Alloy wheels make a car. They’re capable of transforming the most humdrum of hatchbacks and can give a vehicle a whole new presence for added street appeal. Add a new set of alloys to your car and it can also improve the handling, so this can often be a very shrewd investment, making your car safer, whilst improving the look of the vehicle at the same time. Take care with a new set of alloys though, it’s a good idea to protect them as best you can from day one, and we recommend you take this advice to prevent anything unfortunate happening to them.

Add a layer of protection

Before you hit the road in your car to show off your shiny new alloys, coat the surface of the alloys with a special sealant, available from all good motoring stores. This provides the wheels with an invisible barrier and adds a layer of protection, helping to safeguard against dust, grime and general dirt from the road, as well as problem brake dust. After the sealant is applied, it produces an anti-repellent film and when it rains or you spray water on the wheels, they clean themselves.

Wax the wheels

If you don’t want to use a specialist sealant on the wheels, you can also wax them using any good liquid or paste-based product, and add a layer of protection this way. Apply the wax and buff it off to leave a clean, sparkling and well-protected surface area that looks amazing. Most waxes will provide a suitable barrier from harmful contaminants and if you apply it to new alloy wheels, or a freshly cleaned set of alloys, it gives really good protection.

Regularly wash the wheels

To get the maximum benefit from a set of alloys you need to clean them regularly as a dirty set of wheels will make your car look unloved. This doesn’t have to be complicated, tricky or awkward, simply follow these steps for first-class results.

Rinse the wheels with clean water – Give the wheels a general blast with a hose to remove surface dirt and grime. This won’t get rid of all the ingrained dirt that has taken up residency on your wheels, but it’ll remove mud and general dust, at which point you will have a good base to perform other cleaning tasks.

Apply wheel cleaner – Spray-on wheel cleaners are brilliant for removing brake dust and road grime caused by clocking up mile after mile of driving. Simply spray the solution straight onto the wheel from the bottom up, and leave for a few minutes to let the product work. You can then use a soft bristled brush or a cleaning mitt to remove dirt from stubborn areas and finish this off by rinsing the solution with clean, fresh water.

Leave to dry then add wax and dress the tyres –Completely dry the wheels and you can then add another layer of wax to further protect the surface and give it a nice shine. Once you are happy with the finish of the wheels, turn your attention to the tyres on the car, which can often look neglected after the wheels have been cleaned. A quick application of tyre cleaner will leave the rubber with a healthy sheen, and it’ll be the perfect match for your alloys.

Once your wheels have been comprehensively cleaned, you’ll want to keep them looking this way and prevent them from becoming damaged. Read the common causes of wheel damage here, and you’ll understand how to avoid destroying your wheels in the future.

Care for your alloys and they’ll make your car look amazing, just be extra vigilant if you have a set of locking wheel nuts fitted to the car. If you don’t know where the lock nut key is, and have to get the nuts removed, you could damage the alloys if you’re not careful.

We have the ideal solution for this here at Locking Wheelnut Removal Service. Our expert team can remove locking nuts easily with no damage to your car, and we offer a fully mobile service in the West Midlands with the best price guarantee.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us, you can ask for a FREE wheel nut removal quote by calling us on 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.

Winter is here, and parts of the country are already freezing, so it’s the ideal time to check your car tyres if you haven’t done so for a while. Fail to do this now, and you might have to replace them in an emergency, which is a nightmare if you have lost your locking wheel nut, or can’t find it for some reason.

At this time of the year, it’s a sensible step to fit a set of winter tyres to improve road safety, especially if you live in areas that are commonly affected by ice, snow and slush. A good set of winter tyres will give you greater control, and steering will be more precise, making for safer driving. Winter tyres have special types of tread, and they are made from a specific blend of materials to cope with the most demanding road conditions. Install a set of winter tyres, and there are numerous benefits including:

• Improved braking and handling in snowy conditions
• More stability and better control in wet conditions
• Better grip and contact with the road
• Ability to cope with a wide range of temperatures
• Superior traction on snow-covered areas

Tyre safe recommend you fit a set of winter tyres if you regularly experience temperatures below 7⁰ C. Of course, if you don’t want to fit a set of winter tyres, or have a good set of all-season tyres already fitted to the car, regular checks on the rubber can ensure you are safe, whenever you make a journey.

There are a number of safety checks you can make and they include:

Tyre Tread Depth: Make sure you have adequate tread depth by performing the 20p test. Insert a 20 pence piece into the groove of the tyre and if the outer band of the coin disappears, you know your tread depth is above the 1.6mm limit. If you can clearly see the outer band of the 20p, your tyres are unsafe and should be replaced. As well as being unsafe, tyres below the 1.6mm limit are illegal, and you can receive a hefty fine if you are stopped by the police.

Inflation: Check your tyres at least once a month to ensure they have the correct air pressure in them. Get to know how much air each tyre should be holding and top up where necessary using an airline. If you find one or more tyres are regularly losing air, you might have a slow puncture and should have this investigated as soon as possible.

General condition: Look at the overall condition of your car tyres and in particular, see if there are any bulges on the sides, cracks or signs of splitting which could be potentially hazardous. If you see any foreign objects embedded into the tyre, these should be removed for safety purposes and if this causes the tyre to deflate, it either has to be repaired or replaced.

Spare Tyre: When you are checking the condition of car tyres, it’s important not to forget the spare. You never know when you might need to use this in an emergency, so it has to be in a good and safe condition. As well as physical checks, ensure there’s plenty of air in the tyre, as per the manufacturer recommendations.

Are you happy with the condition of your tyres? The next thing to check is whether you have a locking wheel nut removal tool, in case you have to remove one of your alloys at any point. If you can’t find this and need to take the wheel off at any point, don’t worry, there is a solution for this, just get in touch with us and let us help.

Simply contact us here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal Service for a FREE quote and we’ll soon have the locking nut removed. We offer services throughout the whole of the West Midlands and you can call us today on 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.

As locking wheel nut removal experts in the West Midlands, we spend the vast majority of our working day taking the greatest care not to damage our clients’ alloy wheels. When our customers call us, they need locking wheel nuts removing quickly, with no damage to their alloy rims. Obviously, we are more than happy to perform this function and always do so with no damage whatsoever. We know that alloy wheels are expensive, and the last thing you want to do is scratch and spoil them, so we take good care of everything.

Unfortunately, alloys can be damaged for a variety of reasons and this can happen at any time. Read these classic examples to see how easy it is to damage a set of alloys, and learn a little about how to prevent this type of harm.

Kerbing

One of the easiest ways to damage a set of alloy wheels is to make contact with the kerb edge, resulting in scratches and gouges around the edge of the rim. This normally happens when you drive too close to the pavement and make contact with either the front, rear or both sets of wheels. You’ll know when you have done this and instantly regret it. Scuffed rims look a mess and make your car look cheap. Not only do they spoil the appearance of the vehicle, they can be expensive to repair, and if you rate the look of your car, this is something you will definitely need to fix.

Potholes

Poorly surfaced roads can have a detrimental impact on car wheels. One of the biggest gripes for UK motorists is potholes, which damage wheels and tyres. Drive over a pothole at speed and you run the risk of puncturing a tyre or putting a large dent in your wheels. Potholes damage tyres, cause premature suspension wear, and can also be horrendous if you hit them hard enough with a set of alloy wheels. Drive over a pothole by accident and it’s worthwhile checking your wheels and tyres afterwards for any signs of physical damage.

Brake Dust

Hit the brakes in a car fitted with alloy wheels and tiny particles of brake dust will cover the surface area of the alloy. In time and without attention, the dust builds up and burns into the surface of the rim leaving you with permanently damaged wheels. Regular washing helps, but regular detergents don’t always get the wheels as clean as you would like. In the most extreme circumstances, if the dust has been left for too long, the only option will be to have the wheel refurbished and repainted.

Car Washes

Take your car for a clean either at a local hand wash or automatic car wash facility and there’s a good chance they will use an acid type spray to remove brake dust and dirt from alloy wheels. Over time, this can gradually peel away the protective layer leaving your wheels exposed to the elements and spoiling their appearance. The simplest way to know what types of detergents are being used is to wash the car yourself, and use approved cleaning materials.

Cleaning Materials

A soft bristled wheel brush will help to remove dirt and grime when you are cleaning a set of alloy wheels. Avoid using any abrasive cleaning material on the alloy surface for fear of damaging the wheel. This could result in swirls, scratches or score marks on the surface area.  A microfiber towel can be useful to give the wheel a gentle finish. You can polish the wheel afterwards to give it a protective layer against dirt or corrosion.

Under-Inflated Tyres

Drive your car with under-inflated tyres and you increase the chances of having a puncture which could result in a damaged wheel. Braking distances are significantly longer when you have under-inflated tyres, and there’s a greater chance of skidding. To avoid potentially damaging your alloys and running the risk of a puncture, check the tyre pressure once a week as part of routine car maintenance. You’d be amazed at how many people fail to do this and suffer the consequences as a result.

Attempted Theft

Expensive alloy wheels are a hot target for thieves. Criminals will steal then sell your wheels to make a quick profit, or they might damage them as they try to remove the wheels, especially if the rims are fitted with locking wheel nuts. You can usually spot signs of tampering around the lug nuts where the alloy is scratched or scarred. On the plus side, the thieves haven’t got away with your wheels. On the negative side, you might have to get them repaired following the attack.

Wheel Lugs

Have you ever struggled to remove a wheel nut using the brace provided with the car? If the nuts have been tightened with an air gun there’s a good chance they’ll be impossible to turn, and any attempt to remove them with a brace will result in damage to the wheel. All it takes is one slip and the brace detaches from the wheel nut then comes into contact with the alloy. In a matter of seconds, your wheel is ruined and you are left with a pricey repair cost

Locking Wheel Nuts

Trying to remove locking wheel nuts without the right tool can result in damage to alloy wheels. If you don’t have the locking wheel nut key, don’t try to remove the nut or you could seriously damage the wheel. This is definitely a job for the experts and it’s the only way you can guarantee the best result. Get in touch with a locking wheel nut removal expert as soon as you can and they will visit you at your choice of location and make everything easy for you.

As you can see, there are many ways to damage a set of alloy wheels but one thing is for certain, if you want to remove a set of locking wheel nuts without ruining a perfectly good set of alloys, we can help you here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal Service in Birmingham.

All you have to do is contact us today and we can remove your locking wheel nuts at a time to suit, get a FREE quote by calling 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.

Locking wheel nuts are fitted to cars for one reason only, to protect alloy wheels from theft. Guarded by locking wheel nuts, you would think your alloy wheels are safe and secure but this simply isn’t true, criminals will still find a way to remove your wheels. Thieves are a determined and they like a challenge. If they like the look of your alloys and they are given the opportunity, you can kiss goodbye to the wheels.

Rather worryingly, removing locking wheel nuts without an approved key can seriously damage the alloys. The best solution if you need to remove a locking wheel nut and you don’t have the right key is to contact a wheel nut removal service who will be glad to assist.

This is something we specialise in here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal in Birmingham. Simply contact us for immediate assistance if you ever need our help and we’ll soon have those locking nuts removed.

Sadly, alloy wheels are just one item regularly stolen from vehicles, other features are just as desirable.  Below we list the top ten items stolen from cars in the UK as listed by car leasing company UK Car Line, be aware of these when you leave your car unattended.

Items Most Likely to Be Stolen From Your Car:

• Car Radio – Audio Systems Stripped or Ripped Out
• Shopping  – Bags of Shopping Left on View
• Sat-Nav Systems – Quick to Steal and Easy to Sell
• Mobile Phones – Always Popular on the Second-Hand Market
• Items of Clothing & Shoes – Expensive Clothing and Footwear
• Sunglasses – Designer Shades
• Exterior Trim Such as Badges – Used as Replacement Parts
• Wallets and Purses – Instant Access to Cash or Credit and Debit Cards
• Wheels – Alloy Wheels are Valuable and Always in Demand
• Number Plates – Can be used to Clone other Vehicles and Mask their Identity

Makes a worrying read doesn’t it? Theft from motor vehicles is a growing concern in the UK and some people make it easy for thieves to steal items from their cars. Windows and doors are left unlocked, expensive items are left on display inside, and cars are parked in remote areas giving thieves plenty of time to steal items without fear of being disturbed.

Think about this the next time you park your car up. Have you hidden the sat-nav away? Did you grab your phone from the centre console? Is it a good idea to put those bags of shopping in the boot?

Safeguarding your car against crime is a sensible precaution and by using a little common sense you can protect your pride and joy. Sadly, locking wheel nuts can often be more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to car security, as thieves smash the locks off causing damage to both the alloys and the exterior of the car.

Need to Remove a Set of Locking Wheel Nuts? Contact Us Today!

If you have a set of locking wheel nuts fitted to your car and can’t find the key to remove them and want them taking off the car, get in touch with us here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal Service in Birmingham.

Call us and we guarantee to remove locking wheel nuts in any area of the Midlands with no damage to your alloys whatsoever, that’s a promise, 100% guaranteed!

Should you require a quote to have your locking nuts removed or simply want to book our service, don’t hesitate to contact us today for your FREE, no-obligation quotation, or call us if you prefer on  0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.

Damaging an alloy wheel whilst trying to remove a locking wheel nut is one of the most frustrating experiences you will ever encounter as a car owner. The problem usually arises when you lose the wheel nut key and make amateurish attempts at a wheel removal, causing scratches, scuffs, or deeper types of damage.

Once the damage is done it’s too late. There are serious consequences for trying to remove the wheel nut and you will only realise this afterwards. Yes, you are trying to save money and time by attempting to remove the nut, but this usually has a knock-on effect, and you will be left trying to salvage the situation.

Trying to remove a locking wheel nut? What can possibly go wrong?

There are a number of things that could potentially go wrong if you attempt to remove a locking wheel nut without expert help. For starters, you could injure yourself if you try to force the wheel nuts from the alloys, skinning your knuckles, or causing bruising to your hands. Cuts and other abrasions are also a distinct possibility and don’t think a set of disposable technician gloves will protect you, as they can tear easily, exposing the skin underneath.

Physical damage to the alloy wheel is another distinct possibility, which can happen if you slip with a wrench or wheel lug whilst trying to force a locking wheel nut. All it takes is one slip and as soon as the lug makes contact with the surface of the wheel, the damage is done.
Plus, who’s to say you won’t round the head on the locking wheel nut, shear it or snap it, leaving the wheel still attached to the car with no physical means of removing it.

These are all realistic scenarios and they do happen to people who try to remove a locking wheel nut from a car and don’t have the necessary skills, tools, or experience to perform such a task.

What’s the solution?

Once the damage is done you still have choices to make. For starters, the immediate priority is to get the wheel nuts removed and if you have tried and failed to do this, get some help. There are plenty of professional wheel lug removal companies out there who can perform this type of service for you. Check around for a local locking wheel nut removal service and book an appointment to have the locking lug nuts removed.

If you live in the West Midlands you are in luck, we can offer you the highest level of service here at Locking Wheelnut Removal Service and you can contact us today to arrange an appointment at your home, work, or wherever you like, by calling 0777 6231952.

What happens next?

After you have removed the locking wheel nuts from your car this still leaves a major problem. If you have damaged the alloy wheels and they look unsightly, this is going to spoil the appearance of your rims, which has a detrimental effect on the car.

We suggest an alloy wheel refurbishment in this instance. You can arrange this through reputable services that restore the alloys to a new condition. Alloys can be fully restored to factory standards using mobile wheel refurbishment services that leave your wheels in excellent condition.

Prevent problems with Locking Wheel Nuts. Contact the experts!

Obviously, there are solutions to prevent you damaging the alloy wheels on your car. We can assist you removing any type of locking nuts here at Locking Wheelnut Removal Service and offer a mobile service throughout the Midlands for the convenience of our customers. Simply contact us and we will visit you with our expert mobile service and remove any type of locking wheel nut from any make or model of car without damaging your alloys. You can call us today for a FREE quote on 0121 733 1956 or 0777 623 1952 and leave the hard work to us!

Take a quick look on the internet and you will find plenty of case studies where people have snapped locking wheel nuts when they have tried to remove them. This is not vehicle specific, the same problem seems to affect owners of all models of cars, with Subarus, Golf Gti’s, Fords and BMW’s 5 series just some of the vehicles where nuts have snapped as people tried to remove them.

Read through some of the forums on the subject and you will find plenty of disgruntled owners that have been inconvenienced with sheered or snapped locking nuts. In many instances, poor quality seems to be the main culprit, with a high number of vehicle owners claiming they have replaced their locking wheel nuts with dealer specification options, only for the same problem to occur again.

Locking wheel nuts fail – fact!

Over-tightening of wheel nuts is a common reason for the parts to fail. When tyres are replaced at a garage, the wheel nuts are usually removed with an airgun and replaced with the same tool, fastened into place using compressed air and tightened too much.

It’s only when you come to remove the nuts that you realise there’s a problem. They sometimes snap, which is both annoying and inconvenient, especially if this happens more than once. Which it does!

Don’t think this will never to you. If you take the time to read some of the comments found on website forums relating to locking wheel nut failures, you will discover plenty of examples where nuts have failed on more than one occasion, on the same vehicle. Imagine how you would feel if this happened to you, and how much it would cost to have to get the locking wheel nuts removed by somebody who knew what they were doing?

It makes you wonder, why people buy new locking wheel nuts when their old set has sheared, this is simply asking for trouble. Not only do you have to pay to have the old set removed you need to buy the new set, and then go through the whole process again when the parts snap under pressure.

These things break when locking wheel nuts snap:

The faith in your car

Nobody would blame you if you lost faith in the reliability of your car if a factory manufactured part such as a locking wheel nut failed under your ownership of the vehicle. You expect key parts like these to last for as long as you own the car, so it’s perfectly understandable if you feel a little aggrieved in the event of a locking wheel nut failure.

The bank

When the wheel nut snaps, it’s unlikely you will have the right tools to remove the broken part from the vehicle without damaging the alloy wheels. This is the job for a specialist, somebody that is knowledgeable about locking wheel nut removals, an expert that has the right tools for the job. Sure, it will cost you to have the wheel nuts professionally removed but this is money wisely spent. It’s certainly a whole lot cheaper than having to get your alloy wheels repaired and refurbished after you attempt a bodged wheel nut removal.

Your mind

It’s hard to think positive if you have ever experienced a snapped wheel nut firsthand. In the first initial moments, you wonder what you are going to do until sense prevails and you call an experienced locking wheel nut removal service. Yes, it’s annoying when a wheel nut snaps or shears, but try to remain positive knowing expert help is only a phone call away. Don’t lose your mind, try to remain calm and take some comfort knowing you can easily replace all of the locking wheel nuts so this problem never happens again.

Need help with a snapped wheel nut? Call our experts today!

If you are in the unfortunate position of having one or more snapped or damaged locking wheel nuts don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at the Locking Wheelnut Removal Service. We offer services throughout the whole of the West Midlands and you can call us for a FREE quote to have your wheel nuts removed on 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.

It’s no coincidence that garages and vehicle repair shops hate locking wheel nuts. Vehicle owners’ might think they are being clever by protecting their car with a set of locking wheel nuts but more often than not, these little security devices are more trouble than they are worth.

Take routine vehicle servicing for instance. To be able to correctly service a car and check brake pads, discs, and hubs, vehicle technicians need to remove the wheels from the vehicle and this can be a problem if the locking wheel nut key is missing or the vehicle owner has failed to provide it when they drop their car off for a service.

You can hardly blame auto technicians for feeling a little bit frustrated. Without the right key, they have little alternative, the scheduled work will have to be cancelled and rearranged for another day.

No locking wheel nut, no service!

One of the biggest problems vehicle technicians face is customers failing to leave the locking wheel nut key in an easy to access place. In fairness, some drivers won’t realise they have locked wheel nuts fitted to their car, especially if they have limited mechanical knowledge, or simply show no interest in how the wheels are secured to their car.

Drivers of company cars and lease cars are some of the biggest culprits. They are often in a rush and simply want to drop their car off and be on their way as quickly as possible, but private vehicle owners can also have a moment of madness too.

If the workshop fails to ask the customer whether the car has locking wheel nuts, and the key isn’t left in an obvious place, this can be frustrating for everybody involved.

It’s a time thing…

Most workshops function to a tight time schedule. Every second of the day is accounted for to maximise the profitability of the business. When time is wasted searching for a locking wheel nut this has a negative impact on the performance of the technician.

If the key can’t be located, this might result in a phone call to the customer and more time is wasted as a result. Plus there’s no guarantee the customer will know where the key is stored so this can be a fruitless exercise.

It’s easy to see where issues arise when a car is equipped with locking wheel nuts and the key needed to unlock them has gone missing.

There are privacy issues too

Some workshops will rummage about inside your car looking for the wheel nut which is fine as long as you have nothing to hide or keep personal belongings inside your car. You have to ask yourself, would you feel 100% happy if a total stranger searched through your glovebox or explored the door pockets on your car?

By not leaving the locking wheel nut in a clearly visible place the mechanic might have little choice but to search through the car. That’s fine as long as you don’t have anything embarrassing inside the car or something you want to keep private.

Don’t put yourself in this position

One obvious way to prevent this problem is to remove the locking wheel nuts on your car. Whether you have the key or not you can have the locking nuts taken off and replaced with standard types of wheel nuts.

Calling a reliable and trusted wheel nut removal service is the best way forward in this instance. They will remove the offending locking nuts without causing damage to the wheels and leave you headache-free afterward.

This is something we do rather well here at the Locking Wheelnut Removal Service in the West Midlands. Get a FREE quote from us to have your wheelnuts removed by calling 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952.