Intestinalworm said:

Okay, both front security nuts off the front wheels!!! So bloody angry with those tyre bozos (Jax Tyres) - both security nuts mangled (you only notice when you go to change tyres)! No more security nuts for me though - those clowns pay them no respect!

In the end, I got a very good price (surprisingly much cheaper than any other online price, and LR Genuine to boot) for the security socket from LR here in Melbourne! Problem was, because of the mail problems due to coronavirus lock down it took 11 days to travel 12 km to my door (we can't travel from home more than 5km and only for essentials)!!! Anyway, it took so much physical effort - had to hammer the socket on to get good purchase and then put my whole body into it with the breaker bar - in the process of removing both nuts, the metal at the thin end of the security socket has now extruded - a fair bit thinner than it was!!! Will let LR know! All wheels being done up to 140Nm now with my torque wrench!

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I totally agree about the tyre fitting places. Of all the places I've used, in the past, I've always checked the torque afterwards & found some nuts (or bolts) come undone easily & others you have to stand on a breaker bar ! I had a Vauxhall Vectra B a few years ago & when I had the tyres changed they told me, on one of the wheels, one of the five bolts had broken but it would be ok to drive it the mile home but to fit a new bolt before I used it again. When I did go to fit a new bolt the head of a second bolt fell out when I removed the centre cap! I ended up replacing all twenty bolts (torqued up properly) for peace of mind. I personally haven't had to use a nut gun for any job on any of my vehicles. I now always take the loose wheel(s) in to have tyres changed.
I'm glad I read this as I've got to do discs & pads all round on my TD5 so I'll be checking the locking wheel nut/covers before I start in ernest.(I've never had any issues with the plastic removal tool removing the stainless caps, or splitting nut removal tools on my Freelander 1, maybe because things are correctly tightened ? me likes to thinks so).

Andy Warren said:

I totally agree about the tyre fitting places. Of all the places I've used, in the past, I've always checked the torque afterwards & found some nuts (or bolts) come undone easily & others you have to stand on a breaker bar ! I had a Vauxhall Vectra B a few years ago & when I had the tyres changed they told me, on one of the wheels, one of the five bolts had broken but it would be ok to drive it the mile home but to fit a new bolt before I used it again. When I did go to fit a new bolt the head of a second bolt fell out when I removed the centre cap! I ended up replacing all twenty bolts (torqued up properly) for peace of mind. I personally haven't had to use a nut gun for any job on any of my vehicles. I now always take the loose wheel(s) in to have tyres changed.
I'm glad I read this as I've got to do discs & pads all round on my TD5 so I'll be checking the locking wheel nut/covers before I start in ernest.(I've never had any issues with the plastic removal tool removing the stainless caps, or splitting nut removal tools on my Freelander 1, maybe because things are correctly tightened ? me likes to thinks so).

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I had the same plastic removal tool (the original) until the last time I was at Jax's Tyres! Yes, Jax Tyres!. With this though, when I got home I noticed they had broken it (probably got it stuck putting it on a normal wheel nut!), so I called them and complained asking them to get me a new one - they had tried to hide the broken one in the bag!!! Suffice to say, they bought me a new one! Later also could not remove a wheel after getting a flat! Called road-side assist (RACV here) and technician could not budge the nuts either!!! RACV had to tow (flat-top truck) Td5 to workshop to remove and change wheel! Unbelievable!

The attention to detail at some of these places is not good! I still use them (discount tyre chains) because they are much cheaper! It doesn't matter what you say to the guy at the desk, because they are usually so busy the message doesn't get passed on! Also, they are all about getting things done quickly - too quickly in my book! I remember watching one young bloke at one place (big place with quite a few bays and cars queued up) do the tyres on one of my other cars. I noticed he only had one eye, so I respectfully asked if he had lost his eye in an accident. He said yes - at the tyre place where he was working!!! Would not want to work at one of those places!

I have my own large torque wrench now set to 140Nm - some of those places don't bother about torque: tight as hell or loose - that's all you'll get!

Intestinalworm said:

Okay, the security socket is just not capable (damaged) so I think the best thing I can do is throw it in the bin and buy two standard 27mm nuts to replace the two security nuts on the front wheels. Just need to get those two security nuts off now! Because all the nuts are recessed on the alloy wheels I can't use my Stillsons, and I don't see any way at the moment how I can get them off with the tools I have! Maybe need to buy (click-and-collect given COVID19 lockdown) a couple of cheap 12-point sockets to hammer over both security nuts and get them out that way - not sure what size works though? Can anyone tell me what size 12-point socket works?

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Found I already had a few normal nuts I'd put aside years ago and forgot about! One win!

Intestinalworm said:

Okay, a partner of one of my wife's Facebook friends had a Disco 2 that he sold a couple of years ago - he forgot to give the guy the security socket (he had already removed the security nuts anyway) so he said he'll post it to me - yes, it's a C. So, thanks so much for all the info - will wait for the socket to arrive and will give it a go first up.

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Never got that socket that was promised to me! Bought one from local LR Dealer (cheapest option) in the end as I mentioned. The Facebook bloke texted yesterday and said he might have thrown it out accidentally - couldn't find it! Lucky I went and bought one! Anyway, got the two security nuts off the front wheels with the LR socket and then noticed the metal on the socket was extruded! Sent photos of now almost defunct socket (ready to crack at the thin spot) to LR dealer and asked for a refund/replacement.

Tyres all rotated and at least I know if I ever get a flat I can change them without too much effort. The removed security nuts are just so-so - chewed badly (would have been Jax's Tyres with their hyperdrive rattle guns) - so not using them again - too risky.

Intestinalworm said:

Never got that socket! Bought one from LR Dealer as I mentioned. The Facebook bloke texted yesterday and said he might have thrown it out - couldn't find it! Lucky I went and bought one. Anyway, got the two security nuts off the front wheels with the LR socket and then noticed the metal on the socket was extruded! Sent photos of now almost defunct socket (ready to crack at the thin spot) to LR dealer and asked for a refund/replacement.

Tyres all rotated and at least I know if I ever get a flat I can change them without too much effort. The security nuts are so-so - chewed (would have been Jax's Tyres) - so not using them again - too risky.

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put standard nuts back on,saves hassle

jamesmartin said:

put standard nuts back on,saves hassle

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Yes, agree - all done. At least the problem occurred in the driveway - not a good time to happen with coronavirus lockdown, so takes quite a while for parts to arrive (stores closed).