OV9

Took the Yeti for new boots yesterday in readiness for its MOT this week. All good, but the chap who did the tyre swap commented that the locking wheel nut is starting to fail. Now, I can't remember the last time I saw someone steel the alloys from a 2013 Yeti, so do I really need to bother with getting a new set of locking nuts or shall I just get a regular one and 'risk it'.

And yes I realise this should be in the 'cars' forum but bite me.

They came with the cars. Wouldn't bother to replace them.

I haven’t changed them on my Audi but the MX5 doesn’t have them now. I’d imagine organised thieves are more likely to nick the whole car than the wheels, unless you leave it somewhere dodgy overnight.

Oh criky, this again. Jobbo gets a bit triggered about this.

Jobbo wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 7:31 am ...but the MX5 doesn’t have them now.

I hope you told your insurer !

Glad I replied before you to show you’re the one triggered rather than me

X5 no
Mito no
Merc yes
Alfasud no
Compact no - but good luck getting them off with normal tools.

Tbh they’ll only slow an amateur down. Anyone who’s stolen a few sets of wheels in their time will get most locks off within seconds anyway.

Jobbo wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 7:35 am Glad I replied before you to show you’re the one triggered rather than me

And I'm glad you felt the need to argue and not answer the question just to prove you're not triggered

Answering other Simon's question - I actively remove them from all my cars. They're a PITA when they seize / strip / fail in some way.

I had to get one off my van- was holding the spare wheel in place

Found right size 12 point socket, smashed on with hammer, removed in about 30 seconds

I think it must be twenty years since I've seen a car on bricks missing the wheels.

I tend to take them off any car that we have that's more than a few years old - this thread has reminded me that I have yet to do the X5.

Mondeo - no
Vitara - yes
Beetle - no
Motorhome - no

The only one left with them is the ML as the key and bolts are really nice quality.

The Audi ones and Renault ones were rubbish.

Dave!

i couldn’t fit them on the new wheels i put on the van - the recess where the bolt head sits was too narrow for the ones that came off.

I always replace them with normal ones as they're just asking for trouble when it comes to try and remove them, or someone else removes them and does a bad job thereby rendering the locking wheel nut thing useless.

I must be DIW as I've never had a problem with them.

Sundayjumper wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 7:54 am

Jobbo wrote: Mon Jun 30, 2025 7:35 am Glad I replied before you to show you’re the one triggered rather than me

And I'm glad you felt the need to argue and not answer the question just to prove you're not triggered

Blimey, I feel like I've unwitting achieved a level of Broccersness in getting you wound up

Oh, the answer is the same as before.

Haven't got them on the Fabia but they're still on the Yeti and Swift. Had to change a wheel on the Yeti a few months ago and had no issues with the locking wheel nut. Maybe I got lucky and they are a problem waiting to happen.

Thanks all, there is more of a consensus here to get rid of them so I'll do that. However, the one question is the insurance one - would they deny a related claim based on them not being present?