Locking wheel nut adapter

[BookerME]

Has anyone got any light they can shine on the locking wheel nut adapter for an XE please?

Mine has an inset ring with 4 lugs that match the locking wheel nut but the ring is sat deep in the adapter and doesn’t grip, it is loose and just turns, very loosely, I can rotate it with my fingers.
So I can’t engage it on the wheel nut lugs and can’t get the wheel off.

[BookerME]

By the way, it's got an 'A' stamped on the outside.

Cheers, Mac.

[J44EAG]

Mac,

The lugs in the adaptor are off-set in an irregular spacing so it is effectively a "key" which will only insert if you have the lugs correctly aligned with the cut outs in the nut. You might need to rotate the adaptor around 360 degrees until you find it fits the wheel nut. There is a bit of a technique with this. All this of course is dependent on you having been given the correct adaptor for your wheel nuts.

Main dealers and Independent operators all usually hold an A-Z box full of adaptors to help customers with adaptor issues if they find themselves in a jam.

Mike K

[BookerME]

An update – of sorts.
Here’s what I’ve found out so far. There’s 22 different types of Jaguar locking wheel nut key adapter.
They are stamped with a code letter, either on the top or the side.
In their inimitable wisdom (and probably to save manufacturing costs) it would seem that Jaguar now make just one adapter casting, then insert a ring inside it that’s held on a spline.
It’s the inserted ring that has a different shape and is unique to each code.
This is all well-and-good until the inserted ring becomes detached from inside the casting, then it won’t work.

My tip would be to take a look at your one and make a note of the code letter because if you lost or misplaced it, you’d be on a bit of a mission to find the right one to replace it.

Cheers, Mac.

[MyQuest]

As the Moderator says, turn the adapter whilst applying light pressure and it should pop in to engage on the corresponding lugs.

[BookerME]

Update:
Eventually, both damaged locking wheel nuts were removed.
If you find yourself in this situation, here’s my tip based on my own experience.
Don’t be tempted to try and remove these nuts yourself using any DIY approach you may or may not find on the internet, it’s a long & painful process and you risk damaging your wheels.
Bite the bullet and pay a professional to take them off using the right equipment and know-how.

I used these people. After phoning him, he came to my house the next day and had both off in less than 15 minutes.
I now wish I’d take this approach a month ago.

https://www.lockingwheelnutsremoved.com/

[BookerME]

Update: I’ve replaced all my wheel nuts. I went for black ones to match the wheels.

I did away with the locking wheel nuts. I seriously believe they’re more trouble than they are worth. Nobody pinches ally wheels these days – and if they wanted to, they’ll come equipped to remove locking wheel nuts anyway, which now I’ve seen a professional do it is really quite easy with the right kit.

There’s some potential confusion on the wheel nut specification, so just for info mine are M12 x 1.50 flat seated and are 19mm hex.
The recommended torque setting is 125 Nm or 92.2 foot pounds. I did mine to 90, which struck me as particularly tight anyway.

I did get a surprise when I removed the old ones. Some were quite loose and some were very, very tight.
So, my tip for today is spend a few minutes checking yours. You wouldn’t want to lose a loose one and you wouldn’t want to try and undo one on the side of the road that’d been seriously over-tightened.

[mike020150]

'In the good old days' wheels were removed at every service. Today, cars can go several years until they need a brake pad change or new tyres before anyone releases the wheel nuts. A few minutes spent releasing and retorquing wheel nuts can save a lot of heartache after a roadside puncture! Mike.

[BookerME]

You’re dead right Mike.
The other thing when they’re left for ages, particularly with alloy wheels, is they stick to the hubs and can be a nightmare to free up where corrosion between the two types of metal can form a seal.
That’s why it’s a good idea to smear copper grease between the two surfaces before refitting a wheel.
Mac.

[J44EAG]

Agreed for wheel and hub mating surfaces but please NO copper grease on stud threads. It reduces locking friction and could cause wheel nuts to slacken in service.....three wheels on my wagon!!

Mike K

[BookerME]

Mike, dead right again!
NOTHING on wheel nuts or studs!

Mac.