Bloody Mcgards!! Cant get my alloys off

scottishpete · 06-04-2011, 11:45 AM

Need to get my alloys off and the Mcgard key keeps slipping,Its all chewed up and i have damaged alloy as it slipped off and scratched the bugger

Now i know this is common,but what do i do?

I bought from Halfords,was thinking about going down and kicking up shit and ask for them to give me FOC a tool to remove them..

Tunna_uk · 06-04-2011, 12:25 PM

if its totally stripped you will have to knock a socket over the locking nut and try to unwind with that.....

acerboo · 06-04-2011, 02:37 PM

you can buy a proper socket from machine mart to do this

scottishpete · 06-04-2011, 03:27 PM

Going to wait till monday to get hold of them Germans and see how soon i can get new one
Hopefully then i will get them off and take them to Halfords and ask for refund..Dont want to hammer sockets on just yet

chris_s1 · 06-04-2011, 03:41 PM

Pop down your local tyre place and offer them a tenner to do it. An experienced tyre fitter will have no trouble getting them off, all the tyre places have removal tools, I've had to do this several times.

ab2pcs · 06-05-2011, 04:02 AM

Having had this problem once myself ,I now coat the face of the alloy and the threads with
Renolit Copper Paste Fuchs (coppaslip) to stop the Galvanic Corrosion that occurs when dissimilar metals come togeteher ,its no fun hammering the back of the alloy to try and get the wheel off .
Try an older socket .....AF ,that will be just under the Mcgard key size as it will be imperial and not metric .Its not a good idea to overtighten them with an air gun either ,hence your problem .Tyre fitters and garages just bang them up as tight as they can go .

Dr Dave · 06-05-2011, 04:29 AM

It's not Halfords or McGard's fault they have rounded off.

I've used the same for years, using hand tools to remove/refit with no problems.

Have any tyre monkeys been near your car?

toxicnerve · 06-05-2011, 07:32 AM

Agree with the Doc.

If used with hand-tools and done up to the correct torque settings (i.e. NOT too tight) the McGards key/bolts will be fine.

Has someone been using your key with an impact-wrench? If so that's probably what has caused your key to become deformed/damaged.

scottishpete · 06-06-2011, 07:20 AM

They were only hand tight using a wrench
Think i have been around long enough to realize not to allow anyone near it with an impact gun

A google search tell me that it is Mcgards fault as they are pish

creepy coupe · 06-06-2011, 07:43 AM

I'm on my 5th set and never had a problem, maybe they were torqued up with wet or dirty threads?

toxicnerve · 06-06-2011, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottishpete

They were only hand tight using a wrench
Think i have been around long enough to realize not to allow anyone near it with an impact gun

A google search tell me that it is Mcgards fault as they are pish

I don't think any offence was intended. Just that a lot of people wonder why their locking keys disintegrate when they've blatantly used an impact gun.

scottishpete · 06-09-2011, 09:22 AM

New key came today
16 euro and one damaged alloy later and they are off

Just emailed them as a good will gesture to at least refund the 16 euro if i post defected one back,then i will sell them on ebay to some other mug lol

If they don`t refund then i will try halfords where i bought them from

If that fails then fek it
lesson learned

06-04-2011, 11:45 AM	#1
scottishpete Lieutenant 38 Rep 547 Posts Drives: e92 325d m sport coupe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: aberdeen iTrader: (3)	Bloody Mcgards!! Cant get my alloys off Need to get my alloys off and the Mcgard key keeps slipping,Its all chewed up and i have damaged alloy as it slipped off and scratched the bugger Now i know this is common,but what do i do? I bought from Halfords,was thinking about going down and kicking up shit and ask for them to give me FOC a tool to remove them..
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06-04-2011, 12:25 PM	#2
Tunna_uk Captain 72 Rep 797 Posts Drives: BMW 320d Le Mans Blue Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Teesside UK iTrader: (0) Garage List E90 BMW 325i M Sport [0.00]	if its totally stripped you will have to knock a socket over the locking nut and try to unwind with that.....
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06-04-2011, 02:37 PM	#3
acerboo Brigadier General 179 Rep 3,923 Posts Drives: e92 335d lci Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: kent iTrader: (2)	you can buy a proper socket from machine mart to do this
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06-04-2011, 03:27 PM	#4
scottishpete Lieutenant 38 Rep 547 Posts Drives: e92 325d m sport coupe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: aberdeen iTrader: (3)	Going to wait till monday to get hold of them Germans and see how soon i can get new one Hopefully then i will get them off and take them to Halfords and ask for refund..Dont want to hammer sockets on just yet
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06-04-2011, 03:41 PM	#5
chris_s1 Major 36 Rep 1,113 Posts Drives: M235i 6MT Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 E92 335d [8.66]	Pop down your local tyre place and offer them a tenner to do it. An experienced tyre fitter will have no trouble getting them off, all the tyre places have removal tools, I've had to do this several times.
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06-05-2011, 04:02 AM	#6
ab2pcs Second Lieutenant 7 Rep 257 Posts Drives: 320i M sport plus Join Date: May 2009 Location: Scotland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 320i Msport plus [0.00]	Having had this problem once myself ,I now coat the face of the alloy and the threads with Renolit Copper Paste Fuchs (coppaslip) to stop the Galvanic Corrosion that occurs when dissimilar metals come togeteher ,its no fun hammering the back of the alloy to try and get the wheel off . Try an older socket .....AF ,that will be just under the Mcgard key size as it will be imperial and not metric .Its not a good idea to overtighten them with an air gun either ,hence your problem .Tyre fitters and garages just bang them up as tight as they can go .
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06-05-2011, 04:29 AM	#7
Dr Dave Zummerzet Zyder Drinker! 112 Rep 5,541 Posts Drives: '06 330D Le Mans Blue Join Date: May 2009 Location: Somerset iTrader: (3) Garage List 2006 330d M Sport [0.00]	It's not Halfords or McGard's fault they have rounded off. I've used the same for years, using hand tools to remove/refit with no problems. Have any tyre monkeys been near your car? __________________
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06-05-2011, 07:32 AM	#8
toxicnerve Colonel 97 Rep 2,834 Posts Drives: E92 335d M-Sport Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (2)	Agree with the Doc. If used with hand-tools and done up to the correct torque settings (i.e. NOT too tight) the McGards key/bolts will be fine. Has someone been using your key with an impact-wrench? If so that's probably what has caused your key to become deformed/damaged.
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06-06-2011, 07:20 AM	#9
scottishpete Lieutenant 38 Rep 547 Posts Drives: e92 325d m sport coupe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: aberdeen iTrader: (3)	They were only hand tight using a wrench Think i have been around long enough to realize not to allow anyone near it with an impact gun A google search tell me that it is Mcgards fault as they are pish
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06-06-2011, 07:43 AM	#10
creepy coupe Lieutenant General 1867 Rep 13,043 Posts Drives: BMW M340I G20 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: UK iTrader: (2) Garage List 2015 BMW 435d [0.00] 2009 335i [0.00]	I'm on my 5th set and never had a problem, maybe they were torqued up with wet or dirty threads?
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06-09-2011, 09:22 AM	#12
scottishpete Lieutenant 38 Rep 547 Posts Drives: e92 325d m sport coupe Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: aberdeen iTrader: (3)	New key came today 16 euro and one damaged alloy later and they are off Just emailed them as a good will gesture to at least refund the 16 euro if i post defected one back,then i will sell them on ebay to some other mug lol If they don`t refund then i will try halfords where i bought them from If that fails then fek it lesson learned
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