Hi all. An update.

In the end I purchased a 70mm A/F socket and a 1 metre breaker bar. First attempt to remove wheel nut resulted in the breaker bar deflecting like Robin Hood’s bow (appropriate perhaps as I am a MSCC Sherwood group member!). In the end I resorted to the trusty mallet and hammer supplied with the car. I can tell you it took quite some effort to shift the week nuts. I torqued the wheel nuts to 120NM with a large torque wrench the gave them a further quarter of a turn with the socket and breaker bar. They are very tight indeed and as they will continue to self tighten. I am confident this will be a good working solution.

Well worth removing them for an inboard fettle and a wipe with an ACF50 soaked rag though. Once a working garage solution was derived I found I could remove, clean and refit all four wheels in a couple of hours (with the aid of a 2 tonne trolley jack) which I think is quite reasonable. Wouldn’t do it more than twice a year though.

Yes no need to overdo it, by all means check after 50 miles or so. I use copper slip on the splines. You need a good grease not a thin oil.

Blimey John, I don’t know what makes you think I would use anything other than copper slip or similar on the splines etc. the ACF50 was wiped on the inner polished stainless steel rims and back of spokes. A lifetime of stripping and building motorcycles comes in handy ;-)

Blimey John, I don’t know what makes you think I would use anything other than copper slip or similar on the splines etc. the ACF50 was wiped on the inner polished stainless steel rims and back of spokes. A lifetime of stripping and building motorcycles comes in handy ;-)