Why wheel locks are a terrible idea....

JoeFromPA · 03-24-2020, 02:33 PM

When you somehow lose your wheel lock key, have your key code card, and there's not a BMW dealer or parts supplier readily available to call and gain access to a replacement wheel lock key.

On the upside: Searching my entire car found a pair of sunglasses I thought were gone forever. So there's that.

White340 · 03-24-2020, 02:38 PM

There are videos on YouTube which show you how to get it off forcefully.

JoeFromPA · 03-24-2020, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White340

There are videos on YouTube which show you how to get it off forcefully.

I got nowhere to go and plenty of time - I can wait.

behindthen0thing · 03-24-2020, 02:47 PM

There's a tool that will grab the exterior of a wheel lock and allow you to zip it off.

JoeFromPA · 03-24-2020, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by behindthen0thing

There's a tool that will grab the exterior of a wheel lock and allow you to zip it off.

Tell me more? I’ve got extra lug bolts so if I can remove
Them I’ll replace them with standard.

porshah · 03-24-2020, 04:39 PM

I replaced wheel locks and went with Wheel Stud conversion. Never been a fan of wheel locks.

behindthen0thing · 03-24-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Tell me more? I’ve got extra lug bolts so if I can remove
Them I’ll replace them with standard.

I've used this with success https://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc...p-00947392000P

MineralWhiteF80 · 03-25-2020, 08:16 AM

When i bought my M4 it came with OEM wheel locks, which i hate. I tried to remove them as soon as i got the car home only to find out the wheel locks were torqued so tight that it broke the wheel lock key. I checked the torque on all the wheel bolts after breaking the key and they all exceeded my 250 ft-lbs max. torque wrench! I literally had to drill the wheel locks out into two pieces since I couldn't remove them even with a strong 1/2" impact gun and several different extractor sockets and cheater methods. Now I'm on a Motorsport Hardware 90 mm stud conversion.

NYBulldog · 03-25-2020, 08:30 AM

Dealers all have master sets that they will let you borrow on-premises through their parts department as an emergency, assuming you have the equipment to remove the bolt yourself. Security wheel locks are great until they strip or you lose your key socket. What boils my blood is when idiots over-torque those security bolts. Happened to me at my dealer... yes even the dealers have idiots that don’t get it. That being said, I have spacers so I can’t even use them. Sometime I think someone may steal my ZCP wheels but I’ve been lucky to live in a decent area.

JoeFromPA · 03-25-2020, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYBulldog

Dealers all have master sets that they will let you borrow on-premises through their parts department as an emergency, assuming you have the equipment to remove the bolt yourself. Security wheel locks are great until they strip or you lose your key socket. What boils my blood is when idiots over-torque those security bolts. Happened to me at my dealer... yes even the dealers have idiots that don’t get it. That being said, I have spacers so I can’t even use them. Sometime I think someone may steal my ZCP wheels but I’ve been lucky to live in a decent area.

You are spot on. Please note all my local dealers are CLOSED for weeks. So now i'm SOL if I had a flat. That was my point behind this is a bad idea (albeit I'll get an extractor/removal tool most likely which is useful multiple times in life).

FYI My father in law had a 2008 mini cooper S. I forget what I was doing to service it but I had to remove the wheel locks and lug nuts. They were torqued to, as best I could tell, between 250-400 lb/fts. Unremovablable without a major breaker bar and stripping. Put me in a bad spot with my FIL but I showed him what was happening.

He took it to the dealer and they kinda played it down. Then they couldn't remove them themselves. They had to cut the ENTIRE WHEEL off the car and then remove the entire hub and replace it. At their cost.

To this day I've never seen anything as ridiculous as over-torquing wheel bolts to that degree. Ironically made my father in law feel better about me touching his vehicles.

JoeFromPA · 03-25-2020, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by behindthen0thing

I've used this with success https://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc...p-00947392000P

Sorry to even ask this but what's the best way to confirm that'll fit our wheel lug/lock sizes?

I'm down with getting that FYI, Seems like a useful kit.

behindthen0thing · 03-27-2020, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

Sorry to even ask this but what's the best way to confirm that'll fit our wheel lug/lock sizes?

I'm down with getting that FYI, Seems like a useful kit.

I'm not sure, they are universal so they should fit.

03-24-2020, 02:33 PM	#1
JoeFromPA Colonel 1795 Rep 2,997 Posts Drives: '15 AW M3 6MT Stripper Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: SE PA iTrader: (0)	Why wheel locks are a terrible idea.... When you somehow lose your wheel lock key, have your key code card, and there's not a BMW dealer or parts supplier readily available to call and gain access to a replacement wheel lock key. On the upside: Searching my entire car found a pair of sunglasses I thought were gone forever. So there's that. __________________ AW/Carbonstructure 6MT 2015 M3 picked up 8/22/2014. Stripper except for adaptive suspension. Weighed at 3,450 pounds with 1/4 fuel. 70,000 miles as of February 2020.
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03-24-2020, 02:38 PM	#2
White340 Lieutenant Colonel 1393 Rep 1,986 Posts Drives: 2018 M3 Comp / 2022 X5 45e Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: NYC iTrader: (3)	There are videos on YouTube which show you how to get it off forcefully. __________________ 2022 X5 45e : AW/Tartufo 2018 M3 Competition : AW/SO 2016 340i xDrive : AW/CR (sold)
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03-24-2020, 02:47 PM	#4
behindthen0thing Captain 840 Rep 937 Posts Drives: M4 Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Germany iTrader: (0)	There's a tool that will grab the exterior of a wheel lock and allow you to zip it off.
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03-24-2020, 04:39 PM	#6
porshah Lieutenant 197 Rep 597 Posts Drives: M4, R8, Huracan - All topdown Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Fairfield, NJ iTrader: (5) Garage List 2018 Audi R8 V10 Sp ... [0.00] 2021 BMW 330e xDrive [0.00] 2017 Lamborghini Hu ... [9.50] 2016 BMW M4 Convert ... [0.00]	I replaced wheel locks and went with Wheel Stud conversion. Never been a fan of wheel locks.
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03-25-2020, 08:16 AM	#8
MineralWhiteF80 Dont listen to me 793 Rep 562 Posts Drives: F82, E92 M3, G30 M550i, E46 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Atlanta,Ga iTrader: (1)	When i bought my M4 it came with OEM wheel locks, which i hate. I tried to remove them as soon as i got the car home only to find out the wheel locks were torqued so tight that it broke the wheel lock key. I checked the torque on all the wheel bolts after breaking the key and they all exceeded my 250 ft-lbs max. torque wrench! I literally had to drill the wheel locks out into two pieces since I couldn't remove them even with a strong 1/2" impact gun and several different extractor sockets and cheater methods. Now I'm on a Motorsport Hardware 90 mm stud conversion.
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03-25-2020, 08:30 AM	#9
NYBulldog Specialist 1310 Rep 2,707 Posts Drives: Nikes Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NuYawk iTrader: (19)	Dealers all have master sets that they will let you borrow on-premises through their parts department as an emergency, assuming you have the equipment to remove the bolt yourself. Security wheel locks are great until they strip or you lose your key socket. What boils my blood is when idiots over-torque those security bolts. Happened to me at my dealer... yes even the dealers have idiots that don’t get it. That being said, I have spacers so I can’t even use them. Sometime I think someone may steal my ZCP wheels but I’ve been lucky to live in a decent area.
	Appreciate 0 Quote