How do I get this nut off??

Question

Hi everyone,I've come across a hub nut I've not seen before on my 2001 MercedesCL500. See picture:I can't understand how this works. It seems they've bent a couple ofthe nut's tabs over the end of the drive shaft into two littlerecesses that have been cut into it (arrowed). I've prized the tabsout to allow the nut to be undone, but then I thought I've never seena hub nut made of metal soft enough to bend with a screwdriver! Also,I'd have expected a nut with the amount of torque this will be done upto to have a conventional hex head, but this one has 12 pointy bitsaround the circumference which are far more prone to stripping than aplain 6-sider.I admit I'm not much of a home mechanic, but can anyone explain how Ishould proceed and if I need a special tool to remove the nut?Many thanks.Paul

Tim+ · Accepted Answer

Isn?t that just a locking cover on top of the actual nut? I think you needto prise that off and the actual nut will be beneath it.Tim

RobH · Answer

They are a common enough in situations when you don't want the actual nut to come undone. I've seen them in loads of different places

Clive Arthur · Answer

I think that's right, but if it /is/ a twelve-sided nut, most(?) ring spanners and sockets are twelve sided so should fit well.

Brian Gaff (Sofa · Answer

As the actress said to the Bishop?BrianBrian

Peter Hill · Answer

That is the actual nut, it is bi-hex 12 point.

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Use a standard bi-hex 12 point socket.

All jet engines are bolted together with bi-hex nuts and bolts. 12 point socket on 12 point nut has twice the drive flanks and area compared to a

12 point socket on a hex. The head can be smaller and lighter as every gram counts.

As are turbo compressor nuts.

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is PITA as all my 8mm sockets are 1/4" drive and full hex, so a special bi-hex socket had to be ordered. I don't have any 3/8" kit and

1/2" starts at 10mm.

The Natural Philosopher · Answer

Id start by sourcing a replacement one first: that allows access to a far wider range of removal options...

..when I lived over a racing and rally garage, they had a huge oildrum into which any bolt or nut that was removed went. They *never* reused them, on te grounds that new bolts torqued up to the standard were

- as reliable as possible

- the most easy to undo in a hurry.

In your case splitting with a dremel looks possible

How do I get this nut off??

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