Hi guys 

I heard a noise while braking so thought take wheel off and check brakes, I didn't get the wheel off as the wheel locking key broke. The pattern inside socket what fits into the wheel nut and has broker off in the nut. 

Contacted fords and they said 80 pound for a new wheel locking key and each one has a unique code.

Any help guys please

Thanks

If you've got the code you can order a new one direct from McGard for about £25.

If you haven't got the code just go to a tyre fitters and have them remove them with a universal tool then fit standard nuts instead.

Nah haven't got a code as brought car used from a garage and locking nut was in glove compartment. 

I got socket and says mcgard on it and can't see no numbers on socket.

Mcgard not got UK branch for support 

19 minutes ago, madman said:

Nah haven't got a code as brought car used from a garage and locking nut was in glove compartment. 

I got socket and says mcgard on it and can't see no numbers on socket.

Mcgard not got UK branch for support 

The keys are ordered online from Germany.  The code isn't written on the key unfortunately.  There are some ebay sellers who can decode a key from a very clear photo of the nut.  They charge around £30 but reviews seem to vary on the quality of the aftermarket keys so it's your choice whether to try that or not.

Take the lock nuts and throw them in the bin, I wouldnt have them on my car. In fact id have a complete set of them somewhere in my man cave, must look them out and flog em lol.

Took it to a garage and they qouted me 100 pound 25 pound a wheel to remove the locking nuts. The garage then said do away with locking nuts and just use normal nuts as alloy wheels years ago they was stealable and now they're so cheap and everywhere. 

What u guys think, is there a way to remove them. You can get a set of locking nuts and socket for about 30 quid, buts it's getting others off. 

 

They aren't easy to remove but £25 each is a p*sstake.

There are various universal tools you can buy to remove them but difficult to know which one will work and which one will just chew them up.

If you know a welder, you could get them to weld a 17mm nut on top of each locker, then unscrew them using that nut and a normal 17mm socket.

Or try the eBay sellers for a new key.  This one looks good value if they work, obviously it could be money wasted though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166550800810?

 

As for dumping the locking nuts, it's your choice.  I generally have kept them on my cars, partly to stop people loosening nuts as a prank, but I really don't think anyone's going to steal 20 year old CMax alloys.

That link for audi

7 minutes ago, madman said:

That link for audi

Whoops, sorry, they're still McGard type so the seller might do them for Fords.

Here's a Ford option although a bit more expensive.  Feel free to do your own eBay search as well.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285186187289?

Edit - ignore that link, it says they need the code.  There are definitely some on eBay that can do it from a photo.  I don't have time to search for any more tonight unfortunately.

Thank you

On 3/6/2025 at 5:57 PM, madman said:

Took it to a garage and they qouted me 100 pound 25 pound a wheel to remove the locking nuts.

All I can say is that about 4 months ago I had to pay a company who "only" do locking wheel nut removal. It cost £60 for the 4 wheels on my daughters Kuga.

To be fair to the guy, it took a lot of effort and a specialist impact socket to get them off. The job took around 30 minutes and while the £60 seemed expensive to me at the time, there was no way I'd have been able to get them off even with a brand new locking wheel nut key.

Just checked the link again, turns out it is the same seller that does them from a picture if you don't have the code.  No idea why it doesn't say that on both adverts.  I know you do a lot of work on the car yourself so if you were the last person to tighten the lockers then they may come off with a new key, and obviously you wouldn't have to pay for another set of nuts either.  It is a risk though so entirely up to you whether you choose a key or garage removal.

For FORD OEM Replacement wheel lock key match service Locking Bolt Screw Nut RS | eBay

 - MESSAGE YOUR JULIAN KEY CODE BEFORE PURCHASE - 
If you don't have a code please send a clear picture of the locking nut on the wheel of your car so all the key points and pattern can be clearly seen. 
*Proof of ownership maybe required if no code provided

Last year, one of the locking nuts on my mum's 23 year old Toyota Yaris had seized. Discovered whilst getting a new tire. The tire fitter removed the seized nut, and I also got him to remove the remaining 3 lock nuts and replace them with standard. As said, folk aren't stealing alloys anymore unless you have something very special. Oh, I only got charged for the new tire though I have been using that place for 25+ years!

7 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

As said, folk aren't stealing alloys anymore

I think many Fiesta owners would disagree with that. Or does it not count if they also steal the whole car ? 🤣

If I can fix the car myself I'll give it a go obviously not major jobs clutch, gearboxes, timing belts. 

The last person to take wheels off was a garage I had 4 tyres replaced and tracking. 

9 minutes ago, madman said:

The last person to take wheels off was a garage I had 4 tyres replaced and tracking. 

Oh dear.  They might have over-tightened them with an air gun.  There's no way for us to know now.

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

Oh, I only got charged for the new tire though I have been using that place for 25+ years!

Baffles me how you get so much done free or cheap over there.  I wonder whether that's the same across NI or whether it's just the contacts that you've personally made over the years. 🤔

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Baffles me how you get so much done free or cheap over there.  I wonder whether that's the same across NI or whether it's just the contacts that you've personally made over the years. 🤔

I put it down to contacts, and an admitted gift of the gab! My usual round of Christmas gifts (sweets/drinks) helps too...

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Baffles me how you get so much done free or cheap over there.  I wonder whether that's the same across NI or whether it's just the contacts that you've personally made over the years. 🤔

It sounds to me as if NI is behind the rest of UK in some respects, but in a very good way.

The sort of thing Stephen describes was pretty commonplace where I lived in my youth. If say, a shopkeeper knew my parents were regular customers (and probably my grandparents also) bills would often be rounded off or items thrown in foc. My local garage was very much the same when I first started driving. But there, at that time, people seldom moved area as they do today and my granny could tell you the family history of everyone in the village.

As I've mentioned elsewhere, when researching my family history, I found the vast majority of my direct ancestors had been within a 3 mile radius at least as far back as the reign of Henry VIII.

As we've referenced before, "The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there". (And in NI it seems!😀)

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

I put it down to contacts, and an admitted gift of the gab! My usual round of Christmas gifts (sweets/drinks) helps too...

Just thought of case in point. I had a pothole outside my driveway for almost a year, reported it to authorities, obviously ignored. There was a squad round the corner from me doing some roadworks. Went round, and a jovial chat, and they fixed it on their way home. Pays to be nice 😂 (drinks can just to give some scale)

24 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

drinks can just to give some scale

Is that one of those you gave them to fix the hole?😀

43 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Is that one of those you gave them to fix the hole?😀

The one with the can, yes, I know it's small but when it's at the entrance to your driveway, it's annoying LOL

Call the garage where they fitted the tyres and tracked it and said 100 quid, called another and they said 15 pound a wheel. 

A well known automotive retailer have a wheel nut remover at 20 quid with a reverse thread but from reviews sound poor.

On 3/7/2025 at 4:19 PM, StephenFord said:

Just thought of case in point. I had a pothole outside my driveway for almost a year, reported it to authorities, obviously ignored. There was a squad round the corner from me doing some roadworks. Went round, and a jovial chat, and they fixed it on their way home. Pays to be nice 😂 (drinks can just to give some scale)

That was nice of them.

Although that fix looks terrible, i've seen potholes around me being fixed like this and they open up again when water gets inbetween the cracks.