Wheel locks?

[UconnTim97]

Do wheel/ lug nut locks really work? Or do they just slow down someone trying to get your wheels?

The wheels and tires where stolen off of my ex's Corolla S last night. Are there any wheel locks that work and are worth the money? I'm concerned that the replacement wheels will be stolen in short order.

My 944 came with a set of wheel locks when I bought the car. I don't know if they were an actual theft deterrent or there is a lack of a market for stolen Fuchs in downtown Philly. Most people probably don't even know their value.

Thanks,

Tim

[GH85Carrera]

As with anything of value, if it can be stolen by a pro, it will be.

The wheel locks will slow down most crooks. A real pro, nope.

[UconnTim97]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

As with anything of value, if it can be stolen by a pro, it will be.

The wheel locks will slow down most crooks. A real pro, nope.

Thanks. That is what I was thinking.

[fastfredracing]

I just ran across a set of Mcguards locks that would be nearly impossible to defeat in a situation where someone was trying to steal your wheels. The outside of them spun on the nut, making the wheel lock remover tools useless. You would have had to either drill them which would take hours, or burn them off , in my case I would have destroyed the wheels. Thank goodness, the guy still had his original paper work , and I was able to obtain a replacement from Mcguard .

[recycled sixtie]

I agree with the above. It will slow the thief down. Having said that when I had my Boxster I had wheel locks on(factory made likely) and when I last changed the summer rims to the winter ones I ended up damaging one wheel lock to the point where I could not get the lock off. I took it to my indy shop and he managed to remove the damaged wheel lock and I told him to put all regular wheel nuts on. I was that exasperated.

If I was in a sketchy area or had no garage then I would put wheel locks on. An extreme measure would be to spray the rims a wild orange, lime green or pink color as an additional deterrent. After all it is a Toyota.

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I just ran across a set of Mcguards locks that would be nearly impossible to defeat in a situation where someone was trying to steal your wheels. The outside of them spun on the nut, making the wheel lock remover tools useless. You would have had to either drill them which would take hours, or burn them off , in my case I would have destroyed the wheels. Thank goodness, the guy still had his original paper work , and I was able to obtain a replacement from Mcguard .

Great suggestion Fred.

[UconnTim97]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I just ran across a set of Mcguards locks that would be nearly impossible to defeat in a situation where someone was trying to steal your wheels. The outside of them spun on the nut, making the wheel lock remover tools useless. You would have had to either drill them which would take hours, or burn them off , in my case I would have destroyed the wheels. Thank goodness, the guy still had his original paper work , and I was able to obtain a replacement from Mcguard .

Thanks. Do you remember the model number or type of the Mcguard locks?

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

I agree with the above. It will slow the thief down. Having said that when I had my Boxster I had wheel locks on(factory made likely) and when I last changed the summer rims to the winter ones I ended up damaging one wheel lock to the point where I could not get the lock off. I took it to my indy shop and he managed to remove the damaged wheel lock and I told him to put all regular wheel nuts on. I was that exasperated.

If I was in a sketchy area or had no garage then I would put wheel locks on. An extreme measure would be to spray the rims a wild orange, lime green or pink color as an additional deterrent. After all it is a Toyota.

Unfortunately it is both a sketchy area and no access to a garage.

They are the higher end Corolla wheels. I can see the after market demand for them.

[Joe Bob]

Waste of time, toss them or sell to someone else.

[fastfredracing]

Kind of agree with JB though. I cannot tell you the last time I heard of a set of wheels being stolen. I am sure it happens ..

[UconnTim97]

True. I thought she was kidding about the stolen wheels until she sent me a pic with the car up on cinder blocks.

[scottmandue]

I don't see this mentioned but I presume you know to use locking wheel nuts for all lugs.
If you try to go cheap and just use one locking nut on each wheel a thief will remove the other nuts and use the wheel to leverage/break the locking nut.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

I worked at a car auction when I was younger and a few of the guys there were into stealing cars and wheels.

One of them once told me, the best way to stop someone stealing all your wheels is to park close to wall or building as they are hard to move out of the way.

Half a car set of wheels is harder to sell on than a full car set of wheels

[masraum]

Originally Posted by UconnTim97

Do wheel/ lug nut locks really work? Or do they just slow down someone trying to get your wheels?

The wheels and tires where stolen off of my ex's Corolla S last night. Are there any wheel locks that work and are worth the money? I'm concerned that the replacement wheels will be stolen in short order.

My 944 came with a set of wheel locks when I bought the car. I don't know if they were an actual theft deterrent or there is a lack of a market for stolen Fuchs in downtown Philly. Most people probably don't even know their value.

Thanks,

Tim

I used to work with a kid that when he was 16-18, was very into mustangs and in with the wrong crowd. He had a major scare once after he turned 18 and decided to go straight, didn't want to go to jail. I bought a small truck with wheel locks. I was wondering how to get them off, and without a second's hesitation, told me "go to Sears, buy four 1/2" drive 11/16" 6 point sockets and a big hammer. Pound the 4 sockets onto the lock lugs, use a breaker bar to remove the, and then throw the sockets away."

He was absolutely correct, except that I was poor, and exchanged the sockets with the lugnuts stuck in them for new ones.

I'm sure there may be some that are harder to get off than that, but for the most part, all they'll do is slow down or stop rank amatuers.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I just ran across a set of Mcguards locks that would be nearly impossible to defeat in a situation where someone was trying to steal your wheels. The outside of them spun on the nut, making the wheel lock remover tools useless.

Originally Posted by UconnTim97

Thanks. Do you remember the model number or type of the Mcguard locks?

I think they are Gorilla, not McGuard.
Gorilla Automotive Products - Lug Nuts, Wheel Locks, Auto Security, Wheel Accessories

They seem to have a couple of different kinds. One of them has a free-spinning outer sleeve. The other kind has the "nut" (which looks like a spline drive) split into upper and lower halves, and I think the upper half is free spinning and the lower half is the part that you actually spin to remove the nuts.

[Arizona_928]

Hammer a socket over them and they're gone.

[A930Rocket]

That's the way we used to do it when we were buying and selling cars while in school.

Originally Posted by masraum

I used to work with a kid that when he was 16-18, was very into mustangs and in with the wrong crowd. He had a major scare once after he turned 18 and decided to go straight, didn't want to go to jail. I bought a small truck with wheel locks. I was wondering how to get them off, and without a second's hesitation, told me "go to Sears, buy four 1/2" drive 11/16" 6 point sockets and a big hammer. Pound the 4 sockets onto the lock lugs, use a breaker bar to remove the, and then throw the sockets away."

He was absolutely correct, except that I was poor, and exchanged the sockets with the lugnuts stuck in them for new ones.

I'm sure there may be some that are harder to get off than that, but for the most part, all they'll do is slow down or stop rank amatuers.

[Bill Douglas]

Can't trust the Corolla crowd. A friend caught the late train home and found all the wheels missing off his Corolla at the railway station.

I haven't had locks on the 911 ever.