Can A Lug Nut Lock Be Removed Without The Special Key?

It is possible to have a lug nut lock removed without a special key, though you have to replace it once it is removed. There are some devices that you can use so as to remove a nut. These kits are made by various companies thus you can select the kits that you prefer or basing on the company of your choice.

The kits that can help you remove a lug nut include; locking pliers also known as vice grips.

When you need to remove lug nut lock with vice grips;

You need to ensure that other locking lug nuts are still intact. You also need to ensure that there is enough space to help in turning the nuts.

Clamp the locking pliers while the other locking nuts are still tight. Get them on pliers on the locking lug nuts and hold them tightly as possible.

With a hammer, hit the locking pliers. This has to e done in the direction that will help in removing the nut.  The direction should be based on the saying "lefty loosy, righty tighty”.  You have to be careful so as not to allow the pliers to get up with the wheels. This is because the wheel will crash the pliers when you want to remove it. To prevent this, the use of rugs or some piece of cloth can used to avert the risk.

You have to repeat this process as many times as possible till the lug nut lock is removed.

Conclusion

This process of removing a lug nut lock without any special key can be applied to various types of cars. In fact, it is the process that mechanics use in removing these nuts. You also need to know that the old lug nut that is removed cannot be used, hence you have to replace it. It is possible to get these lug nuts online, though you can ask your mechanic to offer a helping hand.

Yes but you will need to replace the lug nut once removed. You need a good pair of vice grips (locking pliers) larger is better but you want them small enough to be able to clamp on the locking lug nut and still have some room to turn. With all the other lug nuts still tight, clamp the vice grips as tight as you can get them on the locking lug nut. Take a hammer and hit the vice grips in the direction of removal of the nut (righty tighty, lefty loosy in most cases). Be careful not to let the vice grips turn far enough to get up against the wheel as it will scratch it when you try to remove the vice grips (you might even want to out a rag or something against the wheel to reduce the risk). Repeat this as many times as it takes to remove the lug nut.

I have had to do this to a few cars when I was a mechanic as I found that poeple lost them on a regular basis. Even worse is that half of them would show up to pick up the car and have the tool in hand expecting a refund for having to have them replaced. That is, until I explained what was done and showed them the old lug nuts and how they could no longer be used.

I have to share because the internet helped me.

Snap-on tools and mac-tools make a tool to remove them, but.... It's cost too much

I went to my local tire shop and they matched the key with a bunch that people left behind they removed the old ones and put on new ones that I had purchased elsewhere and they didn't even charge me. So I gave $20.00 bucks to the guy who actually did the work

good luck
don't panic
hope this helps

I had the same problem, my lugs where inverted so it made it impossible to do without a key, short of cutting my rims off that is.  But aftermarket rim keys are actually pretty common, check out your nearest rim specialty store, I bought a hex key for 4 bucks and still am using it today for my tiburon.

Well if you want to do it without taking a chance on hurting the rims and don't mind getting dirty, For the front wheels only; if you have access to the wheel bearing nut you can remove the nut and bearing, disconnect th brake line and pull the whole wheel package off spindle, then grind off back of stud and punch the stud out opposite side, then press in new stud, replace wheel, bearing, and brake line. Repeat for opposite side then bleed brakes. Its allot of work but wheels are virtually untouched. Now the rears are another story

I have hammered an Old socket onto the wheel key and got it off that way.

Yes,  I just used a 3/4 socket banged it  on over the Key and with a little a patience I got all for  key nuts off.  Thanks for for Tat2ed & Blurtit it worked.

Sorry I don't have an answer but only a similar question. I have alloy rims with 5 bolts. Each bolt has six grooves. No it's not a torx. Any ideas

I had locking lugs..lost the key..all I did was take a socket that barely fit over the lug pound it on there with a maul or hammer..and turn it either with a 4 way or the socket wrench

Vicegrips wouldn't grip my tapered mcgard locking nut, and it was such hard steel that I couldn't drive a socket over it. Left hand thread lug extractors wouldn't thread onto the nut either. Finally, I used an air powered rotary cutting tool with a thin blade to cut a slot across the mcgard lock. Tried turning with a large screwdriver but was unable to do so. Finally hammered a chisel into the slot and half the nut split off. I then clamped a pair of visegrips on the half left on the stud and turned it out.

They make tools for this its really for damaged lugs but it works

Take a impact wrench and use a socket and put over it and loosen the thing.

Take a old deep well socket an drive it over the lug nut an try to loosen it that way

See if you can find a nut splitter at your local hardware or autoparts store...that or a heavy pair of vise grips to remove it...