Got locking wheel nuts on an Audi A3 but the tool to remove them has rounded… the last owner must’ve wanged them on tight …
What’s the best tool to use to remove them?
Do you have any pics (of the socket and bolts, not your nudes)?
By tool to remove them, I'm assuming you mean the socket has rounded? Or do you mean the socket has rounded the bolts, or both?
If the socket has rounded, you're probably going to need a good "new" replacement socket anyway aren't you, so get one of those from Audi? I think you can also order them on-line from other cheaper places, but need to provide proof of ownership.
If you want to take the bolts off and replace them with a new set of security bolts, then that, plus the socket which fits them will probably end up more expensive, but suppose this may make sense if there's no way to get a security socket for your current set.
Before doing anything, if you have AA membership or something, get them out, they will probably be able to do it one way or another.
Or, if you fancy a challenge, it will be a pain in the **** but maybe quite rewarding for some man points.
First step, tighten the other bolts, so they're "4 white knuckles", this may make the bad bolt easier to get off, but don't go onto that step yet.
Second step, spray some WD 40 in there and leave it for an hour or overnight, to maybe give yourself a fighting chance, as chances are the bolt was in crap condition when taking the wheel off last, and then was made 20 times worse, when fully rounded off when refitting, as they've been refitted by a tyre place with a high power gun, and eventually it's slipped and rounded when the torque got high. My pet peeve this, when people refit **** bolts or screws etc, had to deal with that crap too many times in my previous career. Obviously, don't get it on the brakes, and if you need to drive anywhere make sure there's not an abundance in there which is going to make it out onto the brakes.
Third step maybe try stuffing the socket, or over the bolt with paper or something similar, the aim is to create a barrier between the socket and the contact with the bolt, not to stuff paper in the back of the socket etc. Sometimes it tightens the fit enough so you can get the bolts off, never tried it on a wheel bolt, but I've made this work on nearly every other bolt. I can usually tell by eye if this will work or not.
After the above it gets a bit drastic.
You could weld on a bar, to the bolt, if the access is ok, but I expect if you had a welder and access was ok, then you would have done this already. This will probably end up in alloy wheel damage mind.
Or you could try hammering on a socket which doesn't quite fit over the top, something like a 12 point socket, others will be a chew. You'll need something half decent quality, otherwise it will just mash the socket up and spin, but I think the halfords ones have lieftime guarantee which is good, because when you do **** it, then they'll give you a new one for nothing. You'll also need a vice to get the bolt back out if it works.
Another option is drilling it and trying to remove with an easy out, but I wouldn't do this if you've not done it before.
Either way it's going to be a chew on mind, so if the AA won't do it, and you don't want to take any risks, take it to a decent independent tyre place which also does mechanical repairs. They will deal with this all the time, you might wanna just bite the bullet and do that. There's also that place Volkswerk, which is an Audi specialist (and VW, same thing) in boro, they might have a master key of will have dealt with the **** sockets before.
