# Are wheel locks a scam or are they useful? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2020, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753 "2020-02-10T23:26:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/21 "2020-02-11T20:14:17Z")
> [@cmore](#): > > I’d say in general they’re useful, they can be defeated though. > > if you don’t have the key, you can hammer a socket over the nut and remove the them that way. > > if the lug nuts are recessed in the wheel you’ll need to use non impact (chrome) sockets due to their thinner wall thickness. > > for the locks with the inside pattern, you’ll need to use a 12 point socket that you’ve taken a die grinder to to knock the edges off the points on the inside of the socket (to better match the perfectly round outside circumference of the nut). > > the socket can split sometimes. once you’ve got the nut off, it’s wedged in the socket which requires a vise, punch, and hammer to separate them. > > if someone were to want to use this method to steal someones wheels they’d just show up with 4 modified cheapy sockets and have the wheels off about as quickly as someone would by using the actual key, just a little noisier. Old style locking lugs work like that, but the new ones have a special collar that prevents a hammered-on socket from spinning the nut. I know this because I tried the trick when we lost the key to the ones on my wife’s car, and it did not work. My options were to do one of many things that could end up damaging the wheel irreparably, or take it back to the dealer we leased it from and have them remove the locking lugs. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/22 "2020-02-11T22:50:14Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I guess I live in a bubble. I find it interesting that there is such a market for used stolen wheels. I wonder how the thieves turn them into cash. For very common cars, crooked mechanics and body shops will buy them as a set but sell them onsie-twosies. A lot of rims get cracked during pothole season and sometimes people want a replacement after serious curb rash. Being substantial chunks of decent grade aluminum, they’re also as good as money at a scrap dealer. One morning a few years ago, I saw my neighbor’s new Honda Accord up on blocks, brake rotors dangling. Popular car, quiet city street, middle of the block, easy mark. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/23 "2020-02-12T00:34:47Z")
The only thing wheel locks did for me was to piss off tire shops, when I forgot to give them the key. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/24 "2020-02-12T01:41:19Z")
I think the ones we have on our daughter’s car (she’s away at school and the car is parked outside in a marginally questionable neighborhood) have a key that has a code on it. I suppose if you need a new key you are supposed to contact the manufacturer with the code and they can send you the key that fits the specific locks you have. Wont be much use if you have a flat tire on the side of the road and cannot find the key. I keep the key with the spare tire changing kit. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/25 "2020-02-12T01:50:13Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > After watching the guy at Discount Tire quickly spin them off, I’m less confident of their usefulness. Customer couldn’t find the key, but it took them seconds to have the wheels off. I should note they had a pneumatic impact wrench, which a thief isn’t likely to carry, so there’s that. The battery powered impact wrenches you can buy these days are pretty amazing though. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/26 "2020-02-12T07:04:48Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > I should note they had a pneumatic impact wrench, which a thief isn’t likely to carry, so there’s that. > > : New Years ‘weekend’ 1979/1980 we were in Manhattan for the vacation, can’t remember offhand why we were there, we normally went over Thanksgiving vacation [[to shop for Christmas presents mainly, I have many years of wonderful memories of Brentano’s Books and FAO Schwartz and being turned loose and told to pick ONE item =)] but I sat on the little balcony one morning at about 0600 and watched a crew of guys in a generic white RAM van stop, open the back, pop the hood of a car, reel out a couple hoses with impact tools and a engine lift boom and remove the engine, all 4 wheels and the Recaro seats. Not sure what the car was exactly, I was about 8 stories up and looking down from the top. It was a 2 seater though. Took them 15 minutes, it was like watching an F1 race pitstop. They hopped back in when they were done and were gone. They may have been stealing to order and didn’t want to take the whole car or something. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/27 "2020-02-12T10:27:41Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > New Years ‘weekend’ 1979/1980 we were in Manhattan for the vacation, can’t remember offhand why we were there, we normally went over Thanksgiving vacation [[to shop for Christmas presents mainly, I have many years of wonderful memories of Brentano’s Books and FAO Schwartz and being turned loose and told to pick ONE item =)] but I sat on the little balcony one morning at about 0600 and watched a crew of guys in a generic white RAM van stop, open the back, pop the hood of a car, reel out a couple hoses with impact tools and a engine lift boom and remove the engine, all 4 wheels and the Recaro seats. Not sure what the car was exactly, I was about 8 stories up and looking down from the top. It was a 2 seater though. Took them 15 minutes, it was like watching an F1 race pitstop. They hopped back in when they were done and were gone. They may have been stealing to order and didn’t want to take the whole car or something. Whole car=Grand Theft, Auto=15-20years. Stealing parts=Petty Theft=6 months. At least that is how I remember it. ---
**Author:** ![cmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@cmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmore)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/28 "2020-02-12T13:10:23Z")
2 guys stole 124 wheels early one morning at a dealership. > **[Thieves steal 124 wheels in a single night at a Louisiana dealership](https://driving.ca/chevrolet/auto-news/news/thieves-steal-124-wheels-in-a-single-night-at-a-louisiana-dealership)** > > The majority weren't high-end, but ordinary rims off Chevrolet Malibus similar thefts occurred at different times, in different cities ---
**Author:** ![BillGates](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@BillGates](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BillGates)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/29 "2020-02-12T17:30:50Z")
Harbor Freight sells sets of keys for wheel locks - obviously it won’t take off every single wheel lock in existence, but it’s a good start… Tire shops maintain similar sets. That being said, I run locking lug nuts on my truck. It’s possibly a deterrent, same as any other lock. A potential thief just might move onto the next victim if he sees wheel locks. > **[Locking Lug Nut Master Key Set, 16 Piece](https://www.harborfreight.com/Locking-Lug-Nut-Master-Key-Set-16-Pc-63739.html)** > > Amazing deals on this 16Pc Locking Lug Master Key Set at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/30 "2020-02-12T19:25:04Z")
I doubt they offer much resistance, and lots of dealerships put them on and sell them for 10x the price. Our car that we bought a few years ago has them. The dealership added like $150 to the price we had already negotiated. No thanks, I said. But they’re already installed, said the salesman. That’s ok, I can wait while you take them off. They left them on for free. I of course leave the key in the glove box. You have to carry it with you otherwise you can’t change the damn tires. I guess I could find somewhere better to hide it, but I’d probably forget where it was, and that wouldn’t stop a determined thief from breaking my windows anyway. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/31 "2020-02-12T20:49:41Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > I guess I could find somewhere better to hide it, but I’d probably forget where it was, and that wouldn’t stop a determined thief from breaking my windows anyway. Now that I think about it, keeping the key near the lug wrench probably isn’t a bad idea. You can’t use one without the other and it’s less likely for a thief to be looking there. ---
**Author:** ![cmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@cmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmore)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/32 "2020-02-12T21:13:33Z")
> [@cmore](#): > > 2 guys stole 124 wheels early one morning at a dealership. > > [https://driving.ca/chevrolet/auto-news/news/thieves-steal-124-wheels-in-a-single-night-at-a-louisiana-dealership](https://driving.ca/chevrolet/auto-news/news/thieves-steal-124-wheels-in-a-single-night-at-a-louisiana-dealership) > > similar thefts occurred at different times, in different cities it’s possible my link description didn’t prompt others to read the story, just in case - it was just 2 guys. and that’s wheels & tires. off of over 30 new cars. cars they had to jack up, support, and remove the wheels/ tires from before moving on to the next car. then they brought a uhaul in and loaded them. they started at 3 a.m. they did this in multiple cities and no one’s be caught. terrible, yes. impressive, absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/33 "2020-02-13T00:06:55Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Here’s the biggest problem: most people keep the lock in the car’s glove compartment or center console. Guilty. It’s been many years ago, but once bought a car that didn’t have the special lug nut key to get those kind of lug nuts off. Shop said no problem. If my memory serves me correctly, all he used were vice grips. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2020, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753/34 "2020-02-13T12:46:19Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > In one sense they are useful in that theives may pass by a car with them in favor of one without. Crimes of opportunity, and all that. Yup, locks, ALL locks, just force the thief to take more time and make more noise. In general, locks just give the good guys more opportunity to notice the bad guys. Don’t believe me, there’s a number of YouTube channels dedicated to showing just how useless some locks are, even the best locks are just ‘speed bumps’. CMC fnord! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-wheel-locks-a-scam-or-are-they-useful/847753.md?page=1)