removing McGard (Ford) wheel locks with no key

[blu_fuz]

See:

[dubsac2]

Couldn't it just be cut off w/ a cutting wheel?

[BrApple]

Couldn't it just be cut off w/ a cutting wheel?

i would say good luck with that without damaging the wheel and/or the stud

[blu_fuz]

Couldn't it just be cut off w/ a cutting wheel?

By that post, you clearly don't understand the situation and the options you have to remove the nut without damaging the wheel or stud.

The nut doesn't stick out past the face of the wheel so what are you going to cut with a cutoff wheel? If you ground the head off the back of the wheel stud and tried to hamer it through to the front you would be doing a lot of work and I think you still wouldn't be able to get it out because the holes for the wheel studs are pitched.


Hammering the socket on is the easiest, quickest way to do it, and it worked for both McGard nuts I had to remove.

[zorrex]

I smashed an 11/16 socket onto a stock lugnut because it was rounded.

[blu_fuz]

Nice! This turned out to be a good thread.

[cetroutt]

Since we are in this thread because it was bumped..... You can remove mcguard lug nuts with a 13/16 socket. I have done it twice. Hammer that ••••• on trying not to mess up the hole the socket wrench goes into. You only get one chance with each socket . I even kept the lug with the socket whammered onto it.

x's 2 on this. when i bought my SHO it didn't come with a key for the locking lug nut, it did however come with 4 bald tires. i searched everywhere for a key and no one had one due to the age of the car. i contacted mcguard directly and the rep was a prick and told me it was gonna cost roughly 50 bucks to get a new key. i said screw that went to napa and got an impact socket (i forget which size), cost like 15 bucks and hammered it on. worked for all 4 locks and still works fine as a socket. to get the nut out of the socket i simply threaded an old lug bolt through the back of the socket into the nut and smacked it a couple of times with a hammer. the nut pops out you take out the bolt and presto, you throw those piece of crap locking lug nuts away. it's pretty much faster and easier than welding, gluing, cutting or anything else you can think of.

[dubsac2]

By that post, you clearly don't understand the situation and the options you have to remove the nut without damaging the wheel or stud.

The nut doesn't stick out past the face of the wheel so what are you going to cut with a cutoff wheel? If you ground the head off the back of the wheel stud and tried to hamer it through to the front you would be doing a lot of work and I think you still wouldn't be able to get it out because the holes for the wheel studs are pitched.


Hammering the socket on is the easiest, quickest way to do it, and it worked for both McGard nuts I had to remove.

You are correct on that. I use a different type of bolt all together on my wheels. Never used ones w/ locks or ones that needed sockets. I use the dimpled round ones. But I assume everything can be cut off, and that is why I asked.

[blu_fuz]

No prob - atleast we could clear that up for anyone thinking the same thing.

[amc49]

Well, I figured the socket would slip since I do pretty much torque those things on to stay. We have specialty sockets to remove those lugs at O'Reilly, but everybody brings them back saying they don't work.

2 year old thread indeed. It'll be priceless to anyone who needs it.................