Ok, this may be something of little use, but it cost the tyre fitters £500 in damages to my car.

I had new tyres (4) fitted to my Citroen C1 furo, took less than an hour, tyres looked great.

Got home & dicided to Clean the car, tried to take the wheels off, no chance, checked the key for the locking nuts (stuffed), found one of the wheel studs was not square in.

I rang the garage who said bring it back we'll have a look.

I told them to remove the nuts with the tools supplied in the boot, 3 guys & not a single nut could be removed.

Even a windy gun struggled, found out that the front hub was stuffed with a crossed threaded stud, & an hour later the locking nuts came off using the knackered nut key.

So when you have new tyres fitted, take a wheel brace with you, and get them to remove the nuts by hand before paying them, if you can't remove those wheels at the side of the road, your stuffed.

I check my wheel nut every time I wash the cars, including the locking nuts.

 

 

9 minutes ago, Fred fusion said:

So when you have new tyres fitted, take a wheel brace with you...

Or take the car to someone that knows what they're doing... (My 'local' guy has been doing mine for 2 decades...)

My first garage experience was with a tyre garage leaving all 4 wheel bolts loose.  Lost 2 on the way home.  Other two were still holding by a couple of threads each.

I've never trusted a garage to changed tyres again.  Always removed the wheels and took them in loose!  

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

Or take the car to someone that knows what they're doing... (My 'local' guy has been doing mine for 2 decades...)

I took mine to a garage with 50+years experience, it's the monkey with the tools to worry about, in this case he only did HGV's, he was sacked at the end of the week.

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

My first garage experience was with a tyre garage leaving all 4 wheel bolts loose.  Lost 2 on the way home.  Other two were still holding by a couple of threads each.

I've never trusted a garage to changed tyres again.  Always removed the wheels and took them in loose!  

I use my local garage which is walking distance, found out he's originally from my neck of the woods, does a proper job, if it's fixed, guarantee you won't be back for the same job.

3 hours ago, Fred fusion said:

So when you have new tyres fitted, take a wheel brace with you, and get them to remove the nuts by hand before paying them..

mmm... so if the 'monkey with the tools' was then sacked, and the garage you trust, 'does a proper job', do you still take a wheel brace with you?? 😁

18 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

mmm... so if the 'monkey with the tools' was then sacked, and the garage you trust, 'does a proper job', do you still take a wheel brace with you?? 😁

Yes, it's my car my property, I pay for a job to be done, I have the right as a customer to verify it done properly, if I ask for an oil change, I'll check the dip stick.

I don't carry a factory brace, i carry a telecopic bar and my own socket to suit.

Throw away the security locking nut and fit a standard wheel bolt

Cross threading a wheel nut - basics, some obviously don't know to how to start them off by hand before using air tools. Do all work myself, if wheels have to come off then they are hand torqued when refitting - and my 3 local garage mechanics, who i personally know - do the same.

Some "thick fit" car places employ loons with NVQ's (not very qualified) certs.