Puzzle wheel nut key broken

[Sam Clarkson]

AAARGH. Teaching my daughter how to change a wheel... she jumps on the locknut key and it shatters....oh thank you!
The nuts are of the grooved puzzle type..
Where does one get a key? Either to buy or borrow

[Gordo]

**** 
At least she's prepared to learn 

Depending on design of the nut/bolt, and how recessed it is, you may need to have a nut welded onto them and replace with a new one.
Next option is you may be able get a replacement from the manufacturers if you quote the code on the key - and if you can find them...
Last but rather more hassle is to take an imprint of the nut/bolt end and have a matching nut fabricated to match - maybe by hand...

[Sam Clarkson]

Here's a photo

[Gordo]

Different design from what I was thinking of, but that's good.
You may be able to make a reversed pattern on some steel plate, drill the plate in the corners and hammer some hardened pins into the plate that will lock into the bolt.
However, my first option would still be to try contacting the manufacturer with the code off the master and seeing if they can supply a replacement - or two. There will be a limited number of these designs, so they should be able to provide copies for a reasonable cost.

While it's a proverbial pain, at least you've still got your wheels, unlike another poor sod here 
Oh, may also be a good idea, in the interim, to pick up one of theose 'spare in a can' things, to give you a chance if you get a puncture.

[jared18t]

Any decent engineer/mechanic can use a centre punch and a hammer to remove old nuts and get a new vw set.

[BB]

Any decent engineer/mechanic can use a centre punch and a hammer to remove old nuts and get a new vw set.

 I had a customer who broke their puzzle nut because the bolt was seized and it was NOT easy at all to center punch them. They can be massively tight wheel nuts.

 I suggest that puzzle nut is not so bad, just gouge that broken bit out and try refitting it and holding it really straight and level as you turn.
 That's the thing you can't jump on that stuff it just tears it out. A young girl is unlikely to have the strength or skill to undo a really tight wheel nut, and its bloody dangerous if they do it wrong so be careful on that one.
 I have had a million girls think i would be a nice guy to teach them to fix cars. I'm not. Its too frickin hard and to easy to stuff up stuff.
 Yes teach a wheel change but often a AA membership is better really.

[Gordo]

Forgot other option - carefully centre punch the bolt and drill it out - this can take bloody ages with a GOOD drill at a low speed and some materials can be very hard on drills, needing frequent re-sharpening.

[choppy16v]

make a plug with kneed-it[exhaust putty]. just jam some in a wheel brace and smush it on there.leave it to harden for ten fifteen mins then wind it off.

[jared18t]

Drilling is last option,  it takes skill with a centre punch and hammer,  its almost possible to make a living off people getting things stuck and even trying to do it themselves with easyouts and such only making it worse.   
In my experience fixing peoples messes Take it into someone unless you are 100% sure you can do it.

[00quattro00]

Ive smacked a socket over them before, works well

[Gordo]

make a plug with kneed-it[exhaust putty]. just jam some in a wheel brace and smush it on there.leave it to harden for ten fifteen mins then wind it off.

That stuff is pretty soft - perhaps liquid metal or a metal apoxy?
What's going to be a significant factor is how tightly the bolt was tightened in the first place.

[kiwi]

Ive smacked a socket over them before, works well

I got some things that look like a socket but have spiral teeth on the inside, great for hammering on to stuffed/rounded bolts, would possibly work well for the likes of this.

[BB]

I got some things that look like a socket but have spiral teeth on the inside, great for hammering on to stuffed/rounded bolts, would possibly work well for the likes of this.

 These and Basils ideas are good.

[Sam Clarkson]

Thanks for the replies guys. Id say none of the above options is a viable solution.
My best effort to date is an 11mm socket that i've notched out to fit into the flat portions of the groove. Now I need a rattle gun of sufficient torque to impact drive the bolts out. My impact driver doesn't seem to be quite the right combination of 'push' and 'twist'. hmmm...
The key is an 'F' code if anyone out there has one???

[BB]

If you find a old socket that just doesn't quite fit over but will if hammered like Basil says, it will work if you do it right.