NTB recently lost the locking lug key to the lugnuts on my car. I hadn't even thought about them being on since I haven't owned the car a year. I have been working on other things and part of the deal of getting the car was new tires put on and had them rebalanced at the place that I had service the transmission and do an alignment. They were off and on twice since last July.

I just got new tires (had a thread asking about tires recently).

Luckily I have all the documentation for my car since it was bought and Amcor is still in business. They sent me a new key and NTB is reimbursing me. Since the car is garaged and not out of my sight for long, I am removing them.

So to put an thought into your heads:

1. Who is using locking lugnuts on their cars ?

2. Do you still have the key code for replacement ?

3. Is the company still in business ?

2 & 3 are probably the most important. Could keep you from potentially having damaged wheels if you have to cut off a lug nut.

 

Use a slightly oversized socket, 13/16 comes to mind, and hammer it on the locking lug nut, use your ratchet to back it off. It will mess up your socket so get a cheap one from the "Zone".

 

My new to me C4 did not have the security socket, so as posted in another thread, I ised a 13/16 6 point impact socket. It worked great and my socket is still good....... I replaced my with regular lug nuts

 

I got rid of mine, one of the first things I did, there a real pain and useless in my opinion, if someone is going to steal the wheels they will get them off regaurdless of locks.I just put 4 new reg. lugnuts on. Any tire shop will pull them off even if you don't have the key, they have special removeal sockets.

 

Mine had 1 wheel with a locking nut when I bought it. used a buddies lug nut remover to get it off.

While I was at it I chased all the studs and replaced all the lug nuts.

 

I keep my lock attached to the top removal tool.

However I also have a set of these. Removing locks is just as easy as removing lugs so I don't much care if I lose the key.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc-...p-00947392000P

 

I have a really nice kit I bought a few years back similar to divotdug, except mine has about 10 pieces. The 86 I just bought had 4 locks, no key... I had them off with my kit in about 15 minutes.... Its a tool you think you might only use once.... but Im glad I had it years later....

 

I would bet that there is probably only a couple variations of the locking lugs that were made during any given year, if that many. It would become very expensive to create the tooling for more than that and keep them inventoried so someone could call 20 yrs later and have it in their hands in 3 days. It would be far easier to print different numbers on people's key cards and simply cross reference them back to the correct lug/socket.

It would take a special set like those sockets to get the Amcor ones off. Mine are round with grooves cut in them. The round portion is smaller than the threads (of course) for the plastic nut covers.

NTB had 2 other styles in their locking drawer. There are at least 2 other folks driving around with locking lugs and no key. One was a similar style, but larger in diameter to the Amcor, the other was round but had a shape cut out in the top (closed end nut) that the matching shape was in the bottom of the lug tool.

No shops around here have the master keys anymore. On Amcor's site is a listing of Chevy/GM dealerships that would have had the master keys. They are either long out of business or they threw them away. Yep they told me that. They threw them away.

It is much easier to get them off with the correct tool. NTB dodged a bullet on this. They would have had to cover any damage done getting them off.

This thread is doing exactly what I intended. Poking a thought into folk's brain. With the different tools/methods being shared, it will save someone some aggravation down the road when they "remember reading about that".

 

Ok, Im lost.... do you want them off or not? We told you how to do it. Buy a kit especially for this purpose, go to the store and buy a new set of locks, dont loose the key. Case closed.

 

I bought a new set from my local Chevy dealer last summer. They look great and priced under $40. I keep the 'key' next to the top removal tool just like divotdug posted earlier. It isn't a lot of extra security but any additional steps you require a criminal to take is a good thing. Getting new 'collector' wheels isn't an easy task.

 

I have had quite a few cars with the factory locks.

On all of them, I removed the locks and put on regular lugs. I put the locks in a small container with the key(s) on a shelf in the garage. The only time I put them back on is when I am selling the car.

I just don't think the factory 16" or 17" wheels are a real theft target any more. It seems like everyone is only looking for 18"+ wheels now.

 

see post #1.

The case was closed in post one.

This is exactly what the one of the folks at NTB said when I gave them the receipt this morning and they deposited the money back into my account. We were talking about taking the locking ones off and getting a set of tires for my travel trailer. I told them as long as I get good deals and good service that we have 2 pickups, the Vette, the travel trailer and the yard trailer all in rotation for tires. Them giving me a good deal on the Vette tires and not giving any hassle at all about paying for the locking lug nut tool replacement was good PR in my book.

 

I just replaced the tires on my 86 a couple of months ago. I had the oem lug and lock nuts on the originals when I bought the car. They were too shallow for the new rims and being the rims were such a bear to find in the first place, I got lug nuts that take a special socket to get off. I got 2 sockets right away, one is with me when I drive the car and one is in my storage area with the Vette stuff as a backup.

I tried various sae and metric sockets on the new lug nuts, none fit and if you tried them outside of being mounted on the car, if it was big enough to go over the lug nuts, it didn't grip them so I guess I'd better not lose both those special sockets.

 

My friend with the 90 here in Ohio has special lug nuts and did the same, bought 2. 1 stays in the car, the other at home put up.