hey i have some roh contessas and was wondering; is this a locking wheel nut?? how can i get it off without a key?

cheers leighton

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1975 Leyland Mini: 1060cc - resto/ ex-hsc project.

Yes it is a lock nut , unless you can find someone with the exact same one your best option is to use a small cold chisel or punch and tap the lock nut around to unscrew it .

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If that doesn't work I would get a grinder and grind a couple of flats onto the nut so that you can stick a pair of long handled pliers on it, or even grind a hex nut onto it and then stick a socket onto it (use one of the other nuts ot get a general outline of how big the hex nut should be

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

thanks guys..

i really appreciate your help

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1975 Leyland Mini: 1060cc - resto/ ex-hsc project.

That type was on the sports850 when I first bought it and the previous owners couldn't find the key , only took about a minute each wheel to get them off (they aren't really very secure...) with a cold chisel and little to medium taps with a hammer . Don't belt the bejeezurs out of it , just tap tap tap till it starts moving .

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Leighton, I think I have four Contessa wheel nuts, so if you have to destroy the lock nuts, you can have the Contessa ones I have.

They're brand new.

Undo the lock nut with the chisel method before you loosen any of the others.
It will be much easier if you take the three "normal" nuts off afterwards.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

If it is done up real tight and a cold chisel will not shift it you can weld a nut to it. Then you just keep welding that onto the next lock nut.

Eventually you have 1 nut welded to a stacck of 4 locknuts.

thanks for all your help guys...

i tried the chisel method however that didnt work. and im not a very good welder. so now i will get a local mechanic to give me a hand tommorow. thanks for all your help.

oh boyracer- pm sent

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1975 Leyland Mini: 1060cc - resto/ ex-hsc project.

I use to have the same issue with my Alfa. I smacked a socket onto it till it made its on impression. I did have to use a braker bar also but they all came off. The tip is also as mentioned above is to do it first and leave the others till you have the lock nut off.
Additional get rid of it before you have a flat tyrer in the middle of no where...you want be happy

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

I had locknuts on my Contessas for a while, until I lost the special socket.
Then I realised nobody steals Contessas, they are so common. The locknuts are not secure, so why bother...
I now use standard Contessa nuts.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Before going to a mechanic you could try this method.
1. Jack the wheel up clear of the ground.
2. Undo the 3 standard nuts and remove them completley.
3. Have someone hold the brake on.
4. Grab hold of the wheel and turn it in an anti clockwise direction.

You will get a small amount of movement with the clearance on the other 3 studs that should be enough to loosen that pesky locking nut. Move it back and forth if you have to.
Hope this makes sence to you.

Dave

Hello.......
Has anyone not thought of simply going to a Bob Jane T mart or similar and buying a replacement "key" - even if he has to buy a new set of nuts to get the key, they're not that dear.
KB

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Yep - I did , but thought it would be too simple and logical. And besides, I like reading these forums!

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Cooper S Mk2
Cooper S Mk1
ex Cooper S Mk2, various Morris 1100s, 1300s, 1500s, Leyland Sherpa!

after going to all the trouble i finally found the key...
it was welded onto the wheel brace
and we have that many wheel braces that i just used one that wasnt locked in a car.

i went down to local mechanic and they were going to charge $77 per hour, reluctantly i booked them in the next morning. after showing them a picture of the type of nut the night before, the bloke turned up with a socket and a breaker bar.

thankyou for all your help.
oh and sports that method of the punch worked well.

cheers leighton

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1975 Leyland Mini: 1060cc - resto/ ex-hsc project.