who runs wheel locks?

Are they a good idea?
Which ones?
Gonna try looking up a part number.

Hopefully they're not easily removable without the key with an extractor bit.

 

Did you lose the lock key ?

 

Gorilla is a good brand tho.

 

I bought aftermarket locks and when I took my truck into the dealer for service they told me I got the wrong ones and said the ones I got would have striped the studs your local dealer should have some in stock that won’t mess up your studs.
They will
Give you peace of mind if you live in a area where people jack cars and parts. Where I live you can’t leave your car on the road overnight without the roaches taking everything off it.

 

I’m using these, which work on aluminum rims:

$19 Gorilla Automotive 73631T Toyota O.E. Wheel Locks With Washer (12mm x 1.50 Thread Size)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002807VWU/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_f0TJEbN90WWP1

 

yeah I might need to figure out the thread pitch and whatnot
I'm used to German cars where I think it's basically an M14 x 1.25 bolt, metric (or something similar) with a set length dimension and choice of seat. Regarding a ball seat (usually stock) or cone seat, that more often comes on aftermarket wheels.

there might be some available locally for about $20 on Craigslist, supposedly OEM (as car companies usually sell it as an OEM accessory)
will check it out

was thinking of it more because of coronavirus; supposedly it's causing the crime rate to go up

 

Gorilla locks are good. I hate the type in the pic. They are difficult to deal with using a lug wrench or impact. I removed one similar to it without a key by hammering a socket on it. I have gorilla locks on mine.

 

The run the OEM locks...the longer ones (there are 2 lengths). No issues. They do the job.

I know it won't stop someone who is determined. But it might discourage the casual opportunist.

 

My buddy had locks and I went to take his wheel off and the key shattered when I applied any torque to it. It was an older set, but still is a concern of mine.

 

Wheel theft is one reason I like the less expensive aftermarket wheels. They don't seem as desirable to a thief as much as OE alloy wheels.

 

I live in a fairly safe area. Still, I have an alarm system in my house and in my truck. One of the OEM locking lugs on my truck shattered when trying to remove them. I drove to my buddies shop and used his lug nut removal tools and threw the broken lug nut in the scrap pile and now I don’t run wheel locks. I feel the blinking light on the dash is more of a deterrent than wheel locks. The thieves know that the lug nut tool is in the glove box or jack storage compartment and if they’re determined to steal the wheels, they will smash the window to get it.

 

I use the OEM Toyota locks too.

 

I have them because they were included with my truck when I bought it, but I think they are more likely to cause issues than prevent your wheels from being stolen. I'm just too cheap to replace them right now.

 

^^^^ This!

If you saw how easy it is to hammer on an easily available specialized socket designed to remove broken / stripped lug nuts, you'd skip buying locking lug nuts all together. I had the top of one of my McGard locking lug nuts shear off a few years back and I thought I was screwed. I took it to a friend of mine who had it off about as fast as if he had the key. Any decent thief will have a set of these sockets and have your wheels off pretty quickly. I no longer run locks.

 

I have the oem locks but also know to use a breaker bar instead of an impact gun. There’s many a story of people damaging those type locks.

 

Although you can damage a hardened locking nut with an impact, mine were always put on, removed and torqued by hand - never an impact gun. They still failed.

I look at it this way, what's more important? Attempting to protect my wheels from theft (which I have insurance for) or risking one of my locks failing and stranding me on the side of the road. Guess which I picked?

 

I have factory locks. My negative is the socket for the other 5 is made from very thin metal, and is subject to warping when you get a flat in the field. Trumpeted/flared out. So i bought 2 more for backups

 

Ive seen locking nuts thwart your mechanic if you misplace your key, but I havent seen evidence that they thwart a thief. Wheel thieves have it down to a science, they'll put your Denali on a pair of blocks in mere seconds then disappear like a fart in the wind.

The best protection is cleaning out your garage and parking there at night.

 

Not when you have 24 locks on your wheels, they’re gonna at least work for mine.