Locking wheel nut key

Hi people,

I've got a w reg l series freelander with the 15" alloys. I neglected to check to see if the locking wheel nut key was in the vehicle when I bought it. It wasn't. I need to replace the hand brake cables so need to take the wheels off. Is there anyway to find out which letter key I need? There is nothing written in the owners handbook. And the stealers claimed they couldn't get any info on my freelander and that I would have to buy new nuts etc etc! The keys are cheap on eBay but dunno which letter I need. Any help much appreciated.

Are you near to a breaker who tends to specialises in Freelanders ??
(Good reason for putting your location in your profile) as they tend to keep the locking nuts and keys for sale. You could, if that's the case, try all the keys they have and hope to strike lucky. I am not 100% sure-because I have not had any need to look-but I don't think that the key type is stamped on the nut....If I am wrong, any tyre fitting place should be able to remove the nut with a special tool.

Cheers irishrover. I can buy the special socket which will take the nut off and replace with standard nuts but was hoping to find a stamp on the vehicle or in the handbook somewhere with the code on it so I could just keep the locking nuts I have now. You would think Land rover would have it on their database somewhere?!

the code is stamped on ur locking nut , the bit u haven't got,

they don't stamp it on the wheels nuts because of theft

but would have been handy if it was written in ur handbook l though for reference

as irishrover said , if u can go a breakers may find a locking nut that will fit

or as u said last option is to buy a new set of locking nuts

don't know how many combinations there are though

I don't think they keep the wheel nut key on the database, just the ignition/door key, radio/CD code and the electrical security coding.
I have the original code card with my handbook and there is no mention of the wheel nut key on there or in the handbook, apart from where I have written it.
Rather than buy a special tool, if you are only going to use it once, get the tyre shop to pop one off-it will take them seconds
Good Luck

Had a quick look on the web and it seems the keys go from A to J (10 variants).

Irishrover said:

Had a quick look on the web and it seems the keys go from A to J (10 variants).

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suprised that's all, my old locking nut was rounded off abit, took it in the dealer and had one in stock

I wrote mine down in the handbook as well

as there's only ten I wonder if a dealer would keep all ten in stock

as all they have to do is walk out and try them onto the op hippo and find the right ones

but suppose that's to much trouble to ask them to actually help someone , lol

Get rid of the locking nuts, they're just trouble waiting to happen. When was the last time you heard someone had their wheels stolen?

I think they were more interested in selling me a new set and an hours labour gstuart! Lol. I might go up the scrappy tomorrow.

That's what I'm thinking alibro.

When my key went, I bought 5 standard nuts from a breakers and took the car along to my local stealers. They didn't stock or hold all the keys (reply was basically "we only stock them for the posh motors") - but they did take the nuts off with an internal reverse thread thingie.

I almost had cardiac failure though because they didn't charge me - did it for free !!!!

Alibro said:

When was the last time you heard someone had their wheels stolen?

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Yeh, I haven't heard of it for ages. About the time they introduced locking nuts I believe

Its not the wheels they'd be after - it'd be the tyres. I agree though, locking nuts probably ain't going to stop them if they want your tyres.

L4ndyTom said:

I think they were more interested in selling me a new set and an hours labour gstuart! Lol. I might go up the scrappy tomorrow.

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holy crap , why on earth do they want to charge an hours labour

they haven't even got to jack the car up to replace them just do one at a time

blimey what's wrong with them

suppose then if u asked them do they keep the full set in if u went there and would see which one fits

robbing gits

remember the last time I went in there about fitting the oem cruise control and he got stroppy because I said did u want to see one fitted

wasn't there a wheel nut socket that had pins inside , that would fit all shapes etc of wheel nuts

hope u get on ok mate and maybe a scrappy will have the coded one and then take that to dealer with the markings on if it's worn , think it cost a fiver

if u wanted some locking thereafter think halfords do them for around £10-15 quid

Hammer a socket over them take them off knocking the nut out each time ,replace with whatever you want
Trev

Sweet cheers trev.
Gstuart I suppose they would have to charge an as minimum but they didn't stock any locking keys for the freelander and had to order them in.. I like to work on my own vehicles (I own 2 series 3's as well). I hate the thought of paying out for someone to do a simple task like change a wheel nut. I'll have a go at hammering a socket on and get some standard nuts. Cheers guys.

L4ndyTom said:

Sweet cheers trev.
Gstuart I suppose they would have to charge an as minimum but they didn't stock any locking keys for the freelander and had to order them in.. I like to work on my own vehicles (I own 2 series 3's as well). I hate the thought of paying out for someone to do a simple task like change a wheel nut. I'll have a go at hammering a socket on and get some standard nuts. Cheers guys.

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still trying to think of that tool socket that u can get ,plus then like u say if u do work urself can spin them off and get some new wheel nuts

it had pins inside the socket for stripped wheel nuts etc , can't find it yet , or try the chisel , hope it's not too tight for u to get off

hope u get ok

unless if u go to a breakers to pick up 5 wheel nuts if they could spin them off for u for a drink

Would something like this work? http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/391007...3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

May have to be a larger mm possibly?

L4ndyTom said:

May have to be a larger mm possibly?

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that's the kind of thing

wheel nut size is 22 mm

Just a thought....
Locking Wheel Nut Bolt Remover- LANDROVER Freelander 1 and 2 LOST/ BROKEN KEY | eBay