Lotus Europa Chocolate Wheel Lock Bolts!
Discussion
A long time ago... I needed to replace my rear tyres, locking wheel socket would slip when force applied to loosen lock bolts. So ordered a new lock socket from Stratstone.
I decided I would remove all lock bolts and replace with normal wheel bolts. So armed with new lock socket I managed to remove 3 wheels. On my front O/S this would not budge and lock socket slipped again and looked deformed. I blamed the lock socket and ordered a replacement.
So today after many weeks of waiting (Lotus having a supply problem for parts) I have a new socket, I really thought this would do the job... but.... Can't loosen the lock bolt, the bolt now looks deformed and the lock socket just slips.
So I called the AA, they have special tools for removing lock bolts, which involves bashing a tool to cut into the bolt. This failed. The alloy wheel bolt diameter is quite narrow and this would not enable the tool housing to fit.
Next plan Halfords do the removal sockets - these cut into the bolt and have a reverse thread, the plan is as you try to loosen the bolt its cutting a thread into the bolt. This failed because the alloy wheel bolt diameter is too narrow to get the socket in.
looking for advice on options for removing this wheel bolt.
My Europa lives in a garage and doesn't come out in winter and still gives me grief!
Paul.
I decided I would remove all lock bolts and replace with normal wheel bolts. So armed with new lock socket I managed to remove 3 wheels. On my front O/S this would not budge and lock socket slipped again and looked deformed. I blamed the lock socket and ordered a replacement.
So today after many weeks of waiting (Lotus having a supply problem for parts) I have a new socket, I really thought this would do the job... but.... Can't loosen the lock bolt, the bolt now looks deformed and the lock socket just slips.
So I called the AA, they have special tools for removing lock bolts, which involves bashing a tool to cut into the bolt. This failed. The alloy wheel bolt diameter is quite narrow and this would not enable the tool housing to fit.
Next plan Halfords do the removal sockets - these cut into the bolt and have a reverse thread, the plan is as you try to loosen the bolt its cutting a thread into the bolt. This failed because the alloy wheel bolt diameter is too narrow to get the socket in.
looking for advice on options for removing this wheel bolt.
My Europa lives in a garage and doesn't come out in winter and still gives me grief!
Paul.
Slacken off the other 4 bolts half a turn then drive the car about a bit off the public road using steering and brakes. no high speed of course! That should load up the lock bolt and free it up a bit....
You could also try hitting the bolt on it's end with a hammer and drift to seat it further and slacken the taper off. Make sure the car is on the ground with the weight on it..
You could also try hitting the bolt on it's end with a hammer and drift to seat it further and slacken the taper off. Make sure the car is on the ground with the weight on it..
I had the same thing happen to me this week on my Exige.
Plan A - try to borrow someone else's nut to get just a little more purchase. It had a slightly different pattern.
Plan B - call out the AA with their specialist tools. They couldn't get it out.
Plan C - weld a nut onto the head of the bolt. There's not enough room on the outside of a nut so the weld has to go inside. No joy - couldn't get a decent weld.
Plan D - hammer a socket into the middle of the bolt head. A 1/4 drive is the only size that looks like it fits. We get one in but the 1/4 connection can't take the load and snaps.
Plan E - Weld the 1/4 socket that's now in place onto the bolt head. There's just enough room to do this but risks damaging the wheel. Then weld a 1/2 socket to the 1/4 socket.
Hey presto - the nut is finally removed to much jubilation.
Needless so say I shall be doing what I should have done before and replace the locking bolts with standard ones.
Good luck!
Plan A - try to borrow someone else's nut to get just a little more purchase. It had a slightly different pattern.
Plan B - call out the AA with their specialist tools. They couldn't get it out.
Plan C - weld a nut onto the head of the bolt. There's not enough room on the outside of a nut so the weld has to go inside. No joy - couldn't get a decent weld.
Plan D - hammer a socket into the middle of the bolt head. A 1/4 drive is the only size that looks like it fits. We get one in but the 1/4 connection can't take the load and snaps.
Plan E - Weld the 1/4 socket that's now in place onto the bolt head. There's just enough room to do this but risks damaging the wheel. Then weld a 1/2 socket to the 1/4 socket.
Hey presto - the nut is finally removed to much jubilation.
Needless so say I shall be doing what I should have done before and replace the locking bolts with standard ones.
Good luck!
Hi there
had the same problem on my Europa, on my third locking socket now.
A few things that may help.
1. Don't let anyone go near the locking bolt with a wheel gun.
2. Stick to the torque specified, don't over torque and use copper slip.
3. Undo the locking bolt first so the other bolts are holding the wheel compressed when you undo it.
4. A hot air gun on the head only will lengthen the shank and may reduce the torque enough to get the wheel bolt off. Don't leave it on too long do you don't burn the paint.
5. Use a long wrench so you don't have to use muscle power to undo it and can therefore concentrate on keeping the socket in place on the bolt head.
6. And yes if all else fails use an easy out.
Athough this is all a pain it is better than the problem on the Elise....they only use 4 bolts and that is not enough to keep the wheel on if you do a lot of track days. In fact if you are an elise owner reading this and you have done a season of track days with sticky A048s think about chainging your bolts before they fail.
good luck
C43
had the same problem on my Europa, on my third locking socket now.
A few things that may help.
1. Don't let anyone go near the locking bolt with a wheel gun.
2. Stick to the torque specified, don't over torque and use copper slip.
3. Undo the locking bolt first so the other bolts are holding the wheel compressed when you undo it.
4. A hot air gun on the head only will lengthen the shank and may reduce the torque enough to get the wheel bolt off. Don't leave it on too long do you don't burn the paint.
5. Use a long wrench so you don't have to use muscle power to undo it and can therefore concentrate on keeping the socket in place on the bolt head.
6. And yes if all else fails use an easy out.
Athough this is all a pain it is better than the problem on the Elise....they only use 4 bolts and that is not enough to keep the wheel on if you do a lot of track days. In fact if you are an elise owner reading this and you have done a season of track days with sticky A048s think about chainging your bolts before they fail.
good luck
C43
Finally got the last locking wheel nut off! Local garage worked their magic.
They had a set of sockets that remove locking wheel nuts and narrow enough diameter to clear the alloy wheel bolt hole.
I am not fitting lock bolts, the car lives in a garage. I put Cooper grease on bolt threads as well.
I would recommend other Europa owners to remove the Lotus lock bolts, they are poor quality and with the right tools and techniques any lock bolt can be removed. I don't see any benefit of fitting lock bolts in my circumstances.
Paul.
They had a set of sockets that remove locking wheel nuts and narrow enough diameter to clear the alloy wheel bolt hole.
I am not fitting lock bolts, the car lives in a garage. I put Cooper grease on bolt threads as well.
I would recommend other Europa owners to remove the Lotus lock bolts, they are poor quality and with the right tools and techniques any lock bolt can be removed. I don't see any benefit of fitting lock bolts in my circumstances.
Paul.
Just reading this as my Europa goes in for a service today at Stratstones. The car has just had a front end respray and I have found, while replacing the driving lamps, that said bodyshop decided to tighten the wheelnuts up to over 200Nm... Managed to get the nearside ones undone (including the locking one), but the offside ones are even tighter. Leaving those to the garage to sort out...
The wheel nut keys can be ordered directly from the manufacturer from the security code on the card - http://www.mcgard.de/en/home.html - takes around 7 days.
The wheel nut keys can be ordered directly from the manufacturer from the security code on the card - http://www.mcgard.de/en/home.html - takes around 7 days.
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