No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: New Albany IN
No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My '70 has been in the shop for all most two months having the engine rebuilt. I stopped by last Friday, August 8, to check on the progress. While I was there they asked me where the key was to my wheel locks. ( One of my wheels has a crack in it and while my car was in their shop they found me a used wheel that matches the rest of mine and they were goint to put it on. ) I replied in the center rear storage compartment. They said it wasn't there. I looked and it was no where to be found.
They asked me when was the last time the wheels were off. I replied in their shop several months ago when they did rear end work. They want $100.00 to remove the locks.
How can I remove the locks if I wait until I get the car back? Can it be done with out tearing up anything else? I don't think I should pay them to remove the locks. Just in case I had removed the key, but I don't think I did, I have tore the house and garage apart and found nothing.
This same shop lost one of my original center console vent ***** almost a year ago when the car was in for repairs. They gave me a set of the GM replacements but those are not the same as what came on the '70. If anybody out there has one of these ***** or could pick me up one at a gathering let me know? I'll pay you, through Pay Pal if you want.
[Modified by Raydon 3000, 10:28 PM 8/9/2003]
[Modified by Raydon 3000, 10:29 PM 8/9/2003]
They asked me when was the last time the wheels were off. I replied in their shop several months ago when they did rear end work. They want $100.00 to remove the locks.
How can I remove the locks if I wait until I get the car back? Can it be done with out tearing up anything else? I don't think I should pay them to remove the locks. Just in case I had removed the key, but I don't think I did, I have tore the house and garage apart and found nothing.
This same shop lost one of my original center console vent ***** almost a year ago when the car was in for repairs. They gave me a set of the GM replacements but those are not the same as what came on the '70. If anybody out there has one of these ***** or could pick me up one at a gathering let me know? I'll pay you, through Pay Pal if you want.
[Modified by Raydon 3000, 10:28 PM 8/9/2003]
[Modified by Raydon 3000, 10:29 PM 8/9/2003]
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 7,032
Likes: 2
From: Newburgh NY
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!
Should take 2 seconds to get them off with a special socket. I forgot the key when I went for an alignment. They have a beveled socket that fits over the end of the lock and they give it a whack. Then put a wrench on it and presto, done.
Kinda scarry actually. Check with your local alignment shop. I'll bet they have one.
Kinda scarry actually. Check with your local alignment shop. I'll bet they have one.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! (78Vette-SA)
Should take 2 seconds to get them off with a special socket. I forgot the key when I went for an alignment. They have a beveled socket that fits over the end of the lock and they give it a whack. Then put a wrench on it and presto, done.
Gary
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 98
From: Ontario
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks! (Raydon 3000)
Any tire shop or car dealer will have the extractors.
http://www.ingallseng.com/images/5120.jpg
http://www.ingallseng.com/images/5120.jpg
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,269
Likes: 3
From: St. Charles IL
Cruise-In 5-6-7-8-9-11-12 Veteran
A CI-6 Car Show Winner
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP(Raydon 3000)
Kinda makes you wonder why bother with wheel locks in the first place. Any thief that wants them bad enough is probably equipped with the extractors. :mad
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 19,882
Likes: 0
From: Troll Free Zone
CI 4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Re: No Key To (moosie982)
Hi, Find a new shop to get your work done at.
Why would the key NOT be where you left it???? Hmmmmm. New shop? :yesnod:
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
Likes: 3
From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: No Key To (FASGLAS)
Hi, Find a new shop to get your work done at.
Why would the key NOT be where you left it???? Hmmmmm. New shop? :yesnod:
Why would the key NOT be where you left it???? Hmmmmm. New shop? :yesnod:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,490
Likes: 0
From: A high school diploma fixing what a college degree broke TN
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Re: No Key To (BSeery)
I've known people to buy cars and not get the lock with the car.They just hammered a 13/16? deepwell socket over the lug nut and backed it off,probaly screws up the socket but cheaper than $100.
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 477
Likes: 0
From: KS
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP
If all the above great responses don't do the trick, a last resort is tack-welding a socket to the locking lug, then removing it with the socket wrench. However, try to keep the heat to a minimum and away from the hub/rotor.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 0
From: Why Drive When you can ride
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Raydon 3000)
Do they want $100 to remove all four locks? If so thats not too bad. Those wheel locks are a waste of money, IMO. A few weeks ago I was polishing my wheels, and wanted to take the wheels off to do it. Well, I have the key for my wheel locks, and was able to get three of the wheels off. The last wheel had the wheel lock torqued on to tightly, and there was no way I could get it off. I ended up taking the car to a shop in Bradford, even there they couldn't get the thing off, ended up having to chisel the lock off the wheel, didn't damage the wheel though. As a result of this expierence I didn't put any of those locks back on, and will never use those silly things again. The car is insured, someone steels the wheels I'll get new ones. To me those wheel locks are as usless as a car alarm, IMHO.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 0
From: Why Drive When you can ride
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP (Master Ho)
If all the above great responses don't do the trick, a last resort is tack-welding a socket to the locking lug, then removing it with the socket wrench. However, try to keep the heat to a minimum and away from the hub/rotor.
[Modified by Dwayne 76, 4:10 PM 8/11/2003]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 0
From: Ajax Ontario
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP (Dwayne 76)
I didn't realize these were that easy to remove! Sheesh....our forum members know all the tricks....as do wheel thieves!! Hmmmm....never mind!! :leaving:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 0
From: Why Drive When you can ride
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP (68shark)
I didn't realize these were that easy to remove! Sheesh....our forum members know all the tricks....as do wheel thieves!! Hmmmm....never mind!! :leaving:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 8,339
Likes: 24
From: I can walk to MA
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP (Dwayne 76)
SnapOn has a special socket that has pins in it to match the shape of the lock opening. No banging on - just press in place and turn. I know body shop guys that have used these.
Personally - I would weld a bolt to the end on the nut - IF Vise Grips or a pipe
wrench failed to get somewhere.
Another idea: Grind flats into the end of the nut - making a new hex for
something like a 3/4" socket.
Good luck. :seeya
Personally - I would weld a bolt to the end on the nut - IF Vise Grips or a pipe
wrench failed to get somewhere.
Another idea: Grind flats into the end of the nut - making a new hex for
something like a 3/4" socket.
Good luck. :seeya
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: New Albany IN
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Called McGard Wheel Locks today. They said send them a mold of the lock and $10.00 and they would send me a key. The mold and the $10.00 are in the mail. Can't wait to see what they send. If this dosen't work I'll have to try one of your ideas. Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll let you know what happens.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Wyandotte MI
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP
This is hilarious! Trust me I'm not laughing--I just posted getting a 'good deal' on some Rallys--well can't find my key either--so this is what I did. Took some vise grips and squeezed those suckers on there and tried to turn--the dang chrome wheel locks are to smooth and slips off. So I thought screw'em, turned on the air compressor and dug out the die grinder and ground 2 slight flat sides on each wheel lock and then tried the vise grips again, this time putting my hitch extension(for my truck--2x2" steel square tube 5' long) over the vise grips for added torque--worked on 3 :hurray: but the last 1 is giving me problems ofcourse or this would've been too easy :mad . Anyway, tomorrow I'll grind that sucker a little more and gett'er off there. Give it a try--use a file if you have to--$100 my butt--took me 20 min to get 3 off! That's why you have to do all the work on these vettes--or your going to get ripped! :D
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: New Albany IN
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!(Raydon 3000)
Got the new key from Mcgard. It worked just fine. Cost $10.00. What keeps anybody from sending off for a key to anybody else's locks?
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Brant NY
Re: No Key To Wheel Locks, HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!! (78Vette-SA)
99% of all wheel locks are made at McGard Industries in Orchard Park, NY near Buffalo NY call them they can help you out!