[Jazzcat]

I am sure that a determined thief could find a way to circumvent the locking nuts given enough time and effort, but as a first line of defense, do you have them, or would you bother to install them? Sometimes I feel that I'm about to find my car on milk cartons because some guy drove by, got his standard issue wrench out, and make quick work of my polished wheels. I think the 4 locking nuts can be had for $25 or less.

 

[SWAT_Zombies]

I am sure that a determined thief could find a way to circumvent the locking nuts given enough time and effort, but as a first line of defense, do you have them, or would you bother to install them? Sometimes I feel that I'm about to find my car on milk cartons because some guy drove by, got his standard issue wrench out, and make quick work of my polished wheels. I think the 4 locking nuts can be had for $25 or less.

yes i use them with my aftermarket wheels wouldnt think twice

 

[Ltngdrvr]

If a determined thief that knows what he is doing wants the wheels he is going to get them but wheel locks will keep the average punk from getting them off the car.

Don't buy cheap ones though, pony up for McGards or something similar.

 

[Jazzcat]

If a determined thief that knows what he is doing wants the wheels he is going to get them but wheel locks will keep the average punk from getting them off the car.

Don't buy cheap ones though, pony up for McGards or something similar.

they look a little better than the ford offerings.

any idea which would best match my 2012 polished wheel nuts? i would buy them via the internet.

Wheel Locks - Cone Seat - McGard: Innovative Security Products

 

[Leon B]

Ditto what Ltngdrvr said. When you get them, the McGard comes with an order form for an extra key. I got one and keep one in the glove box and another in by the spare. If the dealer rotates the tires and forgets to put the key back and I forget to check, I still have a key in the car for a flat.

 

[OAC_Sparky]

If a determined thief that knows what he is doing wants the wheels he is going to get them but wheel locks will keep the average punk from getting them off the car.

Exactly. A number of years back I hopped into my '72 Torino Sport in the morning just before dawn, went to drive off and heard this new, weird squeeking from the back end as the car moved. Got out to find the two rear Mickey Thompsons on my Cragar SS rims were only held on by the wheel locks. Went back to my parking spot found the other lugnuts, obviously some punks tried to grab my wheels and got deterred by the locks.

On a side note, I was doubly lucky that they made a loud enough noise that I could hear them over the Thrush mufflers. Would've been pretty messy losing my rear wheels on the highway when that last remaining stud let go ...

 

[Ltngdrvr]

they look a little better than the ford offerings.

any idea which would best match my 2012 polished wheel nuts? i would buy them via the internet.

Wheel Locks - Cone Seat - McGard: Innovative Security Products

They won't any of them really match the stock lugs but I like the tuner ones since they are smaller.

Looks like those would be the part #25230.

 

[Jazzcat]

They won't any of them really match the stock lugs but I like the tuner ones since they are smaller.

Looks like those would be the part #25230.

Wow they really give you a lot of options there. I guess I'll just take a nut off tomorrow and measure it....thanks

 

[Nick F]

Yes, I use them. BUT, they can be circumvented pretty easy (hammer a smaller bit onto it). But your average punk idiot isn't smart enough to know that.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Exactly. A number of years back I hopped into my '72 Torino Sport in the morning just before dawn, went to drive off and heard this new, weird squeeking from the back end as the car moved. Got out to find the two rear Mickey Thompsons on my Cragar SS rims were only held on by the wheel locks. Went back to my parking spot found the other lugnuts, obviously some punks tried to grab my wheels and got deterred by the locks.

On a side note, I was doubly lucky that they made a loud enough noise that I could hear them over the Thrush mufflers. Would've been pretty messy losing my rear wheels on the highway when that last remaining stud let go ...

Of course that is one way that someone can steal the wheels even with locks, they just pull the 4 non-lock lugs off and pull on the wheel trying to break the remaining stud off.

This is why some companies make locks for all the lugs instead of just one per wheel.

My solution, or at least preventative, is to not leave my car where it is any kind of likely that someone could get away with trying to steal my wheels.

 

[Jazzcat]

Yes, I use them. BUT, they can be circumvented pretty easy (hammer a smaller bit onto it). But your average punk idiot isn't smart enough to know that.

And time is always of the essence with crime. Anything to slow them down and complicate their job a little more is good. It sounds to me like using a hammer and a smaller bit would make somewhat of a racket and cause some wankers to abort their folly.

 

[Jazzcat]

My solution, or at least preventative, is to not leave my car where it is any kind of likely that someone could get away with trying to steal my wheels.

Sometimes we don't have the luxury of choosing and I'm that over the course of the life of the vehicle, we will park in some less safe areas unwittingly. But I agree with you about trying to be aware of better places to park.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Wow they really give you a lot of options there. I guess I'll just take a nut off tomorrow and measure it....thanks

According to the application guide on McGards site, you can use either #24130 or #24197.

 

[dafreeze]

they look a little better than the ford offerings.

any idea which would best match my 2012 polished wheel nuts? i would buy them via the internet.

Wheel Locks - Cone Seat - McGard: Innovative Security Products

My security package came with McGards.

 

[kn7671]

I've taken off many locking lugs without the keys with ease. I used to work in a tire shop and learned then how to remove them when the owners forgot or lost their keys. Now this has been over 15-years ago, but I could still get a set of 4-McGards off in under 5-minutes, and a full set of 20-Gorilla style locks in about 10-minutes with simple hand tools in just about everyone's garage.

Now, do I still use them when I have custom wheels, sometimes. It gives me a little peace of mind that I might give someone second thoughts before they try taking the wheels. The low cost of the lugs are cheap insurance though.

 

[412horses]

I've got the 64M wheels too but haven't even bothered to put the locking nuts that came with the car on yet.

Don't get me wrong, the 64M wheels are nice but I don't think they'd really be that much of a target.

 

[calgarybandit]

If a determined thief that knows what he is doing wants the wheels he is going to get them but wheel locks will keep the average punk from getting them off the car.

Don't buy cheap ones though, pony up for McGards or something similar.

I had McGards on my car and last Saturday someone tried to hawk my rims. I thought from distance I just had mud in one lug because day before I was on a dirty road. Closer inspection my one locking lug was missing on passenger side. I walked over to the drivers side and the locking lug was cracked in half and part of it was still on the stud. I called McGards and the guy I spoke to was an absolute knob he could care less to here how someone popped them off. Locking lugs are like an extra deadbolt on a door unless you have your car alarmed they only help a bit. I learned my lesson and went out and purchased one of the new Viper cell phone pager alarms. In my opinion I think the factory locking lugs look way stronger then the McGard I put the Ford ones back on my wheels.

 

[Hood1964]

YouTube - ‪How to remove a locking wheel nut‬‏

 

[YerBuddysPony]

The idea here, as was pointed out earlier, is that the locking lugs are a 'deterrent' rather than a fool proof design. If a thief really wants to get the wheel off, as evidenced by the video above, then he can surely do so. However, pounding like that may draw much more attention in the middle of the night than a simple lug wrench.

 

[Nick F]

I've taken off many locking lugs without the keys with ease. I used to work in a tire shop and learned then how to remove them when the owners forgot or lost their keys. Now this has been over 15-years ago, but I could still get a set of 4-McGards off in under 5-minutes, and a full set of 20-Gorilla style locks in about 10-minutes with simple hand tools in just about everyone's garage.

Now, do I still use them when I have custom wheels, sometimes. It gives me a little peace of mind that I might give someone second thoughts before they try taking the wheels. The low cost of the lugs are cheap insurance though.

I guess you could just replace ALL your lugs with locking lug nuts. Lol. That would be pretty frustrating to a thief.