Smaller tool for rim nuts?

[Fonzie]

This could quite possibly be the dumbest question I've ever asked, and I'm missing something very obvious. You've been forewarned.

I recently got some 18"x8" rims for the VS so i can ditch the stockies. Got 16 wheel nuts and 4 lock nuts from repco. Problem occurs when i put the rim on the wheel studs. The wheel nuts fit in the holes, match the bevel, match the thread, and i can do them up hand tight. The X tool i have fits the hex size of the nut, but it doesn't fit on the wheel nut when it's in place. I used my expertise *cough* in paint to illustrate this (paint ftw.JPG). The green section illustrates the X tool.

I took some quick webcam quality pics of the wheel nuts... 01.jpg shows the end of the nut that faces the stud, 02.jpg shows the visible end when it's on the car.

Now.. the lock nuts i have (03.jpg) are like any other... When these are in place, i can put the key in and tighten them to where they need to be, because the key brings the hex head out past the rim face, and hence the X tool fits on it.

Question is, do i need to get wheel nuts that have a hex indent or something, and use some sort of allen key? Or can i get an X tool that has thinner 'sides' to fit between the nut and the rim? Or is this topic something i will have listed under greatest failures for the rest of my life because the solution is far too obvious?

 

[Philthy]

Don't feel too bad, I had the same problem on my old car. I ended up swapping tyre irons with a mate of mine out of his VN because it happened to fit my wheels, and mine still fit his.

So there must be tyre irons with thinner sides out there. Maybe just go into repco/autopro etc and ask to test a few of theirs and see if you can find one that fits

 

[VYMAD]

I use a socket with a short extension and T-bar.

 

[02DUBH]

i had the same problem when putting 20's on my car yesterday.

ended up using a socket set with a short extension live the above

 

[Fonzie]

Yeah i tried a socket, to no avail. The next size down fitted in the hole perfectly, but obviously didn't fit the wheel nut... Perhaps i need to get wheel nuts that are smaller, but have the same thread diameter, and leave a socket+extension+tbar in my car...

 

[STEALTHY™]

The lock nuts i have have a 'key' that goes into them, the hex head is about 21mm, but the side that goes over the lock nut fits perfect in the holes.

So change lock nuts

 

[camstatic]

You can buy special sockets from any auto parts store for this purpose, usually painted an anodised colour in my experience if you're just browsing.

 

[Fonzie]

So change lock nuts

I think you misunderstood, the lock nuts aren't the problem. It's the other ones.
The key goes into the lock nut, and the hex head on that key then sticks far enough out of the hole i can get the X-tool onto it. But the standard nuts obviously don't have a "key"... So the nuts are too far into a hole that my tool doesn't fit in.

 

[Fonzie]

You can buy special sockets from any auto parts store for this purpose, usually painted an anodised colour in my experience if you're just browsing.

Sweet, that's what i was wanting to hear. I'll go shopping Monday.

 

[STEALTHY™]

I think you misunderstood, the lock nuts aren't the problem. It's the other ones.
The key goes into the lock nut, and the hex head on that key then sticks far enough out of the hole i can get the X-tool onto it. But the standard nuts obviously don't have a "key"... So the nuts are too far into a hole that my tool doesn't fit in.

Oh if thats the case, just buy standard holden wheel nuts.