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Top Tips On How To Examine Your Tyres

 Around the UK the roads are getting worse, more potholes are popping up around the country. This is only one of the many factors which could be deteriorating your tyres, it is important that you check your tyres regularly. Not only for your safety but also for legal reasons, looking at them is easy and can help prevent any accidents from taking place. We’re going to give you a guide on what to look at when examining your tyres:

 Tread depth

Measuring your tread depth is very simple, there is a gauge available from shops that you can purchase. However, if you are unable to get one of these you can simply use the edge of a 20p coin, the coin should be able to easily fit within the thread.

In the UK there is a legal requirement for the tyre tread to be 1.6mm and this must be around 75 percent of the tyre however the government recommends that you change yours at 3mm to have your tyres working to their highest potential. Underinflated tyres will increase the chances of a road accident or a blowout.

The laws have been increased in recent years and they are getting tougher on tyre tread depth, there’s a potential fine of up to £10,000. £2,500 for each tyre and three points on your license onto of that!

 Tyre Pressure

Similar to the tread depth there is a gauge that find out the pressure of the tyres, simply put this gauge over the valve until there is no hissing sound. The measurements of the tyres currently will then be shown, compare this to the recommended and fill until they both are the same.

When looking at a tyre it doesn’t have to look flat to be under pressure. Checking your tyres at least once every two months and certainly, before long trips, failure to do this can result in lower breaking distance and shorten the lifespan of the tyres.

Check the condition of the tyres

Tyres need to be clean to give out the best results, regularly check the valve and the valve cap to make sure this is fitted. Sometimes you may find stone or sticks stuck between the tyres remove these and check the areas for any damage from them.

Wheel Alignment

If one of your tyres is worn on one edge this could be from poor wheel alignment, if this is the case it is best to get someone professional to take a look at it as it could be much worse.

Spare tyre

Even though its packed away your spare tyre still needs to be under the regulations as if you are required to use it, it is still under the same laws.

As you can see it is critical to regularly check your tyres, however if you are unsure about anything regarding your tyres or wheel nut removal contact us for a free quote or you can call us today on 01217331956 or 07776231952.

7 Actions You Should Never Follow When You Lose a Locking Wheel Nut Key

In the grand scale of things, losing a locking wheel nut key has to be one of the most frustrating experiences you will ever encounter. This creates a huge headache as you suddenly realise you have no means of removing the alloy wheels from your car. Whether you have misplaced the locking wheel nut key or your car was never equipped with one in the first place, it’s unlikely you are going to be in the best of moods if you can’t find the locking nut key and you need to remove one or more wheels from your car.

When faced with this situation the outcome can be positive or a complete nightmare depending on which course of action you take.

On things is for sure, if you attempt any of these actions after you lose a locking wheel key the chances are you will only make the problem worse.

Ignore the situation

If you know you have lost the unlocking tool to your alloy wheel nuts don’t bury your head in the sand. Faced with this situation, it requires some type of action to prevent you being stranded at the side of the road in the event of a puncture. Ask yourself, do you really need the locking wheel nuts in the first place? It might be best to have them taken off now by a professional locking wheel nut removal service to prevent further complications in the future.

Attempt to remove the locking nut with a wrench

Okay, this is going to be one of the craziest things you could do if you manage to lose your locking wheel nut key. Don’t try to force the locking nuts off the wheel using a wrench or some other makeshift tool. The chances are you only cause additional damage to the locking nut and make it harder to remove. Plus, you will more than likely slip with the wrench and either scratch or take a chunk of metal out of your alloys ruining their appearance in the process.

Try to remove the wheel in an unsafe place

Even if you have a wheel nut removal key, you should never attempt to remove a wheel from your car in an unsafe place. Always attempt to pull over to a safe location away from busy traffic where possible to change the wheel. If you have a lost the lug key and you cannot remove the wheel, you might have to get the car recovered or call a mobile locking wheel nut removal service to come and assist you.

Accept advice from DIY mechanics

No matter what type of mechanical issue you have with your car, you will always know somebody who’s an amateur mechanic who thinks they know best and can fix any vehicular fault. Be very careful if you accept advice and help from somebody that doesn’t know what they are doing when it comes to removing locking wheel nuts. You will have no comeback if they damage your wheels or trash the head on the locking wheel nut. Always seek expert advice and call an experienced locking wheel nut removal expert.

Buy quick fix kits

There are many cheap and ineffective wheel nut removal kits on the market so you could be tempted to purchase one of them and have a go at removing the locking wheel nut yourself. Don’t waste your money. This is simply cash down the drain and there’s a genuine risk of seriously damaging your alloy wheels. Save the money and spend it on having the wheel nuts professionally removed instead.

Order replacement wheel nut keys

You could try to order a replacement wheel nut removal key online but how long will it take for this to arrive? Also, who’s to say the key will actually fit the locking nut, you will only find our once it arrives. And there’s the chance you might lose the key again in the future so you will be back at square one. Save time, effort and money. Spend the money on something else.

Book an inexperienced locking wheel nut removal service

If you are serious about getting your locking wheel nuts removed and want to book a company to do this for you, make sure they have experience in the industry. Check out their credentials and establish whether they are a reputable business or not. You can contact them and ask them how long they have been operating for or take a good look at their website and get a feel for the business this way.

Any reputable locking wheel nut removal business should be able to remove locking nuts with no damage to alloys 100% guaranteed. This is something we pledge here at Locking Wheelnut Removal Service in the West Midlands. Call us on 0121 733 1956 or 0777 6231952 and we’ll take care of your problem with same day appointments available.

5 Unexpected Ways Locking Wheel Nuts Can Make Your Life Better

Buying a set of Locking Wheel Nuts isn’t exactly going to revolutionise your life but they can make you happier without you even realising it. As one of the experts in removing locking wheel nuts, we meet a variety of people that have wheel nuts fitted to their car, and appreciate the benefits of this type of accessory, whilst understanding some of their unfortunate flaws.
 
Problems do arise with locking wheel nuts if you lose the special wheel nut key, at which point your alloys become more of a pain than a pleasure. However, if you can keep hold of the wheel lug key, and you never have to rely on the services of a wheel nut removal service, you will find that locking nuts provide all of these advantages and make your life better by offering the following benefits.
 
1.) They protect your investment
 
Alloy wheels are expensive items. Whether you have a set of alloys already fitted when you buy a car or purchase them as aftermarket accessories, you will be worried about your investment. Fit a set of locking wheel nuts and not only do you protect the alloy wheels, you add extra security features to the vehicle. This helps to safeguard your investment and it prevents your alloys from being stolen. Have the wheels stolen, and you might have to claim off your insurance policy which is sure to affect your premium. The other option is to pay for a new set of alloy wheels directly out of your pocket, which is an expense you can live without.
 
2.) You can sleep easier at night
 
If you can’t sleep at night for fear of your alloy wheels being stolen what is the point in having them fitted to your car? Yes it’s nice to have a car that benefits from alloy wheels but this feeling is spoilt slightly if you fret every time you are away from the vehicle. Fit a set of locking wheel nuts and that is one less thing to worry about. Just make sure you keep the wheel nut key somewhere safe, otherwise you might have to call us here at Wheel Nut Removal Services in Birmingham if you need to remove a rim.
 
3.) They help to make your car look better
 
Alloy wheels instantly improve the appearance of your car. The difference can be quite amazing after you fit a new set of alloy wheels, so you don’t want to ruin this moment. Invest in a set of locking wheel nuts and you can enjoy all the benefits of having a car fitted with alloy wheels without any worry. Your car will look great, you will feel happy when you drive the vehicle, and in the event you somehow manage to lose the wheel nut key, you can always call on our expert services here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal.
 
4.) It will improve your driver experience
 
Alloy wheels don’t just improve the look of a car they can dramatically enhance the handling of the vehicle due to it being a lighter but stronger type of metal. Alloy wheels help to improve the overall quality of the ride, the car handles better and performs to a greater degree. Keep the alloys firmly on the car with a set of locking wheel nuts and you’ll appreciate the true capabilities of the vehicle.
 
5.) You might just boost the resale value of your car
 
When it comes to selling you car what do you think buyers will be looking for? The general appearance of the vehicle is something to consider along with the mileage, mechanical condition and service history of the car. Having a shiny bright exterior is something that will certainly help to enhance the saleability of the vehicle and fitting a set of sparkling alloys will definitely get the car noticed. If you want to obtain the maximum return for the vehicle, present it as best you can and make sure you protect the alloys with a set of locking nuts.
 
So there you have it, locking wheel nuts can make your life better if you let them. Of course, if you find yourself in the position of losing the wheel nut key and want to remove your alloy wheels, we’re here to offer our services at Locking Wheel Nut Removal in Birmingham.
 
All you have to do is contact us today with your enquiry or call us for immediate assistance on 0121 733 1956.

Designs and Features of Locking Wheels Nuts

Buy a car equipped with locking wheels nuts and the one thing you should establish is whether the vehicle also comes with a locking wheel nut key. Unfortunately, many motorists make a mistake when they buy a car equipped with alloy wheels. They love the look of the rims, appreciate the fact they are being protected with locking wheels nuts, but forget to ask the vehicle seller if they have the key to remove the lock nuts if this is required.
 
Can you imagine how frustrating this if you have a puncture and are stranded on the side of the road with no means of removing the offending wheel? It’ll be more than likely raining, you won’t be in the best of moods, and you’ll be stuck with a flat tyre, wondering which step to take next.
 
Calling a locking wheel nut removal service will be a sensible option at this point. At The Locking Wheel Removal Service, we regularly attend to stranded motorists that have lost their wheel nut key. It is our aim to remove lugs without causing damage to the wheel.
 
Losing a wheel nut key can happen to anybody. Some drivers suddenly realise the key wasn’t supplied with the vehicle. Others discover the locknuts have been over-tightened and are therefore damaged and hard to remove.
 
The misery of missing wheel lock keys
 
It’s no fun if you can’t find the key to your locking wheel nuts. Learning whether your car has locking wheel lugs is one thing, establishing whether there’s a key to unlock the lugs when you require tyres replacing or wheels refurbishing is something else.
 
Locking wheels nuts are useful security measures, they can also be a nightmare to remove if you don’t have the right tools and this is normally the moment when professional help is required.
 
The manufacturers of locking nuts design them to be as durable as possible and this is why it’s essential you have them professionally removed if you don’t have the correct tool. Learn a little about the construction of locking wheel nuts and you begin to realise just how rugged they actually are, and why they are so difficult to take off without the correct hex hey.
 
Features of locking wheel nut keys
 
Get to know the features of wheel locks to fully understand what makes them so impenetrable. Premium brand name manufacturers set a unique challenge to criminals. They make locking nuts tough to crack for thieves and this prevents expensive alloy wheels from being stolen.
 
How do they do this?
 
By paying close attention to the design and the construction of lug nuts, locking wheel nut manufacturers create security locking nuts equipped with all the following features.
 
1.) Hardened steel materials
 
Rugged, robust and designed to provide years of service, locking nuts are manufactured with the finest quality steel materials. By using hardened steel, this ensures the wheel locks have superior structural integrity, they are tough, hardened to cope with demanding applications, and offer the highest level of security once fitted to a wheel.
 
2.) Unique hex key sizes
 
Some of the leading wheel lock manufacturers design different hex key sizes which enable you to match the vehicle’s original nut wrench. This is fine in principle, it’s not so good if you have lost the hex key and need to replace it with a like-for-like item and aren’t sure which hex key you require. Faced with this situation, a reliable locking wheel nut removal service could be required.
 
3.) Specific groove key patterns
 
Compare the key designs of two different locking wheel nuts and you will notice how unique they are. Key patterns are generated by computers, they create many different types of patterns designed to thwart the efforts of key removal tools. Lose the key and without a replacement, you really need some type of professional assistance.
 
4.) Perfectly machined threads
 
Machined to meet exacting standards, premium quality wheel nuts are milled with high strength threads to exceed proof load standards. Try to force them off without knowing what you are doing and you could cause further damage to the wheels.
 
5.) Superior build-quality
 
Modern locking wheel nuts are designed to exceed quality standards of original equipment manufacturers (OEM). Factors like the bearing surface are given due consideration and locking wheel nuts are often designed to guarantee a precise and tight fit to the wheel.
 
It’s no wonder a locked wheel nut is hard to remove!
 
As you can see, a high degree of technical innovation goes into the construction of a locking wheel nut which goes some way to explaining why they are so difficult to remove without the right wheel lock key.
 
People wrongly assume there’s a simple method to removing a locked wheel nut without a key but this is simply not the truth. If you are faced with this predicament, can’t find the hex key, and really need the locking nut removed without damaging your alloy wheels, don’t struggle, just ask for professional help.
 
It’s not difficult to find locking wheel nut removal specialists and their services are more affordable than you might imagine.
 
Arranging a wheel nut removal is easier than you think
 
Look online for an experienced locking wheel nut remover and you will find expert solutions like our business here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal in Birmingham. Call for a free quote and you could have your lug nuts removed without fuss and without damaging your expensive alloy wheels.
 
For all enquiries, simply contact us today and leave a few details, or call 0121 733 1956 for a speedy and reliable service.

10 Questions You Have To Ask a Locking Wheel Nut Remover

Changing alloy wheels on a car should be a straightforward procedure as long as you have the right tools and can remove the wheel lugs with ease. This procedure is made slightly more difficult if the alloys are fitted with locking wheel nuts, it becomes impossible if you have lost the wheel lock key.
 
When faced with this situation it’s easy to feel alarmed. You wonder what steps to take next and search in vain for the locking wheel nut key. More often than not, this simple but essential item has been lost for good, and there’s no way on this earth you are going to be able to remove the locked lugs from your wheels.
 
At this stage, fear, panic and a feeling of queasiness might spread over you. Try to remain calm though and remember, no matter how bad the situation might seem there is a simple solution staring you in the face.
 
Call a professional locking wheel nut removal service!
 
Instead of trying to remove lugnuts without the correct tool, ask an expert to do this for you. Without professional help you are going to struggle, you might scuff, scrape or damage your alloys, and there’s a really good chance you will shear the thread on the locking nut, or damage the head causing further issues.
 
Remove this worry by asking an expert in lug nut removal to resolve the issue for you. This is the cheapest, quickest and most sensible option. Just make sure you ask a few preliminary questions first to ensure you receive the best possible service.
 
Here are 10 questions you definitely need to ask before you let anybody touch the locking wheel nuts on your car
 
1.) What is involved with the locking wheel nut removal?
 
It’s a good idea to have some type of insight before you let a total stranger loose on your expensive alloys. Don’t be frightened to ask the company who is providing the lug removal service what it is they plan to do. Ask them to talk you through the process step-by-step so you are fully aware of what’s involved, what is going to happen and how effective they are going to be. Any reliable lugnut service will be happy to provide this information and it’ll be plainly obvious they are passionate about what they do.
 
2.) Can you remove any type of locking wheel bolts?
 
This is quite a useful question to ask an expert wheelnut technician. Cars are different, and so are locking wheel nuts, there are many types out there made by different companies, from factory fitted nuts to aftermarket lugs. There’s no point hiring somebody who doesn’t have experience of working on different types of locking wheel nuts, so establish they have removed all kinds of wheelnuts from all makes of cars.
 
3.) Do you guarantee to remove the bolt without the wheel lock key?
 
Surely this is a given? Call a company that says they can remove any wheel bolt without the locking key and they should be true to their word. Believe it or not, some so called professional wheel nut removal services struggle to try to remove the very basic types of wheel nut locks. If they can’t promise to remove your wheel lugs and do so without damaging your wheels, don’t even consider hiring them.
 
4.) Will this cause any damage to my alloys?
 
You shouldn’t have to ask this really but it’s good for your own peace of mind. The safe removal of wheel nuts has to be without question, otherwise, there’s no point hiring the service in the first place. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns, it’s up to the wheelnut removal technician to pacify you and provide you with specific guarantees.
 
5.) How long will the locking wheel nut removal take?
 
It’s always handy to know just how long it will take to remove a locking nut. This can depend on how tight the existing nut is, the style fitted, and if the nut has any damage to it. Although each customer is different it should be realistic to expect four wheel nuts to be removed in less than an hour.
 
6.) My lug nut key is lost and my wheel bolts are torqued really tight, can you help?
 
Locking wheel nuts are easy to over-tighten, especially if they have been fitted to the wheel and the hub using a workshop air gun. It’s understandable to feel concerned if you know your lugnuts are fixed tightly into place, so check if the removal service has experience of releasing the tightest locking nuts.
 
7.) What if you don’t have my type of wheel nut key combination?
 
Ask this question by all means, any proven wheelnut unlocking service should be able to remove a variety of nut key combinations. They’ll have the tight tool for the job and be able to remove your wheel nuts quickly, efficiently, and leave your wheels in exactly the same condition afterward.
 
8.) Should I bring the car to you to have the locked nut removed?
 
It might not be convenient to take your car to a garage to have the wheel nuts removed so find out if the company provides a mobile service for the convenience of their customers. This would allow you to have the wheels removed at a time to suit you, at your choice of location. Mobile wheelnut removal services are more flexible and they’re handy if you can’t get to them.
 
9.) What areas do you cover for locking wheel nut removals?
 
Establish the service area for the locking nut removal service. If they provide a mobile service do you fall within their catchment area, or will you have to take your car to them? Any doubts about this can easily be rectified with a quick question, just call them up and ask them which areas they cover as part of their lugnut removal service.
 
10.) How much will it cost?
 
The golden question! Never agree to have your locking wheelnuts removed without first establishing how much this is going to cost. If the company is anything like ours here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal Service in Birmingham, they should aim to provide a genuine, honest service at a very reasonable cost. Get a quote and see how affordable it can be to have your locking wheel nuts removed.
 
We’re here to answer any questions for you!

Of course, if you have any questions about locking wheel nuts, can’t find your wheel lock key, or want a FREE no obligation quote to have your lugnuts removed, we can help.

Call us here at Locking Wheel Nut Removal and we promise to provide you with a superior level of service, the number to call is 0121 733 1956.

Find Out Which Locking Wheel nuts Your Car Uses and How Best to Remove Them

Locking wheel nut bolts are designed to increase the security of your Alloy tyres and wheels. They’re notoriously difficult to successfully remove, potentially damaging the wheel and tyres permanently. The wheels of your car are attached with a bolt or a nut. Bolts have a threaded shaft which fits into your wheel hub, and nut have an internal thread, allowing it to fit onto a stud that comes out of the wheel hub.

There are various types of locking wheel nut bolts, and they all have the potential to have problems. The type of locking wheel nut bolt you need is dependent on your make of car, as different manufacturers will use different types. It’s extremely important that the correct type of locking wheel nut bolt is used for your car in order to keep your wheels safe and secure.

What is a locking wheel nut?

Locking wheel nuts (or bolts) are fitted to vehicles to protect expensive alloy wheels from theft. The wheel nut key should allow you to safely and efficiently release the bolt when necessary, but there are a number of occasions when you won’t have the key, such as:

  • Buying a second hand car with no bolt key
  • You lose the key
  • The key can become damaged through being used incorrectly
  • Over-tightened wheel nuts can break the key

Standard locking wheel nuts

Standard locking wheel nuts are the most common type, and have no spinning or rotating collar. The majority of cars use this type of locking wheel nut with its simple keyed face.

Spinning or rotating locking wheel nuts

Some car manufacturers produce cars with a spinning or rotating collar in order to prevent traditional removal procedures from working. Standard locking wheel nut removal tools don’t work due to a rotating or spinning collar around the wheel nut.

Designed as a security measure against thieves after high end wheels, there are now plenty of tools on the market that can remove these locking wheel nuts easily and within seconds.

Spinning or rotating locking wheel nuts quickly become troublesome and expensive when you lose the key, and in such cases the only safe option is to visit a professional.

Shear head locking wheel nuts

Commonly found on Peugeot and Citroen cars, shear head wheel nuts can be the most annoying and difficult locking wheel nuts to remove. They’ve been designed to shear off at the head of the nut, leaving the body of the bolt behind if you attempt to remove it without the proper key. This in itself isn’t necessarily problematic, but the bolts and their keys can be prone to fail, even when they’re used as intended. Once more, the best thing to do is have them removed by a professional and replaced with a more standard type of locking wheel nut.

What to do if you need to remove your locking wheel nut

As soon as you know you need to remove your locking wheel nut, make sure you have your key. This is by far the simplest and quickest way to remove your locking wheel nuts. If you’ve lost your key, there are various methods with which some people have occasionally achieved success, but a professional locking wheel nut removal technician is the only way to ensure success.

Common methods people try at home

At Locking Wheelnut Removal Service, we often end up helping motorists who have unsuccessfully tried to remove their wheel nuts. There are a variety of tricks, hacks and tutorials in the internet that have supposedly worked for the people who’ve posted them, but not our clients. Here are some of the most common failed methods we hear about when we successfully remove locking wheel nuts.

Using lubricant for wheel nut removal

We have a lot of clients telling us they’ve been told to apply lubricant to the wheel nut before attempting to remove it. It’s true that there are special lubricants on the market for specifically removing wheel nuts, but these often don’t work. The idea of this lubricant is to simply turn the nut after the liquid sinks into the areas between the thread and nut.

Often, people find that this simply doesn’t work as the nuts just don’t come lose.

Using the (incorrect) wrench

All too many people will use an incorrect lug wrench in an attempt to remove their wheel nuts. The condition of the wrench and the size are important factors in whether you’ll succeed with this method. The proper wrench, such as a drive impact wrench, will increase your chances of removing the wheel nut.

The problem with this home method is that too many people will use a wrench to try and force the wheel nut loose. This often damages the threads, causing a separate but serious problem that can only be fixed by an experienced mechanic.

Locking wheel nut removal with a torch

All too often, in a last desperate attempt to remove a wheel nut, people will try and use a torch to heat up the lug nut. It’s claimed that the heat will eliminate an underlying problem responsible for holing the wheel nut in place, but we often have people telling us they’ve tried this with no success.

Locking wheel nut removal is not a simple task, and trying to remove them yourself will at best do nothing, and at worst, seriously damage your wheels and tyres. This damage is far more expensive and difficult to repair than having a professional locking wheel nut removal mechanic simply remove the locking wheelnut.

Why you should get your locking wheel nuts removed by a professional

Having your locking wheel nuts removed by a professional is the best route to take, for a number of reasons:

  • Professional locking wheel nut removal technicians can efficiently remove the locking wheel nuts for every make and model of vehicle.
  • Fully mobile locking wheelnut removal services are a quick and convenient way to remove your wheels, perfect if you need to quickly replace your tyre or can’t make it to a garage.
  • Professionals have the equipment to ensure no damage is done to the bodywork or tyres of your car.
  • You’ll receive a fast, friendly and capable service- just what you need if you’ve gone through the stress of losing your key, or failed attempts to remove the wheel nuts yourself.
  • The locking wheel nuts will be removed safely, which is good for yourself and your car.
  • If you need your locking wheel nuts removed in Birmingham or the surrounding areas, contact us or call 0121 733 1956 today.