help with wheel locks

ilpadrino · Post by **ilpadrino** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:37 pm

I know there was a post not too long ago about this subject, but I need more information.

Here's the deal: the aftermarket wheels on the car now came with them. I was given the wheel lock key and all that good stuff. My car was broken into (the radio was stolen) and they took the wheel lock key. I could simply get a replacement but I don't want to because I'm worried that they'll come back to take the wheels.

So i wanna get a new set of wheel locks. I saw the McGard's that was mentioned in that earlier post but I'm a little hazy on what sizes to get.

I did some reading and according to the booklets there, our neons use 12mmx1.50. Is that correct? Does it matter what type I get? I noticed they got like the regular bolt style, acorn etc. Also, does it matter that I got these aftermarket wheels? Meaning, I wouldn't need a different wheel lock size because these aren't stock wheels?

I dunno if this matters but today while I was at the mechanic, they had to remove the wheels to check the brakes, and since I don't have the key, they had to take that one nut the hard way--hence the reason why I desparately need a new wheel lock set. So, yeah, I'm running on 4 nuts instead of the 5.

Please, help. Thanks.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 4:40 pm

its acorn - take a factory lug to them and say, "i need a set of wheel locks to fit these stock lugs BUT they must be different from these (show them the wheel locks that the key was stolen for)" and yes, its M12x1.50

ilpadrino · Post by **ilpadrino** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 5:09 pm

tamadrumr88 wrote:its acorn - take a factory lug to them and say, "i need a set of wheel locks to fit these stock lugs BUT they must be different from these (show them the wheel locks that the key was stolen for)" and yes, its M12x1.50

I don't have the factory lug nuts--unless the ones on the aftermarket wheels are factory. In fact, the stock wheels were never given to me

Besides that, I figured I would take a lug from the wheels now and just bring it in and match it up. I should be covered then, right?

Thanks.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Fri Aug 26, 2005 7:03 pm

you should be, pm'd you

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 12:28 am

some styles of locks are better, because if you think your wheels are safe because you have locks on them, your sadly mistaken... you should look for a particular style........i'll take pics of my locks tomorrow.

ilpadrino · Post by **ilpadrino** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 12:46 am

dblsg wrote:some styles of locks are better, because if you think your wheels are safe because you have locks on them, your sadly mistaken... you should look for a particular style........i'll take pics of my locks tomorrow.

yeah, but isn't no lock less safe than having a lock?

anyway, more than one "style" would fit? I thought it was just one particular kind.

Let me know about yours. Thanks.

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 3:05 pm

didn't come out very good, but hopefully you can see that (1)the key fits into the lock as opposed to (2)the key fitting over the lock.... the second style are very easy to take off without a key, all you have to do is get a socket and pound it on to the lock with a 'bfh', and the lock is taken off just like a regular lug nut.

that is why i prefer the first style, the lock fits snug around the hole in the wheel.

ilpadrino · Post by **ilpadrino** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 10:12 pm

Good call! Thanks! I actually did take care of that dilemma this morning. I thought the same thing too about those kinds of locks, hence the reason why I chose one of them

The McGards are like that, aren't they?

Thanks for the help, again.

Post by **Diablo0** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 1:00 am

dblsg wrote:
didn't come out very good, but hopefully you can see that (1)the key fits into the lock as opposed to (2)the key fitting over the lock.... the second style are very easy to take off without a key, all you have to do is get a socket and pound it on to the lock with a 'bfh', and the lock is taken off just like a regular lug nut.

that is why i prefer the first style, the lock fits snug around the hole in the wheel.

If I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing I'd be careful about open end lugs. Water can easily get into the threads and start rusting seizing them to the nut. After awhile and you try to take them off you have a good chance of snapping a few studs. I stamped 3-5 after I used open lugs during the winter months on steel wheels.

ilpadrino · Post by **ilpadrino** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 9:31 am

Good point about that, too. But i was planning on switching the wheels come the winter months. So hopefully i can avoid getting burned like that.