Hi folks, went to check my wheel torques the other day and noticed my locking wheel nut key won't fit anymore. Had a look at it and it's fractured in multiple places on the pattern section. I know I can get one from a main dealer at great expense but is there another way of sorting it that is better?

Have had a look online and seen a few 'master keys' but I don't know if they work (and if they'd handle being torqued up to 110nm).

Thanks in advance

The way I sorted mine was going to the local ford dealer and asking them to remove the locking wheel nuts for me then popping down to the local euro car parts and replacing them with normal  lug nuts. The dealer did it free of charge for me as they have a set of master keys.

Replace all your wheel nuts whilst you're at it. The Ford ones with the chrome covers swell because of rust underneath and then you can't get a socket to fit over them.

9 minutes ago, deandeandean said:

Replace all your wheel nuts whilst you're at it. The Ford ones with the chrome covers swell because of rust underneath and then you can't get a socket to fit over them.

I just get the direct replacement chrome ones from euro and replace any that have started to swell, it's cheaper and means you don't need to tell your insurance about a modification (changing the lug nuts from ford oe to aftermarket non factory spec ones count as a mod)

7 minutes ago, Neb_engineer said:

I just get the direct replacement chrome ones from euro and replace any that have started to swell, it's cheaper and means you don't need to tell your insurance about a modification (changing the lug nuts from ford oe to aftermarket non factory spec ones count as a mod)

Cheers, do you have a link for them? I searched on their site but I'm not seeing any results for wheel nuts

32 minutes ago, deandeandean said:

Replace all your wheel nuts whilst you're at it. The Ford ones with the chrome covers swell because of rust underneath and then you can't get a socket to fit over them.

Are there any aftermarket wheel nuts you recommend? I don't mind declaring it as a mod to my insurer for the sake of a 10 quid increase if it saves them swelling (I've already replaced the factory ones because of swelling but these are starting to corrode now)

18 minutes ago, jr795 said:

Cheers, do you have a link for them? I searched on their site but I'm not seeing any results for wheel nuts

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/bimecc-wheel-nut-924590191

4 minutes ago, Neb_engineer said:

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/bimecc-wheel-nut-924590191

Those are the later global nuts.  The OP may need the older style nuts.  (Can't see them on ECP now)

29463 FEBI BILSTEIN Wheel Nut Conical Seat F, Spanner Size 19, with lid ▷ AUTODOC price and review

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Those are the later global nuts.  The OP may need the older style nuts.  (Can't see them on ECP now)

29463 FEBI BILSTEIN Wheel Nut Conical Seat F, Spanner Size 19, with lid ▷ AUTODOC price and review

According to op's profile his fez is a 2012, they used the later lug nuts that my link directs you too 

8 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Those are the later global nuts.  The OP may need the older style nuts.  (Can't see them on ECP now)

29463 FEBI BILSTEIN Wheel Nut Conical Seat F, Spanner Size 19, with lid ▷ AUTODOC price and review

 

5 minutes ago, Neb_engineer said:

According to op's profile his fez is a 2012, they used the later lug nuts that my link directs you too 

Mine is a december 2011 build, jan 2012 registration. Those ones on euros say 'date from: 12/2012' so I think mine uses the older style. Although comparing them the only difference I can see is diameter? (26.5mm for newer ones, 28mm for older)

Is yours a mk7 pre facelift? Or a mk6?

25 minutes ago, Neb_engineer said:

Is yours a mk7 pre facelift? Or a mk6?

UK mk7 pre facelift 3 door

There wasn't a 'clean' Mk switchover of wheel nuts on the Focus (Mk3 pre-facelift used both types) so I doubt the Fiesta had a clean switch either.

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

There wasn't a 'clean' Mk switchover of wheel nuts on the Focus (Mk3 pre-facelift used both types) so I doubt the Fiesta had a clean switch either.

It has the optional 16" 7 spokes if that makes any difference

Just now, jr795 said:

It has the optional 16" 7 spokes if that makes any difference

Tbh it's easiest just to check which you currently have.  Global nuts have a dome on top, whereas old style are flat on top.  Very easy to tell on the originals.

Some wheels are compatible with both old & new style nuts during the transitional period.  (Early 2010s).  I'm afraid I don't know whether those particular wheels are or not though.

2 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Tbh it's easiest just to check which you currently have.  Global nuts have a dome on top, whereas old style are flat on top.  Very easy to tell on the originals.

Some wheels are compatible with both old & new style nuts during the transitional period.  (Early 2010s).  I'm afraid I don't know whether those particular wheels are or not though.

No worries, unfortunately I already have aftermarket nuts on due to swelling of the originals. Is there a way to tell if they don't fit?

1 minute ago, jr795 said:

No worries, unfortunately I already have aftermarket nuts on due to swelling of the originals. Is there a way to tell if they don't fit?

Yeah.  Eventually the wheels fall off.  

6 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Yeah.  Eventually the wheels fall off.  

Makes sense 😂. So if they keep becoming untorqued then they don't fit? Is there any reason not to just fit the newer ones (1.5mm diameter smaller)?

13 minutes ago, jr795 said:

Is there any reason not to just fit the newer ones (1.5mm diameter smaller)?

Yes, because they don't fit perfectly.  The nut seat in the alloys will get damaged and ultimately they will become loose over time.

It is possible to see the difference in nut seats if you just remove one of the nuts, but without having two wheels together to compare, it's quite difficult to see in reality.

Don't suppose you have any close up pictures of your original nuts? 

I've checked a few PFL Mk7s for sale online and they've all had the old style nuts so far...

 

Facelift Mk7 with global nuts for comparison.

 

Looks like squiggly McGard lockers came with old nuts and the new style reeded edge lockers come with global nuts.  Though I wouldn't rely on that alone.

12 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Don't suppose you have any close up pictures of your original nuts?  I've checked a few Mk7s for sale online and they've all had the old style nuts so far...

No photos, if I'm lucky I might have kept the old nuts somewhere, going to have a look and see if I can find them.

I have just had another look at those two parts you guys linked to however and I definitely don't remember the raised section on the top, as far as I can recall it was just flat (got a good look at them due to them becoming jammed in my socket when I tried to change a flat tyre lol).

Euros doesn't come up with any when I search using my reg, autodoc says those febi ones will fit so I am minded to think it is the old style. Will have a look at some other cars on autotrader etc, hopefully one of them will have a close up of the alloys lol

22 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Don't suppose you have any close up pictures of your original nuts? 

I've checked a few PFL Mk7s for sale online and they've all had the old style nuts so far...

 

Facelift Mk7 with global nuts for comparison.

 

Looks like squiggly McGard lockers came with old nuts and the new style reeded edge lockers come with global nuts.  Though I wouldn't rely on that alone.

Thanks for the photos, yeah I have the old style locking nut not the reeded edge. To be fair if that car pictured has 7 spokes with the old style nuts then that pretty much confirms they must fit

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Don't suppose you have any close up pictures of your original nuts? 

Success! Managed to find the old nuts, confirming that they are the old style:

Also found a spare of the aftermarket nuts currently fitted (by my dad a few years back before I knew what I was doing). Looks like they might be these from ebay, they have a weird loose part that moves up and down:

So probably best to change them for some OEM replacements anyway, although they seem to have worked fine, haven't been coming loose as far as I've noticed.

To be sure, these Febi ones are correct? https://www.autodoc.co.uk/febi-bilstein/1885748

23 minutes ago, jr795 said:

To be sure, these Febi ones are correct?

I've used those exact nuts on a 2010 Kuga with VERY poor results. I'd not use them again. When you try and loosen them after the wheels have been on for a long time, the silver cap (which doesn't come off) just rounds off and your socket spins. Perhaps it would be OK if using a 6 sided socket instead of a 12 pointed one.

17 minutes ago, unofix said:

I've used those exact nuts on a 2010 Kuga with VERY poor results. I'd not use them again. When you try and loosen them after the wheels have been on for a long time, the silver cap (which doesn't come off) just rounds off and your socket spins. Perhaps it would be OK if using a 6 sided socket instead of a 12 pointed one.

I had that happen with the original ones using a 6 sided hex socket. Is there an alternative part that people use?

Were they the actual febi bilstein ones or just the original ones which look identical?