General Lousy Fiat Lock Nuts

[jnoiles]

I don't know if anyone has had any reason to change tyres on their 500 yet. If you haven't yet you should be warned that the lock nuts Fiat ship with the 500 might look like they're made of some sort of very hard steel....but they're not.

GRRRRRRR

Got 2 of the standard 16" off tonight and got the track day alloys and tyres on. Then went to the third wheel. Stuck the lock nut in, twisted and felt that bending metal feeling. Lock nut tool thing spins freely. Took the lock nut bit out out and looked at it and all the metal where it meets the indents in the actual nut had sheared off into the nut. GRRRRRRRR.

So, now its 2 hours later and I have to take the 2 track day tyres off and put the normal wheels on (without lock nuts) and take it somewhere tomorrow to have the useless made-from-soft-toffee lock nuts drilled out and binned.

Not happy. Such a small thing and they cheap out and make it out of something with the metalurgical properties of wet paper.

Not impressed Fiat. Not impressed.

 

[Nuova500]

This has been an issue on some Pandas, seems they havent sorted it then.

 

[Venters]

This has been an issue on some Pandas, seems they havent sorted it then.

Goes further back than the Pandas. My original Fiat locking bolts on the Marea did a nice impersonation of warm butter one day when I was changing wheels.
Luckily for me it happened when I worked at Fiat garage on a Saturday and one of the guys from the workshop had a special socket for the job.

Hope it's less common with after market types. I've got 3 different sets of locking bolts on the 18"s.

 

[miff121]

jnoiles,put any undersized socket on nut and hammer on then it should loosen,thats how all old wheel stealers do it,even works on lockin/safty nuts.

 

[RobW]

jnoiles,put any undersized socket on nut and hammer on then it should loosen,thats how all old wheel stealers do it,even works on lockin/safty nuts.

indeed Snap on do a special removal socket

won't work on McGard security bolts though - so that's why you should upgrade anyway

 

[jnoiles]

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm taking her to the wheel mans place at lunch and getting him to remove the lock nuts and chuck them in the bin.

I spent way too much time last night arsing about in a sea of frustration and sub zero temps to be bothered attempting this again until the crap lock nuts are gone.

I'll see if he can order me a set that isn't made of cheese. Until then I'll take my chances with normal bolts. At least they don't melt off in your hand.