sorry.

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...psfl7sej37.jpg

This isn't mine but this is what's happened.

[TheLiverBird]

Originally Posted by a803sgo

Get a socket that just barely fits over the bolt that's left and smack it as hard as you can onto the bolt until its tight, it will need proper whacking but once its on, slowly unwind the bolt and it should come off.

Be careful will the whacking and don't hit the wheel, seen a tyre fitter do this and it came straight off.

Won't be touching it myself (but thanks for the advice anyway) - I'll let BMW fix it as....

a) it's their mess, and
b) they'll be the ones supplying a replacement wheel / bolts / locking nut etc if they damage it

[Flyboy777]

So if I understand correctly the insert pattern part of your 'key' is stuck in the head of your wheel bolt?
I think they can get that out with a punch and hammer, the head of the locking nut should protect your wheel as it protrudes enough to get a removal tool onto it which will shag that bolt.
They can then remove the bolt and the other 3 on the other wheels & replace them & provide you with the correct locking key for the replacements.

The mech probably air wrenched it up & didn't even notice the key had broken & left part of itself on the bolt.

[Rukka]

Originally Posted by TheLiverBird

Hopefully this'll make it a bit clearer! Or not!

The locking wheel nut (from the boot) the one that's inserted 'over' the bolt on the wheel has a 'pattern' (sorry for the shite wording) that fits into the same 'pattern' on the head of the bolt (that's in the wheel). It is this 'pattern' that has snapped off the locking wheel nut and remains filling the head of the bolt in the wheel. It is completely flush with the head of the bolt so I can't see an easy way of removing it - and therefore getting any traction on the bolt itself to remove it.

Maybe it's a bit clearer now, if not I'm screwed because I'm all out of words for bolts, nuts and patterns, sorry.

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...psfl7sej37.jpg

This isn't mine but this is what's happened.

Yep - that's what I thought. Shouldn't be too difficult to get that out with a small sharp chisel or punch and then hopefully remove the locking bolt with another key (if it's not too damaged)

Either way - let them sort it and while you're there, ask them what happened to the quality control of the workshop!

[TheLiverBird]

Originally Posted by Flyboy777

So if I understand correctly the insert pattern part of your 'key' is stuck in the head of your wheel bolt?
I think they can get that out with a punch and hammer, the head of the locking nut should protect your wheel as it protrudes enough to get a removal tool onto it which will shag that bolt.
They can then remove the bolt and the other 3 on the other wheels & replace them & provide you with the correct locking key for the replacements.

The mech probably air wrenched it up & didn't even notice the key had broken & left part of itself on the bolt.

That's right! However surely he'd have felt the lack of resistance as the locking nut snapped and therefore known that there was a problem?

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by TheLiverBird

Hopefully this'll make it a bit clearer! Or not!

The locking wheel nut (from the boot) the one that's inserted 'over' the bolt on the wheel has a 'pattern' (sorry for the shite wording) that fits into the same 'pattern' on the head of the bolt (that's in the wheel). It is this 'pattern' that has snapped off the locking wheel nut and remains filling the head of the bolt in the wheel. It is completely flush with the head of the bolt so I can't see an easy way of removing it - and therefore getting any traction on the bolt itself to remove it.

Maybe it's a bit clearer now, if not I'm screwed because I'm all out of words for bolts, nuts and patterns, sorry.

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...psfl7sej37.jpg

This isn't mine but this is what's happened.

That is how I was reading the problem, as I scanned down the posts.

Should not be too difficult to remove, doubt it is the first time a dealer has had that problem to deal with.

I'd lightly tap the sheared section, (hammer and angled punch), in the opposite direction to being tightened, should become slightly loose. Then it will probably pull out with a strong magnet.

Worked on many items like that in my past, plus the 'weld on nut' (where appropriate) and removed many a sheared stud, or bolt.

[Rbrown]

I had to order a new locking key last month. I don't think they are the best quality and break easily.

Good luck in getting it sorted!

[Daftasabrush]

Of course if you have no trust in the dealership, you could always do it yourself: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW4034-BMW...cAAOSwc-tY5Op1

[teaston]

Originally Posted by TheLiverBird

Hopefully this'll make it a bit clearer! Or not!

The locking wheel nut (from the boot) the one that's inserted 'over' the bolt on the wheel has a 'pattern' (sorry for the shite wording) that fits into the same 'pattern' on the head of the bolt (that's in the wheel). It is this 'pattern' that has snapped off the locking wheel nut and remains filling the head of the bolt in the wheel. It is completely flush with the head of the bolt so I can't see an easy way of removing it - and therefore getting any traction on the bolt itself to remove it.

Maybe it's a bit clearer now, if not I'm screwed because I'm all out of words for bolts, nuts and patterns, sorry.

http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/...psfl7sej37.jpg

This isn't mine but this is what's happened.

They'll be able to remove the snapped off part from the bolt, then use another key to remove the bolt. If I was you I'd request a new set of locking wheel bolts as if they've put that much force into it then there's likely damage to the pattern part of the bolt which could cause issues in future when trying to remove or tighten that bolt!

[Sullym6]

It it the pattern part of the locking key stuck in the head of the bolt then it shouldn't be too difficult to remove.
Not sure if a magnet might work as it's not held in by anything

[Derrymilk]

There are specialist removal tools for this job if they can't remove the piece
The dealer will have something like this in their kit
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BERGEN-Loc...UAAOSw9NdXp2e1
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Emergency-...25_DD7lv5I8hSg

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Sullym6

It it the pattern part of the locking key stuck in the head of the bolt then it shouldn't be too difficult to remove.
Not sure if a magnet might work as it's not held in by anything

That won't work mate, it's broken off because it has rotated the key pattern within the bolt pattern, wedging it in.

[TheLiverBird]

Went to BMW this morning - took about 45 mins to remove the sheared nut, but they managed to do it keeping the original bolt intact. I've got a new locking wheel nut that fits all 4 wheels (I've checked). The new alloy is still unmarked (as far as I can see.).

They were very apologetic about it all but the actual tech who tightened the bolts wasn't in today!

Anyway, panic over and happy BMW driver again!

And thanks for all the help, advice and reassurance.