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I don't think the low life's steal just tires and wheels anymore, they snag the whole car. Takes less time. I just bought mine this summer and it didn't come with a wheel lock key, took it to the shop and they have special sockets now that just grips the outside of the lug and they are off, kinda like a reverse easy out. Even Sears sell the sockets!
If you are going to use locking lug nuts, get the kind that are perfectly round on the outside and have a recessed "key pattern" in the end. The key has a raised "key pattern" the fits in this. They are very hard to remove by using sockets and most reverse "easy outs". McGard locks are this way, see their website:
The locking lug nuts with a raised pattern on the outside circumference of the lugs can be easily defeated. The key in this case is a socket with matching "recessed pattern".
Last edited by Oldvetter; Sep 8, 2010 at 09:39 PM.
If you are going to use locking lug nuts, get the kind that are perfectly round on the outside and have a recessed "key pattern" in the end. The key has a raised "key pattern" the fits in this. They are very hard to remove by using sockets and most reverse "easy outs". McGard locks are this way, see their website:
The locking lug nuts with a raised pattern on the outside circumference of the lugs can be easily defeated. The key in this case is a socket with matching "recessed pattern".
That is the type I had on mine, The socket zipped them off with no problem.
I don't think the low life's steal just tires and wheels anymore, they snag the whole car.
...
There's been two threads I saw in the past month where two C5's had their wheels stolen right off the car in the middle of the night. There's big money in wheels with tires or a set of almost new tires, especially if runflats.
I just bought a new set from Corvette Garage. Look to the left of this forum they are a Supporting Vendor here on the forum. They had a good price on them.
If someone wants your wheels and tires, it's simply a matter of pounding a socket onto the locking lug (only one per tire usually) and backing it right off. Obviously, the more locking lugs you have the safer your wheels and tires are, but besides it being a PITA, it may get fairly expensive. I would think, as Oldvetter mentioned, that, if you go with only one per tire, the ones with the round outer circumference would be the best.
Ed
From: Edmond, OK...One of the first rules of online forums: If you don't like what is said but can't refute it, attack the poster.
I saw an ad for the gorilla guard lock. I was thinking about getting them because it says "The same security design as our Original Gorilla Lock. The security pattern is protected by a free spinning sleeve. Very small area between the security pattern and the sleeve." I think it might take a thief a little longer to get these off? What do you guys think? Here's a pic: http://www.gorilla-auto.com/gorilla.locks