Broken Wheel Lock, now what?

So I'm doing a favor for my sis-in-law. 1997 Jetta. It's got those $*#&#@ wheel locks. One came off just fine. The other, no matter how careful I was isn't. I buggared the lock key as well. I think it can be tapped into the lock still because I was REAL careful.
Anyway, what now. This car is mint and I don't want to risk messing up the wheel with a torch. I could use an air hammer and chisel but, I've only had it work once for me. I had a tool that was left-hand thread and it is supposed to spin them off. It split right down the middle last time I used it. So, what is the next step? I soaked it in a very good penetrating oil before I even started. Do I just take it to Belle Tire, buy another one of those tools or do you have a suggestion?

Hammer a socket over it. I've had the problem a few times and it's worked each time.

^^This. Make sure it's a socket you don't want to keep, though.

friedgreencorrado wrote: ^^This. Make sure it's a socket you don't want to keep, though.

That's what Harbor Freight is for

This is why there are 11/16 sockets in this world.

Do it right with people who deal with this ALL the time: tire dealers constatntly have to break theses things off. 5 min, minimum charge, and it'll be off.

And it's your sister in law, you don't want this to go bad. If it does, you can always "they did it" wheel damage, whatever.

Apologies to those who you who bust your knuckles every day mnounting and balancing tire.

Doesn't VW locking bolts = that weird super torx looking key

Sears sells stripped nut removers that work great on wheel locks and rounded off lug nuts. They're reusable too.

Run_Away, it's the standard, uh, flower-looking key, the lock bolt has a round head. I could try pounding a socket over it. I've done it before. I guess I was just pissed. I had very little time to do this but I knew exactly what I'd need and I didn't want to work on it tomorrow when the temps are gonna be in the freaking 90's again. As I started to do it, the rain started. I kept on going. So, by this time I was soaked, irritable and my outta time. I also discovered an issue on my car that is going to take it off the road as of right now. But, that'll be for my next Living with a Greasecar installment......

The last one that I had this happen to, I tried the socket trick wth no luck. In the end, I welded the crap out of a standard lug nut onto the end of it and it came right off. I'm sure heat played a bit part, but it worked. I just shielded the wheel so I didn't damage it welding.

Then, I threw that freaking lug nut as hard as I could across the yard. And it felt good.

Shotgun.

I had to get four, one on each wheel, off a BMW, and they were deep inside the wheel. Tire store people just shook their heads. I think I went through three sets of the reverse-threaded sockets made to take these things off before I found one that was thin-walled enough to go inside the recessed hole without ruining the wheels. Took days. I think I'd rather rebuild a Jaguar V-12 than do that again. The moral: when you buy a used car, don't take the seller's word that the lug key is "in the car somewhere."

Seriously?

Okay.

Shotgun.

:))

No seriously don't do that, unless the result is funny, captured on videa and sent Funniest Home Videos :)

Weld a nut onto the end, unscrew.

Due to time constraints I was going to take it to belle tire today, till it didn't start!!! (see my other thread). If they can't get it off, I'll weld a nut onto it. I just need to make sure I don't damage these perfect wheels. I've never seen 14 year old wheel still look this new.

In reply to DrBoost:

You just need to be careful. I ran into this about 6 months ago. I had my 16 year old son removing some relatively new wheels and tires and he put the key on at an angle and damaged the lock. I drilled a hole in a piece of sheetmetal slightly larger than the lock and slid it over it to protect the wheel while I welded the socket onto it. It worked perfectly and didn't damage the wheel at all. Now, I'd first try Zombie's idea of hanmer a socket over it. Just make sure you have a way to get it off if it doesn't work, and then go the welded nut route.

A good slathering of anti-welding-splatter gel should protect the wheel. most welding supply houses have it if you dont have some already

And, can anyone explain to me why VWs come with locks standard but the Audi's of the same time period did not?

At the dealership they have a kit of all locks. I think there were about 20 different keys. You could see if they have the matching key and get it off. I started a collection myself of keys and locking lugs to replace the inevitably stripped ones that I would encounter.

Which wheel is this on? VW OEM alloy? Which one. Some have more room around the lug for an impact chisel.

Heating and cooling may break it free. I've also used the ball end of a ball peen hammer against the lug and struck the impact side with another hammer to help break the threads loose.

Swearing a lot can help sometimes.

Best of luck.

vwcorvette wrote: And, can anyone explain to me why VWs come with locks standard but the Audi's of the same time period did not? At the dealership they have a kit of all locks. I think there were about 20 different keys. You could see if they have the matching key and get it off. I started a collection myself of keys and locking lugs to replace the inevitably stripped ones that I would encounter. Which wheel is this on? VW OEM alloy? Which one. Some have more room around the lug for an impact chisel. Heating and cooling may break it free. I've also used the ball end of a ball peen hammer against the lug and struck the impact side with another hammer to help break the threads loose. Swearing a lot can help sometimes. Best of luck.

I don't have a dealer anywhere near me so their master set won't really work, plus, I have the key, it's just been torqued using a 3/4 drive extension bolted to the flywheel of an LS6 engine. These are on allows with not a lot of room around the bolt to get it off using a chisel. I'll play with it tomorrow, no time tonight.

Many independent VW shops carry them as well.