Urgent advice needed!

[marky-p]

Just got 2 brand new Michelin's from MyTyres.co.uk and popped down to my local RSR Tyres branch to get them fitted where they told me that I needed the locking wheel nuts and key to get the wheels off. Fair enough I thought, and after much searching I've realised the Trophy didn't come with them when I bought the car. I've spoken to the TVR dealer that sold me the car and they have no record of having them, and the car actually belonged to the guy's relative of whom bought the car new from a Renault dealership in Guildford and she has no recollection of having the set either!

Today I popped down to my local Renault dealer to see if there was a master key and they directed me to their parts branch up the road where I was then told that I will have to wait 5-6 weeks for a set to come from Italy and to pay £25 on delivery. Apparently each individual Trophy has it's own unique wheel nut key where they had to get the individual code from my service manual.

Since then, I've been to a number of garages all of which will not fit the tyres without the nuts and key and so now I will have to wait 6 weeks to get them fitted (swear)
I haven't got around to contacting the Guildford dealership but I suspect they'll deny all knowledge of having the set, and I'm still waiting for Renault customer services to call me back in regards to this situation.

Without having to force the wheel nuts off and risk damaging them and then having to buy a new set of nuts, is there any way around this as the edges of my front tyres are almost bald and I need the car to work and back. Please help! ](*,)

 

[artdealer]

I know this is obvious but have you checked everywhere in the car, door pockets, pockets in rear quarters, under seats, glovebox etc? Also look in the bag where the jack is in the boot in case they are in the bottom. You're looking for a transparent plastic case about 5x4.

It's a bit drastic and not really sure if possible with these nice painted alloys, but they can sometimes be air chiseled off and new ones fitted. Often had to sanction that in a previous life.

I've had cars apart lookingfor them so can sympathise.

 

[OliS]

Do not get the locking nuts removed with force, I decided to let my local Renault garage do it to my old 172 as I bought the car without the locking wheel nut key and I did not want to wait for the replacement key to be delivered - they damaged all four wheels and charged my £120 for the privilege!

Give the Guildofrd branch a call and see if they can help (which I am afraid isn't very likely), otherwise I'm afraid you are just going to have to wait for the new key, and drive very carefully in the meantime.

Good luck!

 

[marky-p]

I know this is obvious but have you checked everywhere in the car, door pockets, pockets in rear quarters, under seats, glovebox etc? Also look in the bag where the jack is in the boot in case they are in the bottom. You're looking for a transparent plastic case about 5x4.

It's a bit drastic and not really sure if possible with these nice painted alloys, but they can sometimes be air chiseled off and new ones fitted. Often had to sanction that in a previous life.

I've had cars apart lookingfor them so can sympathise.

I've checked the car over twice, nothing!

 

[Cue]

what reno have said is correct - i got the same story when my wheel nut exploded.

Which leads me on to a bit of advice.... if you tighten the nut to over 120nm of torque the wheel nut should fail, mine did! apparently they are, not suprisingly, cheap & shoddily engineered. Reno didn't seem suprised that mine had failed as they have had the issue a few times when people overtighten them with airguns.

not sure how but my request of getting it sorting there and then miraculously sorted the 6 weeks delay out.

 

[trophycabinet]

There are tools available to remove locking wheel nuts, when i used to work in a garage we had a locking wheelnut removal kit.

They didnt work on every type of locking nut but got most of them off without damage to the wheels. Only downside was you needed another set of locking nuts to replace the ones removed.

Obviously these kits are not available to the public, but im sure if you hunt around you should be able to find a garage with a set. If you do find someone then they can remove the nuts and then id just replace them with some decent aftermarket locking nuts, which will more than likely be better made than the originals.