Early type locking wheel nuts. 1999 to approximately 2003.

[J44EAG]

Early S-types were fitted with a weakly constructed locking wheel nut removal tool. The removal lugs are best described as two internal pertrusions on the inside of the removal tool. Failure occurs when the lugs shear off, usually caused by use of pneumatic hammer guns used at unknowing tyre depots.

New removal tools of this design are now unavailable from Jaguar. The only practical solution for removal of the locking wheel nut is then to hammer an undersized socket onto the locking wheel nut and attempt to remove the tight nut from the hub stud. This technique is brutal and uncompromising given the delicacy of alloy wheels. There are few alternative removal techniques.

Once the nuts are removed, there are choices to be made.

1) Fit ordinary plain unlocking wheel nuts. Undesirable as your wheels can then be easily stolen.

2) Bite the bullet and buy a set of redesigned locking nuts from a Jaguar Main Dealer or Adamesh who also market a product.

3) Contact a Jaguar breaker for a second hand set of redesigned locking nuts and removal tool.


The redesigned locking nuts utilize a removal tool which is similar to a six sided socket but with faces that are irregularly spaced. Their are many different face combinations produced, so the chances of a casual thief having a full set of removal tools to hand is remote. The tool is much more robust in construction than the early type which is almost quaranteed to fail sooner rather than later. Replacment with the modified set up is very strongly recommended.

The writer of this post has to date had two old style removal tools fail causing untold tails of woe. Immediate replacement of the old unit is almost mandatory!

Mike Kennedy. JEC S-type Co-ordinator.