Broken wheel lock key

[AutobahnSHO]

Idiots at NTB broke it after putting two wheels back on. It just spins in the socket.

[Soup DeVille]

1: Fuck wheel locks.

2: If they broke it, they can pay for a new one.

3: If they didn't, take a picture of the wheel lock and you can find the type it is online and order another one

4: But don't do that, go to a local garage, get the wheel lock taken off, and put a regular lug nut there because:

5: See number 1.

[Eye of the Tiger]

1. Fuck wheel locks
2. Fuck NTB
3. See the above post

[AutobahnSHO]

I'll throw some cheap Advance Auto locks on. They're all the same "key" but might slow some idiot for half a second from thinking about stealing them.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'll throw some cheap Advance Auto locks on. They're all the same "key" but might slow some idiot for half a second from thinking about stealing them.

If nothing else, the long splined nuts are the most idiot proof, if least secure type of wheel lock.

[Eye of the Tiger]

https://smile.amazon.com/MIKKUPPA-M12x1-5-Conical-Corvette-Aftermarket/dp/B08MDQCS13/



You can thank me later

[giant_mtb]

1: Fuck wheel locks.
5: See number 1.

Yeah. Unless you're living in "the hood," they're seriously unnceccessarccyyssssyccaarrccyy.

[MrH]

Yeah, I don't understand why anyone would use wheel locks in most cases.  They're miserable.

[Soup DeVille]

Yeah. Unless you're living in "the hood," they're seriously unnceccessarccyyssssyccaarrccyy.

They're pointless everywhere. They don't even slow down somebody trying to steal your wheels. And unless your wheels are the latest spinners or swangaz or whatever stupid fucking trend is hot this year, nobody wants your wheels anyways.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Emergency-Lug-Nut-Socket/dp/

They want your catalytic convertor.

[Eye of the Tiger]

They're pointless everywhere. They don't even slow down somebody trying to steal your wheels. And unless your wheels are the latest spinners or swangaz or whatever stupid fucking trend is hot this year, nobody wants your wheels anyways.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Emergency-Lug-Nut-Socket/dp/

They want your catalytic convertor.

Yes. The latest thing is building a cage around your cats.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If I was stealing things, I would just steal the whole car. I could rip most cars into individual major components and destroy the VIN numbers in about an hour.

[veeman]

Argh.  Went to get new tires (which I had ordered from TireRack and had shipped to a local mechanic) and the mechanic calls me up and says they can't find the wheel lock key.  I drive to the mechanic and they had already gone through the glovebox, center console, and rear compartment where they keep the spare tire and jack.  I can't find it either.  This was a certified used Infiniti QX60.  Mechanic, whom I have done past several services with on both my cars, says he can't do anything and to take the car to Infiniti dealership. The original wheels/tires from the factory are on the car.   This annoys me because I know he can remove them but maybe doesn't want to be responsible for breaking the wheel lock lug?  I go home and the dealership I bought the car from is permanently closed.  Doesn't surprise me because it was an Infiniti dealership. I do some YouTubing.  I don't have the right tools in my garage.  I ordered a kit on Amazon.  Hopefully it'll work with the the wheel lug wrench that comes with the spare jack. 

[giant_mtb]

Those wheel lock lugs are so dumb.  Unless you live in a high-crime area and wheel theft is a legitimate concern, avoid at all costs.  To avoid dumb situations like this.  Otherwise, in the 1:1,000,000 chance your wheels get stolen because you didn't have a wheel lock...that's what insurance is for.

[CaminoRacer]

Those wheel lock lugs are so dumb.  Unless you live in a high-crime area and wheel theft is a legitimate concern, avoid at all costs.  To avoid dumb situations like this.  Otherwise, in the 1:1,000,000 chance your wheels get stolen because you didn't have a wheel lock...that's what insurance is for.

Yup. I don't have wheel locks on any of my cars. I used to have splined lug nuts on the El Camino because the diameter is smaller and helps keep the wheel from getting scratched by the socket. But I took those off and found regular ones that fit just as well.

[veeman]

Rats.  Didn't work (the kit from Amazon).  It had a 21 mm socket which was too big (when I tried to turn it, it would spin) and a 19 mm socket which was too small (couldn't hammer it onto the wheel lock).  I ordered on Amazon now a separate 20 mm 12 point socket.  Hopefully this will work. 

[giant_mtb]

12-point sockets should be avoided almost as much as wheel lock lug nuts.

[Morris Minor]

...  I go home and the dealership I bought the car from is permanently closed.  Doesn't surprise me because it was an Infiniti dealership....  

This is what's making me nervous about keeping my 13 year-old G37 much longer. Last time I was in the dealership it was like a deserted museum. 

[veeman]

12-point sockets should be avoided almost as much as wheel lock lug nuts.

What should I use to get it off (wheel lock)? 

[Eye of the Tiger]

What should I use to get it off (wheel lock)? 

Twist sockets and a big hammer.

These are the exact ones I've ordered multiple times. (They only work about 20 times and then they get too dull)

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Twist-Socket-Set-Extractor/dp/B07JHM34XJ/


Protip: they actually grip better when hammered on at a slight angle

[veeman]

Twist sockets and a big hammer.

These are the exact ones I've ordered multiple times. (They only work about 20 times and then they get too dull)

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Twist-Socket-Set-Extractor/dp/B07JHM34XJ/


Protip: they actually grip better when hammered on at a slight angle

I ordered a very similar kit on Amazon.  The 19 mm was too small. It won't grip.  The 21 mm was too big (after hammering, it would spin when I tried to turn it).  But I did not hammer it over the wheel lock at an angle.

That's why I ordered the 20 mm 12 point socket.

[veeman]

Couldn't get them off with the twist socket or 12 point socket. I think I wasn't hammering them hard enough onto the wheel lock or I couldn't get enough torque on my wrench.  I said f_ck it and went to a local mom and pop mechanic/tire shop (the kind that have a layer of grease on the customer service table including the computer keyboards and the owner is smoking a cigarette while talking to you).  They got them off in 5 minutes and charged me $45. 

The guy said with an Infiniti no problem.  He said some of the German luxury cars have "tamper proof" wheel locks which he might not be able to get off.

I picked up 4 replacement regular lug nuts from  Advanced Auto Parts.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Couldn't get them off with the twist socket or 12 point socket. I think I wasn't hammering them hard enough onto the wheel lock or I couldn't get enough torque on my wrench.  I said f_ck it and went to a local mom and pop mechanic/tire shop (the kind that have a layer of grease on the customer service table including the computer keyboards and the owner is smoking a cigarette while talking to you).  They got them off in 5 minutes and charged me $45. 

The guy said with an Infiniti no problem.  He said some of the German luxury cars have "tamper proof" wheel locks which he might not be able to get off.

I picked up 4 replacement regular lug nuts from  Advanced Auto Parts.

There is a special tool for those German tamper proof ones. Or, you can go through $60 worth of drill bits like I did the first time.