God Damn M#@$%#$%#$ Wheel Locks !

[Newf]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

After fighting with them Sunday to get the wheels off so I could fix the rotor rust, my patience was gone. Today, I got 4 plain lugs, and I'm trying to get the damn wheel locks off. Got 3 off, and for sure, that last one just won't turn. The damn key ( I have 2 keys for cryin out loud) just slips and slips.

Could mazda possible have picked bigger POS wheel locks????



ARRRRRG!!!!!(pissed) (pissed) (pissed)

[Mike R]

12 point sockets work great. Hammer them on and take 'em right off!

[RenzoMSP]

Did you ruin the key? Is that why your having trouble getting it off.

[Newf]

my key never has worked. I had to borrow one from another msp owner. The 1st wheel I tried tonight is the one I can't get off. The others came off right away, and then I came back to this one, and no way in hell. Just slips.

I'm going to wait until tomorrow. Just pissed off now, and it's hot as hell. I may have to try to use a socket or vice grips or something. I have never been impressed with these wheel locks, and the other msp in town has had troubles with them as well. MY dealer asked me what I wanted, new lugs or new locks. I picked lugs for now.

[RenzoMSP]

I use an air gun and always make sure the lock is securly on, so i dont strip it. But anyways good luck hope you get it off.

[Mike R]

It'll make it easier if all the other lugnuts are on and tight to, it'll relieve some of the stress on the locknut. The socket method works really well, I've used it many many times. Just make sure it's a craftsman socket or some other one with a lifetime replacement....

[Newf]

thanks for the idea, I'll grab some tools at work tomorrow as I don't have the right size here, and I'll give it a whirl.

Good thing I only put these things on by hand about 6 weeks ago.

[alexlitov]

Look on the bright side, nobody can steal your wheel now :)

[Newf]

yeah yeah.

Heck even if I gave them the key, they still ain't taking it.

[KyRaceFan]

Never had an issue with my wheel locks.. but i did lose one... from not tightening it enough.

[H-Town Speed]

What size 12-point socket works. I need to buy one cause the idiot that did the 7500 mile tire rotation at the dealer used a fucking impact to tighten all the lug nuts, including the wheel locks. Now I have one thats cracked and the other stripped, both on the rear tires. Didn't notice it until I was washing the car and doing a detail job on the rims. I don't want to take it back to the dealer if don't have to. By the way for you Houston peeps and possibly elsewhere, the Pep Boys off of I-10 close to the beltway sells the same brand wheel locks as ours but I'm not sure if they are the same model number, haven't checked as I didn't think I needed any when I saw them. I guess I'm gonna have to check.

[Newf]

question about the 12-point socket. AM I to use a larger one, and try to hammer it onto the outside of the wheel lock? Or a smaller one, and try to grab the star type thing inside the wheel lock?

[DistantTea]

Its ironic that you're having trouble getting those off with the key... the punk kids around here can take wheel locks off my wheels using vicegrips faster than I could with the key and an impact wrench. It was a fun race to show just how easily my wheels could be stolen.

So what I do now is I don't use the wheel locks. I simply don't wash my wheels until they are terminally ugly. Plus my new rotas are black so they look like steelies anyways.

I still have my locks sitting around if anyone wants them.

[Mike R]

Use a socket that is slightly smaller than the OD of the locknut. hammer it on there and it should hold good enough to spin the lock off.

[Newf]

k, will try.

Thanks again

[Natey]

lol, That sounds like some frustrating sh-t! Maybe a shot of WD-40 would help?

Once you get that beeyotch off, get some Gorilla locks. I've never heard of one of them stripping like that.

[Heathen23]

lol, That sounds like some frustrating sh-t! Maybe a shot of WD-40 would help?

Once you get that beeyotch off, get some Gorilla locks. I've never heard of one of them stripping like that.
Sadly it's not that they are torqued on badly or that there is oxidation requiring a little lube. It's the the locks are so shallow that the second you try to turn you strip the key and you damage the shape of the lock. It's a joke for a key that practically melts in your hand it's so soft and fragile.

[Karl Marx]

The head (where the key inserts ) of my wheel lock was busted once ( because the Mazda Dealer retards put them on Winter tires (steelies).. which is a no no ).. anyhow i stoped by at a Garage and the guy removed it for me with some kind of key that gripped around the lock with no problem ( not inside ). It was a really small garage so i guess any garage can do it for you. He charged me 2$ lol.

I never put wheel locks bag on my car again. Worthless.

[Newf]

Sadly it's not that they are torqued on badly or that there is oxidation requiring a little lube. It's the the locks are so shallow that the second you try to turn you strip the key and you damage the shape of the lock. It's a joke for a key that practically melts in your hand it's so soft and fragile.

this is exactly what the problem is.

[azian6er]

i believe a 19 socket will work

-B

[Mike R]

I haven't had any problems with mine, and they've been on and off a hundred times, impacted on and off.....but I was the one operating the imapacts. And I am pretty gentle with them.

[Newf]

well, mine were taken off/on by the dealer once or twice. But, I rotate my own tires, and put the summers/winters on myself each time. These were only put on by hand, and not very tight. It's just that you can't get any force behind it as the damn thing just slips.

#19 I'll try

[boostisgood]

Never use an impact wrench to put your lugs on. That is how they get locked on (newfs case maybe) and they will cuase undue stress on the rims and lugs. Too many issues cqan happen when you use an impact wrench to put lugs back on. Dont be lazy, just do it right and save headaches down the road. :D

[Newf]

The fucker came off !!!! :)

I came home from work and figured I'll give it one more try before drastic measures, grabbed the wrench and key, and just slapped it on, and it came off sooo easy. No need for the socket idea. Maybe it loosened up, maybe I finally had the right angle, maybe change in temp? I have no idea why it came off so easy today and last night I spent a good hour achieving nothing.

Gone are the wheel locks. God damn pos.

[Mike R]

Maybe the heat from it being driven? At least is came off easily...don't put them back on!

Boostisgood, All I use the impact for is to quickly snug the lugnuts, then I torque 'em. It's all in how the tools are used....

[Newf]

Maybe the heat from it being driven? At least is came off easily...don't put them back on!

Boostisgood, All I use the impact for is to quickly snug the lugnuts, then I torque 'em. It's all in how the tools are used....
Nah it wasn't the heat. I live less then 2mins from work. I drove around last night and hit the brakes a few times, wondering if it would makes the things expand or something. But thinking about it, wouldn't the bolts expand more, which would be a bad thing?

Anyways, their off, that is all that matters.

Anyone want to buy some wheel locks :)

[Mike R]

Well, the aluminum would cool quicker than the steel, so some tension would be relased from the nuts.... but yeah...who cares they are off!

[03MSPRO]

The fucker came off !!!! :)

I came home from work and figured I'll give it one more try before drastic measures, grabbed the wrench and key, and just slapped it on, and it came off sooo easy. No need for the socket idea. Maybe it loosened up, maybe I finally had the right angle, maybe change in temp? I have no idea why it came off so easy today and last night I spent a good hour achieving nothing.

Gone are the wheel locks. God damn pos.
Maybe you were turning the wrench the worng way. Next time try counter clockwise to take them off!! j/k

[Newf]

Maybe you were turning the wrench the worng way. Next time try counter clockwise to take them off!! j/k
gee, never thought of that. lol

Everyone is a comedian it seems

l8r

[Crock]

I'm surprised you had so much trouble. I never had a problem with my wheel locks and I've probably done it a dozen times.
I hope your wheels stay on your car now that you aren't using them.

[N1XRR]

I use an air gun and always make sure the lock is securly on, so i dont strip it. But anyways good luck hope you get it off.
Do you use an airgun to put the lugs on? Because that is BAD. ALWAYS torque them with a torque wrench to the specified spec...do NOT use air tools for putting on...only for taking off.