Taking off locking lugs w/o the key

Pretty straight foreword, buddy bought a 01 Miata SE in great shape but the guy neglected to tell us he does not have the lug key....

Ideas?

It is this style: http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/600/671/671-24538.jpg

Go to a parts store buy a set of lugs with the right key then return the package? That's the way everyone around here does it since all the packages at the store are taped shut.

There's a couple ways to do it- I prefer the freeze em and split em with a chisel method. Car thieves will take a 12pt socket that's slightly bigger than the lock, pound it on, and break the whole stud..... OR- go to DT or whatever- they usually have full sets of keys.

I believe there is a special tool/socket for the job

Welder set to "KILL" has worked pretty well.

I've had good luck clamping a set of vice grips on one and hitting them with a hammer. Once loosened just spin them off.

Tornado socket, or if they're the style with a big center cap that covers the nuts sticking out with nothing between them and the center bore area, you can use a air hammer with a chisel, carefully, to walk them off.

Living in Baltimore I've learned its (usually) a hammer and a 13/16 12pt socket, deeper is preferable, just sayin......

Aside from that sometimes you get lucky with a chisel.

If you have some steel pipe, or a cheap 1/2" socket extension (preferably around 8" long) and a welder, it's pretty simple. Tack weld the socket extension onto the locking nut, then use the 1/2" ratchet or breaker bar to back it off. Take a hammer to knock the tack weld loose, or cut it if you really have to weld it on good, then tack weld to the next locking nut.

This happened to me twice with a Honda and a Mazda. Both times I drove to the respective dealerships and asked one of the mechanics to help me out. They usually have a master set with all the lock keys. I gave the guy $20 and he took them off for me.

They sell a removal kit at hf

bigbens6 wrote: Pretty straight foreword, buddy bought a 01 Miata SE in great shape but the guy neglected to tell us he does not have the lug key.... Ideas? It is this style: http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/600/671/671-24538.jpg

That appears to be a common locking lugnut. Try a tire shop. Bet they have one that would work and remove it for you.

Woody wrote:

^^ This, unless the nuts are recessed in a smaller-diameter hole than the socket will fit. Gator socket, from any O'PepZone.

Shotgun.

gator grip is too small :(

We are going to try 1 size too small socket first.... see how that goes.... dont really wanna pay a shop but they said 30min labor prolly.... dunno what brand they are so advanced? auto zone? pep boys? OEM? might never find the right key...

Got pics of the lock? I know Mazda tended to use OE locks- I had two sets for my old one... none for this one lol. Might be able to identify it/give you a better idea how to pop it.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: Tornado socket, or if they're the style with a big center cap that covers the nuts sticking out with nothing between them and the center bore area, you can use a air hammer with a chisel, carefully, to walk them off.

I think this is what I had in mind too. Looks like this:
I bought an old Jag with locking lugs and the shop that towed it home for me lent me one of these to remove the lugs. Worked great. Just tap it on with a hammer and remove with a breaker bar.

So we bought a 20mm Advanced deepwell 1/2 drive 12pt socet w/lifetime warranty, hammed it on and it worked great..... hardest part was hammering the lug out of th socket in prep for the next wheel to be honest.... thanks for insights and suggestions, glad we didnt have to weld anything....