Locking Lug Nuts
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 81
Likes: 3
From: West Palm beach Florida
Locking Lug Nuts
Looking for some feedback on a good set of locking lug nuts. Car is garaged, but when I'm out, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
Wheels are factory 2012 Z06 black with red stripe. What I've been finding are either too small for the rim contact area or the plating flakes off after removing them a couple of times (and not with an impact). Was looking for something black with more than the ridged lug, as I have been able to remove those type with just vise grip pliers.
Anyone have a recommendation?
Wheels are factory 2012 Z06 black with red stripe. What I've been finding are either too small for the rim contact area or the plating flakes off after removing them a couple of times (and not with an impact). Was looking for something black with more than the ridged lug, as I have been able to remove those type with just vise grip pliers.
Anyone have a recommendation?
Last edited by Florida_1959; Jan 3, 2020 at 08:05 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
Locking lug nuts are a waste of time and money. A locking lug nut removal tool costs $20 on Ebay. Anyone stealing wheels, working in a tire shop, or working at a wrecking yard already has one.
And yes thieves come prepared. They are already bringing a jack, lug wrench, blocks, a lookout, a truck to haul away your wheels among other items and yes they will have a locking lug nut removal tool as they know a lot of folks with expensive wheels think locking lug nuts will keep their wheels ssfe. Hope that helps :-)
And yes thieves come prepared. They are already bringing a jack, lug wrench, blocks, a lookout, a truck to haul away your wheels among other items and yes they will have a locking lug nut removal tool as they know a lot of folks with expensive wheels think locking lug nuts will keep their wheels ssfe. Hope that helps :-)
Last edited by Iceaxe; Jan 3, 2020 at 09:57 AM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 381
Likes: 58
From: Pittsburgh PA
Locking lug nuts are a waste of time and money. A locking lug nut removal tool costs $20 on Ebay. Anyone stealing wheels, working in a tire shop, or working at a wrecking yard already has one.
And yes thieves come prepared. They are already bringing a jack, lug wrench, blocks, a lookout, a truck to haul away your wheels among other items and yes they will have a locking lug nut removal tool as they know a lot of folks with expensive wheels think locking lug nuts will keep their wheels ssfe. Hope that helps :-)
And yes thieves come prepared. They are already bringing a jack, lug wrench, blocks, a lookout, a truck to haul away your wheels among other items and yes they will have a locking lug nut removal tool as they know a lot of folks with expensive wheels think locking lug nuts will keep their wheels ssfe. Hope that helps :-)
truly, unfortunately this. I've seen people get jacked at drag strips with portable air compressors and air hammers... my buddy working in a salvage yard can spin lugnuts off with an air hammer causing no damage to wheels like a champ...
Last edited by sonnysucks; Jan 3, 2020 at 10:15 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 6,443
Likes: 370
From: Maryville TN
St. Jude Donor '06-13,'16-'17, '19
Pro
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 675
Likes: 195
From: Green Oak Township, Michigan
waste of time and money. If the pros want them wheels,....They'll get them. They will follow you for a week or more if they have to. Instead of lug nuts,.....buy a bigger rear view mirror. ....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,484
Likes: 261
From: Miami Florida
Don’t waste your time to lock up the doors and close your windows why waste your time leave the windows down and your doors open couse if the thieves want they just bust the windows and they are in so why bother all posts considered haha!
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
The big winner in the locking lug nut game is the guy selling them.
YMMV
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,649
Likes: 863
OK - I tend to think McGard is the standard in Locking Lugs. I have used their locking lugs, and I have had to remove a set without a key - and I was successfull at it.
I know that some dealerships sell McGard lugs (at an outrageous mark-up) as an option, and IMHO - they are probably the best bang for the buck. But - if someone wants to get them off - they will. Basically - look at it as keeping honest people honest. Just make sure you put the key code somewhere you can find it should you lose your key.
I know that some dealerships sell McGard lugs (at an outrageous mark-up) as an option, and IMHO - they are probably the best bang for the buck. But - if someone wants to get them off - they will. Basically - look at it as keeping honest people honest. Just make sure you put the key code somewhere you can find it should you lose your key.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 313
Likes: 24
Some years ago I had all four wheels removed from my C5, in the driveway. The car was balanced on two cinder blocks, before leaving the thieves were nice enough to spin the lugs back onto the studs including the locking nuts. Strange but true
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,484
Likes: 261
From: Miami Florida
Mutekis are lug nuts with a spline drive so the thieve wants to steal a wheel he will basically have to remove 5 lug nuts without the spline socket and been so short they are inside the wheel no room for anything other than a needle nose and makes for a very slow business for thieves and at 24 grams each is a no brainer imo they also come in chrome and colors.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
Mutekis are lug nuts with a spline drive so the thieve wants to steal a wheel he will basically have to remove 5 lug nuts without the spline socket and been so short they are inside the wheel no room for anything other than a needle nose and makes for a very slow business for thieves and at 24 grams each is a no brainer imo they also come in chrome and colors.
My father-in-law owns a salvage yard. I have yet to see a locking lug nut that even puts up a reasonable fight. Rusty and over-torqued lug nuts put up a bigger fight.
YMMV
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,555
Likes: 1,255
From: Saint Albans, WV
The thieves were mocking you for thinking the locks would stop them.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,243
Likes: 1,133
From: North Myrtle Beach SC
Wife had GM locking lugs on her Buick. Oil change tech tightened them with impact gun. Next oil change and rotation it cost me $75 to get the damaged lugs off. Would have been fun if car had gotten a flat on side of road.
