Milo Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I was digging out my adaptor for the locking wheel nuts yesterday and had a thought. Does the same one fit all of Audi's lock nuts? Mine looked like a normal spline and no matter how hard I looked I couldn't see anything unique about it at all It could be that there are tiny differences in the pitch of the splines but if there are, they must be pretty damn small because I reckon mine is just a bog standard spline. Anyone know any different - I would rush out and buy a new set if I thought mine weren't unique. I don't fancy some being able to relieve me of my wheels with relative ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Not sure about this one - I was under the impression it was coded to some degree as the envelope mine came in had a code on it as well as a part number....but I have been known to be wrong before. Why not give your stealer a call and then let us know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Going to the dealers next week for a service (the car not me) so I'll ask them then. From what I can remember my adaptor was just loose in the tool kit - I don't think it was in a bag or envelope. The answer may lie somewhere in the manual (if I could find it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantate59 Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 It's a fairly well known fact by TT owners that there are only about ten different adaptors for the locking wheel bolts. As the A4 uses the same bolts I doubt the situation is much different. During the summer I had a Police crime prevention officer call at my house (unrequested). He had a list of all TT owners in his station area and was calling on all of them advising to fit additional locking wheel bolts as the original Audi ones were of little deterrent. Having two Audis with eighteen-inch nine-spoke alloys I duly noted his advice but did nothing about it - until a fortnight later when a TT in the next street was sitting on its axles. At that point I was straight out to buy two sets of McGards. I must say I have followed the locking wheel bolts theme closely on TT forums but I have never seen it raised with A4s. So I could be totally wrong and A4 bolts are great, but I doubt it. In reality, in the last couple of years Audi have started to fit some good looking wheels to A4s and moved to the bigger 17 and 18-inch rims which are obviously more desirable. Get another set of locking bolts, preferably with a rotating collar, to be on the safe side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 any advised sellers tailpipe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Thanks for the response Tailpipe - it is much appreciated. I didn't realise there was a problem with the TT locking bolts however I am going to follow your advice and invest in another set. The thought of finding your car on bricks and having to make a large insurance claim should be enough to spur anyone on to spend £40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Any links as to where to get them from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted January 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 I've just done a search through Google and it seems Halfords sell McGards. I must admit though I also found some negative feedback on them saying the keys used to take them off chew away easily - one write-up said after a month! Replacement keys cost £15 and lead times seemed to be an issue. As I'm not in the habit of taking my wheels off for the fun of it I don't see this as a major problem. How you wear them out in a month is beyond me Anyway, Halfords and £30 seemed to be the general theme. I wonder if they're open still ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Cheers. I'll have a look.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantate59 Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Thanks for the response Tailpipe - it is much appreciated. I didn't realise there was a problem with the TT locking bolts however I am going to follow your advice and invest in another set. The thought of finding your car on bricks and having to make a large insurance claim should be enough to spur anyone on to spend £40. [/ QUOTE ] Auto Express did a locking wheel nuts/bolts test a couple of months ago. Their best buy was the McGard Ultra (£35) with a worthy mention for Evo Mk Vs (£25). Both have a rotating collar to stop anyone getting a grip on the outside of the locking bolt and undoing it. It is probably true to say that any locking wheel bolt could be removed without the key or adaptor but as well as the design it's the time taken to remove, and more importantly the noise factor, that determines a good set of bolts. If you do a search on Google for locking wheel nut removal tools you will see how important an extra set of bolts can be and how surprisingly cheap the tools to nick your wheels are. DM - I am trying to find the web address of a supplier for the McGards and the Evos. I will post later, or tomorrow, when I find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 Cheers Tailpipe - no rush (poo, my car's on bricks..) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantate59 Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 [ QUOTE ] I've just done a search through Google and it seems Halfords sell McGards. I must admit though I also found some negative feedback on them saying the keys used to take them off chew away easily - one write-up said after a month! Replacement keys cost £15 and lead times seemed to be an issue. As I'm not in the habit of taking my wheels off for the fun of it I don't see this as a major problem. How you wear them out in a month is beyond me Anyway, Halfords and £30 seemed to be the general theme. I wonder if they're open still ........ [/ QUOTE ] I think the £30 McGards from Halfords are the type without the rotating collar - but I think they won last year's (well, 2003's) Auto Express best buy wheel nut - no doubt someone will tell me if I'm wrong. As you say, to damage a locking key or bolt head in a month is going some. How many times did this guy have the wheels off and on? And I don't see this as an issue either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantate59 Posted January 31, 2005 Report Share Posted January 31, 2005 As an aside to my earlier post, and not long after my police visit, I saw a VW Golf driven by a burberry-capped young girl. A decent car with nice eighteen-inch nine-spoke alloys on it, but the wheels had Audi centre caps. I may be doing her an injustice, but convince me those wheels weren't nicked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwo Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Have just got a set of McGard Evos for other car. The Audi is awaiting new locking nuts (McGard Evo) from the chap in the groupbuy link. His are £24 with TSN discount rather than £35 from halfords. Halfords will get them in in about 3-4days from order, I had emailed Mcgard in germany to get the model numbers etc. The Audi nuts seem very simple to remove by jamming socket into them, on the other hand the McGard Evo nuts seem to be the 'nuts'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantate59 Posted February 3, 2005 Report Share Posted February 3, 2005 [ QUOTE ] Any links as to where to get them from? [/ QUOTE ] Sorry for the delay replying DM, and after lots of searching for a web address I need have looked no further than the Group Buy section here on Tyresmoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UBM Posted February 3, 2005 Report Share Posted February 3, 2005 Thanks for looking! I ordered some from the Group Buy section on Tuesday. I think I might keep the Audi one in each wheel and the new McGard one as well - should at least slow the little feckers down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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