Lost key to anti-theft lug nuts

[glenmore]

I lost the key to the anti-theft lug nuts on my wheels. Anyone ever use the Craftsman Bolt-Out /Nut Remover in this situation?

Thanks

 

[Cobra4B]

Assuming you have a lock-nut on each wheel get 4 cheap deepwell sockets just a tinge smaller than what would properly fit the lug. Hammer them in place and use a breaker bar to break free. You'll ruin the sockets and you're locking lugs, but you'll get your wheels/tires off. This is how many thieves do it and how most wheel/tire shops do it in a pinch.

 

[boostedgt]

if you can drive the vehicle, take it to a tire shop. they might be able to sell you the correct key then you dont have to trash the locking lugs.

 

[Mark-in-NH]

When I bought my truck it came with locking lug nuts and no key.
Somebody told me to take an appropriate sized, 1/2 drive, 12 point socket and hammer it on to the locking nut. I used a nice long 1/2 breaker bar for removal.
It worked like a champ. It didn't damage the socket at all. I installed 4 new standard matching gorilla nuts and I was good to go.
Give it a try.

 

[48548]

I thought if you removed the all of the other lug nuts that one side would come loose because of the others being removed and you could tilt the wheel to the one side. Is that not correct? If it works you could pull it off with your fingers.

 

[Major Ramifications]

I thought if you removed the all of the other lug nuts that one side would come loose because of the others being removed and you could tilt the wheel to the one side. Is that not correct? If it works you could pull it off with your fingers.

WTF?
Each nut is torqued down against the wheel/hub. How could removing all but one loosen the one?

They sell the tool you are looking for, I know that Performance Tool makes it. I have tapped sockets onto the locking nut in the past with great results.

 

[justinmc]

Are these a McGard lock? If so McGard can get you a new key.. even down to sending a digital photo with some measurements they can usually come up with the right one. If its a modern small diameter type lock (found on most tuner wheels with small lug recesses) it'll be hard to get anything over it to "grip" it. I've actually got a lock removal set from matco or mac.. I forget which but it wasn't cheap. If the lock has "sides" to it and isn't perfectly smooth/round you can possibly pound a chrome deep well socket on it and get them off. I've done that before in a pinch but most locks today are round/smooth with no edges. The face has the pattern for the key to recess into and thus turns the lug. IMHO unless you have wheels that are worth $$$ there is no reason for a lock. If its an OEM lock (i.e. Honda, Porsche, etc) its possible the dealer has a "master" set and can remove them for you. Might cost you a tow to the dealership but worth a shot.

I can't find the thread right now but a friend sent me the link to someon genuis on a Honda forum who ended up taking a sawzall to his wheels after he broke a lug bolt off on a VW. LOL.. DO NOT do that.

 

[35mastr]

If the vehichle came from a dealer. They normally put the lock code in with the manual and paper work in your glove box or spare tire,jack location.

The best thing to do is wright down the number and make of the locks somewhere in the car when you purchase them.

So many horror stories of people getting new tires and then having a flat 1-2 years later 400 miles from home with no key for the locks.

I towed many cars back in the day for this reason.

 

[48548]

WTF?
Each nut is torqued down against the wheel/hub. How could removing all but one loosen the one?

They sell the tool you are looking for, I know that Performance Tool makes it. I have tapped sockets onto the locking nut in the past with great results.

Sorry I couldn't remember exactly what I read, but this was a posting that was here in the past, so I just pasted it.

Probably cut or broke it off by now but there is a better way on those type lugs.
It takes a few minutes but nothing is damaged.

Get a good jack.
Lift the wheel you are working on.
Remove all the other lugs, leaving only the lock.
You can at this point spray lubricant or squirt (less getting on the brakes) liquid wrench in there. I never bother but I'm not in the rust zone.

Now, with only one lug holding and the wheel turning, position the wheel till the lock is at 3 or 9 o'clock. Have an assistant hold down the brake pedal. A kid or wife works fine for this.
Carefully lower the vehicle till several hundred pounds are on the tire, while keeping the brake on.
If the tire shifts you can now remove the lock with pliers. If it doesn't, jack it back up, release the brake and rotate the tire to the other position, 3 or 9 o'clock.
Repeat lowing the car till the weight turns the wheel on the lug. It can take a half dozen semi-rotations and lowering with brake locked. After you do one, it is very easy as you get the method down.

I have done about fifty this way. No marking the rim, no tool scrapes, no real work.
The inert type centering lug nuts have clearance around them, this clearance allows the wheel to shift a very small amount when weight is put on the wheel and the hub doesn't turn. That's why you lower the weight onto the wheel with the brake locked.
Once it has 'wiggled' a little, it just unscrews.

Had a bunch of friends in the navy back in the day, they would always deploy, carrying their keys, then we would have to remove the tires and get them aired up, or off the air shocks.
This always works unless they use two or more locking lugs on each wheel.

This is the link to the original thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35373&highlight=broken+wheel+lock&showall=1

 

[WVU Tuba Dale]

It's a sad day in society when we have to lock our stock wheels onto our vehicles. I have seen steel wheels with locks on them.

I have used a socket and breaker bar before. Another method is to use a chisel and hammer, which I have also done with success.

 

[Diesel_Crawler]

It's a sad day in society when we have to lock our stock wheels onto our vehicles. I have seen steel wheels with locks on them.

I have used a socket and breaker bar before. Another method is to use a chisel and hammer, which I have also done with success.

You should not be giving away the trade secrets to how you fund the burn out partys on the weekends

You should be getting us all nice photos of your new tool layouts

 

[nate379]

I have welded nuts on the end of them before.

 

[rhandwor]

http://www.autopart.com/tools/toolsmain/tool/T_A157.htm
These type do less damage.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

if you can drive the vehicle, take it to a tire shop. they might be able to sell you the correct key then you dont have to trash the locking lugs.

and cost around $10.

 

[peter_x]

These type do less damage.[/QUOTE]...ke Bolt-outs but with 12 flutes instead of 6.

 

[rodm1]

Have a welder weld some nuts to them.


This remover set is interesting.
http://www.lockingwheelnutremover.co.uk/indexEnglish.html

 

[Stuart in MN]

It's a sad day in society when we have to lock our stock wheels onto our vehicles.

Kids were stealing hubcaps off cars 60 years ago, it's nothing new.

 

[porschedude996TT]

My son lost his puzzle lock key and needed to get some new tires. Of course it was all my fault that he lost his key...

Anyway, I used my 2X Pneumatic Rivet Gun and a pointy tip. Engaged the puzzle at an angle and they come right off. They are ruined but they are off.

 

[j-easy]

I would try to buy a replacement key first.

 

[1stwarrior95]

Snap on makes a socket set just for this purpose. I'll get the # for 'em for ya.

 

[glenmore]

Thank you for all for a very complete compendium of techniques depending on the type of lock you have. A few things I learned. When you buy locks, be sure to send in the registration card. No problem later if you lose the packaging that has the code on it. I thought mine were McGard but turns out they were some long forgotten brand so getting a new key was out. McGard only made an old model with 8 splines. Mine had seven. The sacrificial 12 pt socket or a tool like the Craftsman Bolt-Out works best with a spline lock. I went with the Craftsman tool kit for $20. The first one took several tries before I finally got the hang of it. It takes pounding with a hammer in a rocking pattern to get it to seat and then slow pressure from your breaker bar is all it takes. A good reminder to always torque your lug nuts particularly after you've been to a shop. I would have had a hell of a time if some shop torqued them a lot more. Another tip, using a torque wrench, tighten all the nuts an extra 5-8 lbs except for the lock nut, thereby easing the pressure on the lock nut.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

good thing everything worked out easy.

 

[mikeceli]

I thought if you removed the all of the other lug nuts that one side would come loose because of the others being removed and you could tilt the wheel to the one side. Is that not correct? If it works you could pull it off with your fingers.

Are you "Miss South Corolina"?

 

[Motofixxer]

I bought a truck with an antitheft lug nut and there was no key. I just stopped by a local tire shop and asked if they could buzz it off for me. They said sure no problem. Took him 2 sec to buzz it off with his impact and some kinda socket. I don't know what, and don't really care. Gave him 2 bucks and said thx buy yourself a soda or something.

 

[48548]

Are you "Miss South Corolina"?

Since I have no brains and can't remember word for word, here is the original posting, thanks and have a great day. I don't know if it works either, I would assume it does.

Probably cut or broke it off by now but there is a better way on those type lugs.
It takes a few minutes but nothing is damaged.

Get a good jack.
Lift the wheel you are working on.
Remove all the other lugs, leaving only the lock.
You can at this point spray lubricant or squirt (less getting on the brakes) liquid wrench in there. I never bother but I'm not in the rust zone.

Now, with only one lug holding and the wheel turning, position the wheel till the lock is at 3 or 9 o'clock. Have an assistant hold down the brake pedal. A kid or wife works fine for this.
Carefully lower the vehicle till several hundred pounds are on the tire, while keeping the brake on.
If the tire shifts you can now remove the lock with pliers. If it doesn't, jack it back up, release the brake and rotate the tire to the other position, 3 or 9 o'clock.
Repeat lowing the car till the weight turns the wheel on the lug. It can take a half dozen semi-rotations and lowering with brake locked. After you do one, it is very easy as you get the method down.

I have done about fifty this way. No marking the rim, no tool scrapes, no real work.
The inert type centering lug nuts have clearance around them, this clearance allows the wheel to shift a very small amount when weight is put on the wheel and the hub doesn't turn. That's why you lower the weight onto the wheel with the brake locked.
Once it has 'wiggled' a little, it just unscrews.

Had a bunch of friends in the navy back in the day, they would always deploy, carrying their keys, then we would have to remove the tires and get them aired up, or off the air shocks.
This always works unless they use two or more locking lugs on each wheel.

This is the link to the original thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35373&highlight=broken+wheel+lock&showall=1

 

[glenmore]

Since I have no brains and can't remember word for word, here is the original posting, thanks and have a great day. I don't know if it works either, I would assume it does.




This is the link to the original thread.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35373&highlight=broken+wheel+lock&showall=1

Thank you for posting this method. Nice to know if you are stuck someplace with just your jack and lug wrench.

 

[48548]

Not sure if would help or if I would try it, but it sounded like it might work and it was talked about a lot in the past. Anything to help someone out.

 

[ripsnortMN]

These things are no joke! Just yesterday I removed two totally rounded out lug nuts. Just hammered the tool on and turned it with an extra long breaker bar. These are worth every penny!

 

[tonydanzah]

these work very good also, they even come small metal dowel to punch them out of the socket after removal. http://www.tooltopia.com/lock-technology-4300.aspx

 

[Kestas]

I heard of some people using a socket that has a bunch of sliding pins in it. It was marketed years ago as a universal socket that conforms to any fastener.

I recently removed the locking lug nuts on my 19 year old Mercury and replaced them with regular lug nuts. Now it's easier for me to work on my car, plus I doubt any thief would be interested in my aluminum wheels with flaking clearcoat.

 

[flashpuppy]

http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=2684546

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[Crasen]

I heard of some people using a socket that has a bunch of sliding pins in it. It was marketed years ago as a universal socket that conforms to any fastener.

I recently removed the locking lug nuts on my 19 year old Mercury and replaced them with regular lug nuts. Now it's easier for me to work on my car, plus I doubt any thief would be interested in my aluminum wheels with flaking clearcoat.

Was it the Gator socket? I wouldn't think it would be strong enough but yoou never know, http://www.endeavorproducts.com/

 

[Kestas]

Yes, that's the one. I have no experence with it, just anecdotal stories I've read.

 

[brokenknee]

It list for $61.99. Have used them at work with varying success.

 

[Elroy]

Forget getting a new key. Just get out the Sawzall and watch all your troubles go down the drain.

http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=2684546

This genius was also cited previously here so you can read all about it:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51988