Not having any luck trying to get the locking wheel bolts off at all!
Tried various tools including (in this order)...

Locking wheel nut remover that has the left hand internal threads... Might have worked if the bolt wasn't so tight but ended up just spinning and chewing the circumference of the locking wheel bolt.

Locking wheel nut remover 'bash on' type that's very similar to a broken hex nut removal tool in having internal spiralled spline except this type is thin walled and only 3/8 drive so as not to foul the wheel itself. This tool broke apart but it was 19mm when perhaps 13/16 would have been better if I could have got hold of this type in 13/16. Only 3/8 drive.

Heavy duty 1/2 drive bash on hex nut removal tool, which does foul on the wheel itself. At least this hasn't broken apart and can get a fair amount of torque on it but it still ends up slipping and has marked the wheel.

Pretty sure the OSF wheel bearing needs changing but there's also an increasing rumble from mid vehicle and now no drive to the front wheels (supposed to be constant 4wd) so seems I've got a few big problems to sort out with this car. See if I can get some time on it today / tomorrow.

I’ll dig out the starrat cutter I have and shove it in the post, I’ve got 3 off using it, without touching the wheel, only takes a few minutes

Thanks Chris but don't send me it yet...

I took your earlier advice, took it to a Merc main dealer today. The young parts dept lad did finally find a key that fitted out of the master set of 30 keys and I've got that key on order. He set about finding the correct key wrong way though! When trying each key he didn't rotate it through 360degrees so missed the correct key and at one point said he'd found the correct key until I pointed out that it didn't slot in to the bolt far enough. Had to tell him to go through all the keys again rotating each one full circle to see if it'd slot in fully... then we found the correct one lol.

Having found the correct master key on a locking wheel bolt I haven't attacked with bolt removal tools etc I tried the master key on the bolt I have been bashing and it slotted in OK, When I get the new key I'll remove the bolts I haven't bashed before trying to remove the bashed one. I'll give all the bolts a good jet washing first to get any crap out that might prevent the key slotting in fully.

Bit of work to do on customer stuff now then I'll be under the ML seeing if I can find what's up with it's drivetrain.

Ah, so it was an OEM locking nut not aftermarket... Did not realise that ! Makes it all much easier...

It was OEM but reckon I'd struggle to tell the difference. Glad it was or it'd have been a wasted trip to the Merc main dealer.

Oh come on Simon, that's always fun. I, very occasionally, go into the marble floor and glass cathedral that is our local Merc main dealer to ask about bits for her indoors's 2004 C180K coupe. They greet you enthusiastically then immediately lose interest when you ask for the parts department and send you outside round to the slightly grubby door marked Trade. I've only ever bought anything in there once, a breather hose which is renowned for dropping to bits on the C180 engine. I went in once and asked for a fuel filter for the same car, the man said, I'll go and get you a price. I stood there thinking, I don't want a price i just want to buy one. He came back looking very pleased with himself to tell me that yes they had one in stock (I should bloody hope so for a service item?) at £98 plus VAT. Told him it would remain in stock then and drove to the other side of town to my usual supplier who had a genuine Bosch one in stock, for £13 including VAT.......

Yeh, can read a few implications into what you've said and would agree with them. Dial the number for the Merc dealer and the recorded message (press 3 for parts dept etc) sounds like a well spoken professional young lady.. and I'm sure that if I pressed 1 or 2 or waited to speak to someone the phone would be answered very soon... But I had to press 3 so had to wait 10 minutes for someone to pick the phone up, their answerphone system trying many times to connect me to someone in their service dept between the music and unfinished messages advertising they'd pick my car up to service it etc (presumably if I'd bought a fairly new Merc from them). Surprised that the young lad didn't know that locking wheel nuts slot in at only one position (around 360deg) though.. In his box the masterkeys were all facing key side up and given the shapes of the key it should have been a bit obvious... They make toys for 3 years olds where shapes only slot into holes at one orientation eh!

Lpgc wrote:

Yeh, can read a few implications into what you've said and would agree with them. Dial the number for the Merc dealer and the recorded message (press 3 for parts dept etc) sounds like a well spoken professional young lady.. and I'm sure that if I pressed 1 or 2 or waited to speak to someone the phone would be answered very soon... But I had to press 3 so had to wait 10 minutes for someone to pick the phone up, their answerphone system trying many times to connect me to someone in their service dept between the music and unfinished messages advertising they'd pick my car up to service it etc (presumably if I'd bought a fairly new Merc from them). Surprised that the young lad didn't know that locking wheel nuts slot in at only one position (around 360deg) though.. In his box the masterkeys were all facing key side up and given the shapes of the key it should have been a bit obvious... They make toys for 3 years olds where shapes only slot into holes at one orientation eh!

Maybe thats why he was in the parts dept and not the fitting bays?

I get that... I wonder if they had an oldish bloke winding down toward retirement in the fitting bays it'd be a good idea for them to swap jobs.. Or for fitting bay guys to occasionally work the parts dept. Maybe they do and that's why it takes them so long to answer the phone... although the parts dept lad was suited up and had immaculate hands so I doubt it ;-)

Locking wheel nut turned up today cash on delivery.
I'm very pleased but also surprised because it was explained to me that I'd have to collect it! Plan was to collect it on Saturday on the way to pick up my daughter but I couldn't make it Saturday because had a few customers coming to collect / drop off vehicles and one was late.
Delivery guy said most of the firms he'd tried delivering to today had no-one around to deliver to, wonder why that is...