What's wrong with the picture.

Stevo7682

Stevo7682

Zorg Expert (II)
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The M44 Massive
Scottish Zeds
Joined
Apr 1, 2016
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253
Location
Maybole , South Ayrshire
Model of Z
Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
So had a Fiesta in today took a picture of the drivers wheel which had a slight issue.
Any takers as to what it is.
20240304_105828.webp


Stephen
 
Duncodin said:
But that's not an 'issue'. No law against that?
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True but at same time not totally safe as the ford locking wheel nuts have a slightly different taper seat to the other standard ones.
Stephen.
 
Duncodin said:
Then a different taper seat "should be" a problem even if just on one bolt per wheel its not good.
Click to expand...
Its to do with clamping forces locking wheel nuts are designed to have a lower clamping force at the same torque setting so the breakaway force is lower ( ie. The torque required to loosen the nut or bolt off again )
This is because the torque that can be applied to a locking wheel nut key before it shears or gets damaged is considerably less than the stock hex wheel nut.
This is deemed acceptable on a car as it has the other 3 or 4 fixings that are full on
(Also most cars wheels would not fall off with one missing fixing ( although this is an mot fail) so the force applied by the locker deemed acceptable.
But 4 on the one wheel could end up with a loose wheel somewhere down the road so as i said this is a potential issue.
Stephen.

Edit.
I would also say that not all locking wheel nuts are designed this way .
A lot of the MGard type locking wheel nuts fitted to modern cars are designed that way though.
 
Last edited:
Agreed. I can't count the amount of cars I've tested over the years with 1 nut/bolt missing on each wheel (probably due to having security nuts/bolts removed and not replaced.) and they still had all 4 wheels.

Tony.
 
Duncodin said:
I've chucked my locking bolts away anyway.
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Not a bad move bain of our lives at work with overtightened fixings damaged bolts , damaged keys missing keys if i had my way they would be off every car as just a general pain in the butt.
Because at the end of the day alloy theft is really so much of a thing as it was 30 yr ago same a radio theft not really a thing no more.
Stephen.
 
Sorry. Long story.

During lockdown I was working on a back wheel speed sensor. My MB ML kept going into limp mode and fault said speed sensor. Anyway. Replaced the sensor. Put the wheel back on and set off to a hospital appointment.

On the way back limp mode again. Same fault. So wanted to get the wheel off again but couldn't find the damn wheel bolt key socket. Turned the car and the garage upside down. Couldn't find it.

Kicking myself up and down the drive I saw it. There it was. Still stuck on the wheel. !!

I'd just done a 50 mile roundtrip with the key socket stuck to the wheel.

Lucky or what. Coulda been a world of pain.

That's when I chucked all locking bolts away on both cars.
 
It's not like having alloy wheels stolen is a thing these days, at least I've not heard of it for a long time.
And as for the number of times I'd ask a customer where the wheel nut key was for their car and just got a blank look for a reply. Or "does it have one?"Or "your call centre said you'd bring your own". Having to explain to a doctor with his big shiny MB that the whole point of keys is that they are different. You couldn't make it up, wouldn't want him messing around with my internal parts. Or external, either.:eek:
 
It never fails to amaze me just how stoopid clever people can be.

Tony.
 
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