Locks on wheels: -What to do if there is no key?
Usually, to remove a wheel on a car, a motorist simply needs to unscrew the wheel bolts. Basically, drivers have no problems with this, unless there are secret bolts on the wheels (not standard ones, which cannot be unscrewed with ordinary keys). In order to remove such a lock from the wheel, you need a special puller, which, as a rule, is sold complete with secret bolts. But what if such a key is lost? Do not worry friends and do not listen to anyone that this requires supposedly complex plumbing work. We dear motorists will show and tell you how this can be done without the use of special cutting tools.
Let us, dear friends, imagine for a moment that we have lost a special key for unscrewing the lock on the wheel (on wheels). Usually, in this particular case, car owners turn to a tire fitting or a technical center for help, where the craftsmen offer them to cut or drill these locks so that they can easily remove the wheel (s) from the car.
But this is a laborious and difficult process naturally associated with the cost of a lot of money on your part. For our part, we offer drivers a fairly simple way that in reality will help them, using simple car tools to remove the lock from the wheel in a short period of time.
It is worth noting here at once that this method proposed by us works in almost all cases and for most of the secret bolts presented in our time on the automotive market, and it is also suitable for all types of off-road vehicles and cars.
As we noted above, in order to remove the lock when a special key is lost, we need a simple set of tools that every motorist usually has. Here are the tools you need to get the job done:
Required tools:
- Socket head (in our case, a 12-Point Socket head was suitable for a Toyota car). In your case, dear motorists, select your head size according to the diameter of the lock.
- Socket wrench (lever handle, preferably a torque wrench).
- New standard wheel bolt for your wheel.
- Screwdriver.
It has been tested that to remove the lock from the wheel without a special key, on average, it will take from 3 to 5 minutes of time. Or about 20 – 30 minutes to remove the secret wheel bolts from all 4 wheels.
STEP #1: Start by finding the secret
Friends do not panic if you have lost the wheel bolt lock. For a start, you better think about where you could have lost this secret? Perhaps you put it somewhere and just forgot about that place? Please do not write off and do not be nervous. View all the places in the car where you may have put the puller you need. Also, do not forget to explore all possible places at home. Maybe you forgot to just ask the former owner of the car you bought from him for this key? Call him and ask yourself if he gave you the secret key.
Step 2: Find out what is the size of the secret bolt on the wheel in order to select the required socket head diameter
If you really can’t find the original wheel lock remover wrench, then it’s time to work with the hammer. The task is pretty simple. Using a hammer, drive a conventional socket head onto the lock and unscrew the lock bolt with a socket wrench. The point here is this, namely, your secret wheel bolts, no matter how expensive they are, are usually made of soft metal. That is, the metal of these locks is softer than conventional steel wheel fasteners. So you have the hope that they can be unscrewed with a common automotive tool.
So you can be sure that you can remove the lock in a short time on your own without assistance. To do this, find a socket in your garage or in tool kits that fits the diameter of your secret wheel bolt. If you do not have such a head, then purchase it at a car dealer. Don’t buy expensive socket heads. Cheaper tools are also suitable for this job.
When choosing the right size of the socket head, use several sizes better to perfectly match the exact socket that can actually fit the secret wheel bolt.
Thanks to the ribbed surface inside the head and, accordingly, the soft metal of the lock, you can easily and with the help of a hammer change the configuration of the lock to the required profile that the end head has in the inner diameter.
Step 3: Install the socket head on the security bolt and use a hammer to push it onto the wheel lock
Now, dear motorists, the fun begins. By hitting gently with a hammer on the end face of the head, you naturally just beat the soft secret. Ultimately, it specifically begins to acquire (and acquire) the same appearance that the inner faces of this end head have.
Attention. You must press the socket head so that it sits firmly on the security bolt (so that it fits snugly on the security bolt).
Step 4: Install the lever arm (torque wrench) onto the head
The lever-collar is a special metal rod to which the socket wrenches are attached. We advise all motorists to have a similar metal lever. This tool can help you out with many difficulties on the road. You can especially be convinced of this after using it to independently remove the lock from the wheel.
If not, you can use a pipe and a regular wrench.
How does the lever handle (torque wrench) for socket heads help so much? In fact, elementary fundamental science – physics – helps us to unscrew this secret. In our case, friends, we used a 20-centimeter long lever. You can use a shorter lever. But always remember that the longer the lever is, the more force from our movement will go to the socket. According to the laws of physics, the following will happen, turning the lever, we thereby increase our strength several times and actually turn ourselves into a natural strongman.
Pay your attention to the following, when unscrewing the secret, you should do everything slowly and unhurriedly. Never turn the lever too sharply, as you risk turning the socket head around the soft lock.
Begin to slowly push down on the lever. If the secret has not started to unscrew, then without releasing your pressure on the lever, wait a little more and .. You will be surprised how easily the secret begins to give in. In fact, it doesn’t take a lot of effort to turn the secret wheel bolt, unlike the same standard wheel bolts, which require a lot more effort.
Step 5: replace the lock with a new regular wheel bolt
After you have removed the lock, you need to replace it with a standard steel wheel bolt instead. True friends, immediately pay attention to the following, that in certain and some cases you will not be able to tighten the bolt back due to damage to the internal thread. But this is removable, although it is no longer so easy, and, in this case, you better turn to specialists.
But in most cases, after you remove the lock, the thread is not damaged, you can easily and yourself screw the new wheel bolt into place.