Alloy Wheel Lock Hell

dagness · 05-23-2005, 09:33 PM

Just discovered that my 84 Carrera is equipped with aftermarket alloy wheel locks, fortunately on the back only. There is no key.

Previous owner bought the car with four new tires, never got key and never got a flat in the back, apparently (and never autocrossed!)

Wheel locks came from Automotion, which was bought by Performance Parts, who no longer carries this type of key.

Manufacturer is RND, Ltd. P.O Box 390516 Mountain View, CA 94039 appears to be out of business. Phone number disconnected (650) 968-5931.

The lock is a five pin type lockring that sits flush with the rim on the lug.

Parts Heaven, Porsche Wrecker suggested a hammer and chisel. That didn't work.

Anyone seen this before or have any bright ideas?

dagness · 05-23-2005, 09:57 PM

sorry, just discovered Dionikes thread

wheel lock hell

same deal for me but I got Fuchs, so the lock is flush with the rim.

Hole saw makes me queasy, unless it is a reverse hole saw... is there such thing?

island911 · 05-23-2005, 10:11 PM

A hole-saw will cut even if run backwards. (effectively a reverse-rake cutter) Of course it will cut much slower, and need more pressure. .. look out that you dont over heat the thing.

Oh, and if John Walker says "just use a hole-saw" you can bet its a good solution.

Porschekid962 · Porschekid962's Garage

You could also try using a hollow mill bit. Call around to local machine shops or mcmaster carr or any machine shop supplier. All you need to do is cut out the material surrounding the lug. Not too bad. I had to so something like this on my dads car when one of the lightweight lugnuts broke off and left only the tapered end on the lug, not fun but not bad. Good luck

donporfi · 06-01-2005, 02:13 PM

Would it be possible to make a key with an old lug nut?

Drill the threads of the nut with a slightly larger drill bit, so the nut will run freely on the wheel stud.
Drill three holes on the nut, press steel pins in these holes.
On the wheel lock drill three holes slightly larger than the pins. Use the fabricated key. Use a lot of WD40 in the wheel stud and lock.

The other four whell nuts on th wheel must be tight before trying to loose the wheel lock. The wheel lock is the last to be torqued and the first to untight.

donporfi · 06-01-2005, 02:15 PM

Forgot to post this sketch.

masraum · 06-01-2005, 02:18 PM

That would probably work great, but the holesaw idea is probably easier, faster, and will probably work as well or better.

911S Targa · 911S Targa's Garage

I always found using a pair of vice grips (big enough to clamp down on the nut, small enough to fit the nut, with out scratching the rim), clamp it on as if you were putting a lug nut socket on it ( in otherwords, straight), then taking a pair of channel locks, or a good size pair of pliers,( poor example I know but.,.,.,( -- ) the vice grips position ( I )the channel locks/ plier position.,..,which would like like ( + ).)) and loosen the locking nut. It worked on Factory Pontiac wheel locks when I worked at a dealership.

dagness · 06-01-2005, 03:14 PM

hole saw did the trick.

7s and 8s will roll!

john walker's workshop · 06-01-2005, 03:17 PM

everybody tries to get around using the hole saw for some reason. maybe a bad childhood experience or something. just do it. it won't hurt the wyheel unless you keep going after you cut through the nut. you will know when you're done when the nut wiggles.

BRPORSCHE · 06-01-2005, 07:23 PM

We just used JW's hole saw method this past weekend. The original lug nut had sheared in half. The hole saw worked very well, even for a first try. We didn't touch the wheel.

The photo below shows the part of the nut that snapped off (1), the outer part that started to spin just as the hole saw "broke through", and the inner part that was not cut by the hole saw (3)(the ID of the saw is slightly larger than the lug). I was careful, so the wheel didn't even get nicked.

Instead of using a sharpened pick to pull out the inner part left on the lug threads, I wrapped a piece of shop towel over it and grabbed the shop towel with a pair of needle nose pliers. I was able to turn the inner part off the lug in one piece. If you look closely (it's not a very good photo), you can still see the threads intact on the inside of (3).

The screw on the side of the hole saw mandrel is for removing the pilot drill. You can't use a pilot drill while you do this, but you don't need one--the lug pilots the hole saw.

I learned two important lessons: 1. The hole saw method works. 2. Next time I'll use more heat and PB Blaster so that I won't break the lug nut in the first place.