Wheel locks
- Thread starter enigM@
- Start date
It will be obivious...
when you pick up the locks. They are simply a lug nut for each wheel that a normal wrench will not work on. The are round with no flats on them like a regular nut. You will get a "key" that fits your set only and that is used with the lug wrench to get the locks off and on. Jim
when you pick up the locks. They are simply a lug nut for each wheel that a normal wrench will not work on. The are round with no flats on them like a regular nut. You will get a "key" that fits your set only and that is used with the lug wrench to get the locks off and on. Jim
I've read dozens of horror stories about folks who broke the "key" (or lost it) and had a heck of a time getting a wheel off afterward - Not the kind of problem you need to have in the rain after dark beside the road trying to change a flat tire.
My Miata came with these type locks, and tossing them was the first "mod" I did to the car - I bought 4 new OEM lug nuts and got rid of those suckers.
Don
My Miata came with these type locks, and tossing them was the first "mod" I did to the car - I bought 4 new OEM lug nuts and got rid of those suckers.
Don
Umm.. yeah, I got my car with them too. I didn't think it damaged the look too much, but then again the looks are an individual's preference.
I was one who broke (bent) the key doing a tire rotation 2 days before going on a long trip. I called the manufacturer (in NY state) and bought 2 new keys and had them sent overnight.
Yeah, it can happen if you over-torque your lugs, so just for good measure always buy a spare set of keys.
You can get wheel locks at autozone, so go there and see if there's anything you like. If you don't like the "stock" locks you can always just take them off and put back the original lugs (and sell the locks on Ebay).
final note: if you take your car to a place to get your tires rotated (ie Jiffy Lube), don't! 3 times that I took my car there and asked for it I got back home and there were loose lugs, usually the ones with the lock. I just don't trust anyone anymore, as soon as I get some stuff I'll also be doing my own oil changes.
I was one who broke (bent) the key doing a tire rotation 2 days before going on a long trip. I called the manufacturer (in NY state) and bought 2 new keys and had them sent overnight.
Yeah, it can happen if you over-torque your lugs, so just for good measure always buy a spare set of keys.
You can get wheel locks at autozone, so go there and see if there's anything you like. If you don't like the "stock" locks you can always just take them off and put back the original lugs (and sell the locks on Ebay).
final note: if you take your car to a place to get your tires rotated (ie Jiffy Lube), don't! 3 times that I took my car there and asked for it I got back home and there were loose lugs, usually the ones with the lock. I just don't trust anyone anymore, as soon as I get some stuff I'll also be doing my own oil changes.
Get the locks from Mazda or directly from McGard (They are the same.) They look like this:
When installed, they look like this:
I don't know how you could ever break, bend or otherwise damage any of these locks or the key. I had them on my MX-3 and they always looked and worked like brand new.
Don't lose the key! If possible, attach it to your lugwrench or, at least, keep it in a safe place in the car (with the spare is better than in the glove compartment.)
When installed, they look like this:
I don't know how you could ever break, bend or otherwise damage any of these locks or the key. I had them on my MX-3 and they always looked and worked like brand new.
Don't lose the key! If possible, attach it to your lugwrench or, at least, keep it in a safe place in the car (with the spare is better than in the glove compartment.)
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I would deffinatly go with wheel locks!! My friend has some on his car that replace every lug nut, but they are not the normal wheel lock lugs. they look almost the same as any other lug nut, but instead of having the hexagonal shape, it has a star shape and requires a key that matches the same of the lug. And honestly i do not see any way you could possibly break his key. I mean im sure there is a way but if his key were to break then the regular hexegonal lugwrench would break as well. I will try to get some pics of them later.
Spline drive nuts are worthless compared to the ones I pictured above. You can get a spline drive off with a number of tools, including a chisel, but the solid ones will not come off unless you have the key (or the "jaws of life".)xXMP5Xx said:
Wanna "pay back" somebody sometime? Put a set of McGard locks on his wheels and don't give him the key. Chances are he won't notice until he gets a flat or something. Then the "fun" begins.
Smilin Marty
Member
I used to work for AAA in so. cal and lake tahoe, If there's one thing I hated the most is when you pull up to replace a tire and find out it has locks but no key. Then the dumb bastards would be sitting there on their cell phones while i'm trying to tell them I'm gonna have to tow their car to the nearsest shop and they were going to charge them about $50 bucks for removing it. That part I loved.
BTW, come to think of it, I haven't found my key yet. Iguess I should find mind so I'm not that stupid bastard on the side of the road. Does anyone know where the key is? I havn't thought about looking for it.
BTW, come to think of it, I haven't found my key yet. Iguess I should find mind so I'm not that stupid bastard on the side of the road. Does anyone know where the key is? I havn't thought about looking for it.
JasonH said:
Dude man, that's nasty. Even meaner than slashing your enemy's tires!! Never even thought of it...
I've been using the Mazda OEM wheel lock lugnut on my 626 and now I've moved them over to my newer MP5 and they do start getting worn/rusty after a while but the lock hasn't broken yet. But make sure to not lose the key! And you can rest easy that they will protect your car from thieves.
All it takes is 3 guys to tag team your car and take your wheels off. They don't need a jack stand to steal your wheels and it can be done very quickly. I was in a shop when a Japanese dude came in and said that his Lexus SUV's wheels ($800 per) were stolen. He came out to the parking lot in the morning and he saw his wheel-less SUV sitting pretty on cinder blocks.
Not to sound like a dumbass but I unfortunately broke the top off of the Mazda wheel lock.
When I was putting on my winter steelies that are "allegedly" a thiner rim and the lock nut wasn't deep enough so around 60 ft/lbs the top part of the lock nut snapped off.
But alas my tale of woe has a happy ending since my dealer took it off for free.
So the moral of the story is be careful of rim thickness or you might break your nuts
When I was putting on my winter steelies that are "allegedly" a thiner rim and the lock nut wasn't deep enough so around 60 ft/lbs the top part of the lock nut snapped off.
But alas my tale of woe has a happy ending since my dealer took it off for free.
So the moral of the story is be careful of rim thickness or you might break your nuts
