How reliable is the factory wheel locks? Are they the same ones made by McGuard?

I will be getting a set of expensive aftermarket wheels and am wondering if I should get a better brand of wheels locks. What do you guys think?

 

They are McGuards.

 

I've always wondered how hard it is to get those locks off with a typical tire wrench. It seems to me that you would always be slipping out of that cloverleaf/star pattern groove in the lock and stripping the key almost instantly.

Anybody have problems with these in the past?

 

When wheel locks were first introduced many years ago there was a problem of stripping the locks by having key slippage but this is no longer a problem. The key is a socket design where it slips over the lock and once you have the pattern aligned virtually impossible to strip the lock.

IMHO, wheel locks only serve to protect your wheels from the amateur thief, if wheel/tire shops can remove wheels with locks without the use of a key then so can a professional thief

 

wheel locks are a deterrant... just like locks at your house, you can always say that it's only to protect from the amateur thief. The point of them is to encourage the theif to move on to an easier target.... and if you ever see someone at a tire shop trying to take a lock off without a key, you'd realize that it is a decent deterrant. You have to have a big old sledge hammer, to drive a "universal" key if you will into the wheel. 1) it almost always damages the wheel and 2) it makes a LOT of noise...

 

Unless you have the key (which is probably not that hard to find) it is very difficult to remove them. Most wheel thieves are low tech junkies looking for some quick cash so with the locks you're pretty safe. Your biggest threat are the better organized car thieves which will just steal the whole vehicle to strip it. Thoes guys will just tow the whole thing and strip it in a matter of minutes. There nothing you can do about those guys. That's what insurance is for!

 

I agree.

 

Better than nothing I say.

 

Should I purchase another set of wheel locks and put them on the new wheels so to have two sets of locks?

Just thinking of ways to protect my new wheels from theives, thanks.

 

I have factory wheels so I think the factory locks are sufficient.

But if I had spent the cash on aftermarket wheels I would get aftermarket locks. I think there's lock sets out there that require three or four different keys to get one tire off.

It becomes a PITA for both the theives and the person who's locking them up. But I guess it's more secure.

 

the surface where the lugnut meets the wheel can be different. stock wheels usually have a domed seat which match dome-tipped lugnuts. aftermarket wheels usually have a tapered seat which will need taper-tipped lugnuts. getting the right lugs helps to center a wheel and allow it to spin round. you should buy the wheels and check first.

 

has anyone actually had their wheels stolen? i have a set of giovanna barletta's that i'll put on in the spring and wonder if i should even use wheel locks? i personally, have never seen a car with its wheels missing

 

You mean driving on the highway without wheels?

Yes, in some places expensive wheels are routinely stolen. I know I don't have to worry about it where I live. If dealer wanted to charge me for wheel locks, I wouldn't buy them.

 

I have seen NTB, Discount Tire and dealers remove wheels with locks and they didn't use a sledgehammer. I don't know what they used but the wheels were not damaged in any way. It's when I saw this that I decided against having wheel locks but if they give someone peace of mind whom I am to condemn.

 

I would be worried about wheel balance being thrown off. If you go this route I urge you to have the wheels balanced on the car with the locks installed.

 

Must be some cheap locks. Infact two weeks ago, I was at Discount Tires. I watched as the guy tried to get some what appears to be McGards off of an integra. It took him about 10 minutes per wheel to try and drive the key into the lock with a sledge so it would grab as he tried to get the lock off.

 

Ive had my wheels stolen off my Prelude before, that time my car had Mcguards wheel locks on. The theives still managed to steal them within 40mins while I was away from the car.

I guess wheel locks can only do so much and will not protect the wheels from professional theives.

 

Back in the late 80s (my mechanic days) I restored an older Camaro for a friend and replaced tires and rims. I Had the car parked behind the dealership by my stall. Came in Monday morning and was asked by the parts manager why the Camaro was on the ground... I thought he was joking! Went back to my stall and looked out the window, jaw dropped. Their was my buddies prize possession, all new paint, suspension etc laying on the rotors/axles! I had locks on all 4.

As mentioned, wheel locks keep the honest/armatures away, some better than others. For the professionals, a portable welder gets them off in a matter of seconds. Weld a cheap device/socket to the lock and off they come. The other issue is, most places torque the lugs on the TL (for example) to 80 ft lbs, the recommended spec. At that setting all that is required is a metric or standard 12 point socket that is capable of being pounded snug over your lock nut. It can then be removed with ease. In the old days we would just torque the locks on "tight", to a setting only the key and a breaker bar would remove... Can't do that today without warping brake components.

This is the first car that I have owned in years that has had wheel locks. If the dealer hadn't thrown them in free, I wouldn't have them. But, if I did spend big money on rims and tires I would definitely be installing them. Stock rims however, are usually less desired than aftermarket...

Overall, its much like the BSM's, its a comfort factor for many. It may prevent some door-dings/wheel theft, but not all.

Take care

Smitty

 

Anyone with an impact wrench and the proper socket - available at Pep Boys can get a lock off in about 30 sec. Of course you need the air compressor to go with the impact wrench so in most cases your car is gone too. The socket is just a bigger version of the rounded bolt removers that Sears sells. They are hardened and reverse threaded so they bite into the wheel lock. I had a set of cheaper (not Mc Gard) wheel locks stripped out by a service garage that used an impact wrench to remove them - a big no-no. I got this tool and they were off in 30 sec. Sparks were flying but they worked. Speaking of wheel locks, My dealer wants $70 to put on the Acura locks which are Mc Gards but you can get a set in Pep Boys for about $25. I think even better yet is I will just take the ones off my 02 TL before I trade it and put them on the new one. I don't think the stud threads have changed.