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MG MGF Technical - I need help

I need help guys..

I tried to move my mgf today (it hasn't been used for quite a while) and the handbrake was jammed on. I managed to tap the rear calipers and free up the handbrake enough so I could get the car out of the garage
My next idea was to take the rear wheels off and have a good look at the calipers.
I started with the nearside rear wheel (the wheels have probably never been taken off for years), anyway I managed to loosen two of the nuts and then I got to the locking nut, I put the adaptor and wheel brace on it, and it wouldn't shift, So to give a bit more leverage I stood on the wheel brace...disaster...the locking nut sheered the two lugs off the inside and even worse, the head of the nut sheered off as well!
The stud is still there,but the only bit of the nut that is left is the tapered bit, and that is well inside the wheel :0(

Any ideas how to get it out?

Also are the locking nut adaptors all the same, and if not where can I get one that will suit my car?
R Appleton

on my lock wheel nut there is a number mine is 42 if you look on ebay at the moment some are for sale ??? here is a link look see if he has your number in stock




http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SGF400601-LOCKING-WHEEL-NUT-KEY-42-MG-MGF_W0QQitemZ260376325180QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item260376325180&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A265%3A139%3A1240%3A1318
pd dixon

When you finally get them off, I recommend a set of stainless wheelnuts from Mike Satur, and a set of McGard locking nuts - see http://www.mikesatur.com/acatalog/Wheels_Adapters.html#a1_21AW6790. You won't have any more problems, but make sure the McGards are type no. 24137. I had a set I think from Halfords that were too short, and they got damaged by being tightened onto the end of the stud, not the wheel.
Mike Cunningham

That's a nasty situation 8-/

If you can find a holesaw for metal that is a sliding fit on the stud thread, then there is a chance you'll be able to drill away the remnant of the wheelnut. It would however be very difficult to do that without damaging the alloy of the wheel at its critical point, or the thread on the stud, so the chances of success are probably a bit slim. I'd take the car to an engineering workshop and see what they could offer. Mike Satur might be worth a call, possible they have the appropriate tooling.

If you don't want to risk sacrificing the wheel, then you'll have to sacrifice the stud. Provided you can get a hole started in the exact centre of the stud, and drill straight, by gradually increasing the size of the drill bit you will be able to remove all but the final fraction of a millimetre of metal, at which point you switch to brute force & pull the wheel off. The studs are pressed into the back of the drive flange, so you'll need to separate this from the hub by pushing it out in a hydraulic press.

Depending on what wheels you have, and the cost of buying another & having your tyre fitted to it, cutting a bigger hole around the stud is the more DIY-able solution. Once the wheel is out of the way, it's fairly easy to grind & cut the nut & wheel remnants off the stud without further damage.
bandit

State of play so far......
Today I have drilled around the edge of the wheel nut and although it hasn't come out completely I can see the threads on the stud...but can I get the wheel off...NO.
The wheel seems to be superglued to the hub, I definately need a new wheel now...I have beaten this one to a pulp and the son of a bitch still won't move.

Any suggestions gratefully received

Bob
R Appleton

Well I eventually got the wheel off, a few well placed wallops with a mash hammer loosened it up, I bought a new wheel on e-bay,hopefully that will be here by the weekend.
I still didn't get round to sorting out the handbrake, I had lost interest after all the hassle with the wheel!
R Appleton

I hope it isn't too depressing but your wheel bearing is probably on borrowed time now too! I don't know why they stick so tightly to a smooth face - this afternoon I was replacing front pads and had to kick the tyre with both feet with no wheel nuts left on the studs to loosen the wheel.
New tyres fitted only last November, so it wasn't an age since they were last off; and 70 Nm with a torque wrench when refitted.
I did lots of copper ease on the wheel face and spent time freeing and copper greasing the collar of each nut before refitting them.
Good luck with yours!
Charless

I had this problem last year and heated the nut with an oxy torch and hammered on an undersized socket to free it off. This did cause burning to the wheel but only cost £25 to refurbish.

I agree with Charles: put copper grease on the meeting surfaces of the wheel and hub and you should not have the sticking issues that are associated with removal of alloy wheels, sometimes loosening the wheel nuts slightly and then driving the car forward can free the wheel also.
Chris Catchpole

>> I don't know why they stick so tightly to a smooth face <<

Galvanic corrosion between aluminium alloy wheel and steel hub mating surface. To avoid similar problems in future always use a copper-based grease on the mating surface. Done this for years on my F, never had a problem with sticking wheels. On project Shed, which did not benefit from such TLC, the wheels were a nightmare to remove...!
Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 10/04/2009 and 14/04/2009

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