Lug Nut Locks

[Gary Gall]

Hey all,

Glad to be a part of this community! I have a question about wheel locks for your rims. I have a set of RBP Rims. I live in the Los Angeles area, so I do have concern about someone trying to steal them.

Does anyone have any suggestions on wheel/rim locks for those specific rims? Thank you, and I am grateful for the info. Have a great day!

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[SargeDiesel]

Hey all,

Glad to be a part of this community! I have a question about wheel locks for your rims. I have a set of RBP Rims. I live in the Los Angeles area, so I do have concern about someone trying to steal them.

Does anyone have any suggestions on wheel/rim locks for those specific rims? Thank you, and I am grateful for the info. Have a great day!

I'm sure you are already aware, but any wheel/lug nut lock can be defeated. With that said , it does give you an added sense of security. I have them installed on my wheels as just for that reason.
I have RBP and Black Rhino Rims and my suggestion would be to buy the best quality you can afford.

I personally use Gorilla products.
https://www.gorilla-auto.com/

 

[Upnarms]

I'm sure you are already aware, but any wheel/lug nut lock can be defeated. With that said , it does give you an added sense of security. I have them installed on my wheels as just for that reason.
I have RBP and Black Rhino Rims and my suggestion would be to buy the best quality you can afford.

I personally use Gorilla products.
https://www.gorilla-auto.com/

This^^^

I never realized how easy it is to remove locking lug nuts till i lost the key once. A hammer and socket, done. I stopped using them because they were more of a hassle to the owner than the thieves. Other than welding them onto the studs or parking in a garage, don't know what to tell you.

 

[Eyeball]

This^^^

I never realized how easy it is to remove locking lug nuts till i lost the key once. A hammer and socket, done. I stopped using them because they were more of a hassle to the owner than the thieves. Other than welding them onto the studs or parking in a garage, don't know what to tell you.

Yes, they can be defeated but they would have to smack that socket on pretty hard with several bangs on each lug to overcome the 120-130 pounds of torque without slipping. That would create some serious racket… If they are in front of your home at 2am banging away you will hear them before they are through.

Edit: I don't know if these will fit your wheels but good luck to a thief trying to defeat these with a hammer and a socket…

 

[Upnarms]

Yes, they can be defeated but they would have to smack that socket on pretty hard to overcome the 120-130 pounds of torque without slipping. That would create some serious racket… If they are in front of your home at 2am banging away you will hear them before they are through.

Takes a second. A good hammer only takes one hit. Do what makes you feel comfy. They hack off catalytic converters without people hearing, if they want your rims they'll prob get them. ?

On a side note, A local dealer had all the Rubicon spares stolen off their aux lot a couple years back. Don't think they had the locks but prob wouldn't have mattered.

Sleep in your jeep and carry a scatter gun. That'll stop them, but the OP is in the LA area so they'll probably arrest them for carrying a gun in the car

 

[Eyeball]

Takes a second. A good hammer only takes one hit. Do what makes you feel comfy. They hack off catalytic converters without people hearing, if they want your rims they'll prob get them. ?

On a side note, A local dealer had all the Rubicon spares stolen off their aux lot a couple years back. Don't think they had the locks but prob wouldn't have mattered.

Sleep in your jeep and carry a scatter gun. That'll stop them, but the OP is in the LA area so they'll probably arrest them for carrying a gun in the car

I don't know if these will fit OPs wheels but good luck to a thief trying to defeat these with a hammer and a socket… They will likely move into an easier target.

However, I can easily see things going wrong really fast on a trailside tire change.

 

[bjm00se]

Personally, I'm more worried about getting a flat out while wheeling and not having a lug nut key. But my Jeep lives in my garage most of the time.

Question for you folks who use wheel locks. Where do you keep the lug key??

1. If it's in the glove box, all the thieves have to do is bash the window and look in there.
2. If it's not in the vehicle, what do you do when you get a flat?

I'd go with plain lugs if I could, but my Method rims don't have the clearance for them and require spline lugs. So I keep two spline sockets on hand. One in the glovebox, one in the toolbox.

 

[Upnarms]

I don't know if these will fit OPs wheels but good luck to a thief trying to defeat these with a hammer and a socket… They will likely move into an easier target.

However, I can easily see things going wrong really fast on a trailside tire change.

Interesting design. I agree, I'd worry about losing the key myself and hoping some shop wouldn't lose it either. I priced it out and for 5 and an extra key was 175ish. Dang. I guess if the wheels are that valuable maybe worth a try.

For that money, you could always buy 4 of these! ?

 

[Deleted User 38384]

This^^^

I never realized how easy it is to remove locking lug nuts till i lost the key once. A hammer and socket, done. I stopped using them because they were more of a hassle to the owner than the thieves. Other than welding them onto the studs or parking in a garage, don't know what to tell you.

I use the OEM locking lug nuts which came with my Willys Sport when I'm running my OEM wheels, But eventually I'll probably replace those with just a normal acorns.

You're right though, the only person they inconvenience is you as the owner. I went to get my second free oil change, they couldn't rotate my tires because I forgot my key lock at home. And then again when I had my OEM tires reinstalled with my highway terrains, same thing got all the way to the shop, then had to drive 20 minutes back home just to get the damn key... What a hassle they are!

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Interesting design. I agree, I'd worry about losing the key myself and hoping some shop wouldn't lose it either. I priced it out and for 5 and an extra key was 175ish. Dang. I guess if the wheels are that valuable maybe worth a try.

For that money, you could always buy 4 of these! ?

I said this on another thread of mine, but I don't think there's any real way to guarantee a thief won't steal something from your vehicle or your vehicle as a whole. I think your best bet is to inconvenience them to no end. Make them jump through hoops just to get what they want. I'm sure these guys are looking to get in and out, and the second it's taking them an hour and a half to get your wheels off or to start your vehicle, I'm pretty sure they'll leave. It's just running up the risk factor of getting a nice peppering of buckshot in the face!

Here's a thought, just run like 8 or 10 separate chains between the wheels, with their own locks on each. Make them run around your vehicle with bolt cutters cutting each chain just to get to the point where they can start undoing your bolts. Maybe put a couple different bolt locks on each wheel, with different size heads. Make them hammer all 20 lug nuts with different size sockets. If they're out there long enough, either they're going to get tired of it and move on to the next vehicle, or you can catch them in the act and turn it into a fantasy or something...

 

[BigMaCro]

I use Advanced Wheel Locks.

 

[Ang1Sgt]

I use wheel locks on all 5 wheels on my Jeeps, always have and always will. Been pretty thankful that over the years the quick thieves won’t take the time to walk up the hill in my yard to check anything, then there is my very over protective Service Dog that watches everything that goes by HIS Yard! LOL.

My lug of choice is the McGard brand. Made in the USA about 60 miles from my house in Orchard Park NY also home to the BUFFALO BILLS! I’ve never had an issue with these lugs, they have never ever rusted on me, and being that “I” do my 5 tire rotations, I can keep the key in a place that I know where it is.

 

[Gary Gall]

I'm sure you are already aware, but any wheel/lug nut lock can be defeated. With that said , it does give you an added sense of security. I have them installed on my wheels as just for that reason.
I have RBP and Black Rhino Rims and my suggestion would be to buy the best quality you can afford.

I personally use Gorilla products.
https://www.gorilla-auto.com/

Thank you!

 

[SargeDiesel]

Personally, I'm more worried about getting a flat out while wheeling and not having a lug nut key. But my Jeep lives in my garage most of the time.

Question for you folks who use wheel locks. Where do you keep the lug key??

1. If it's in the glove box, all the thieves have to do is bash the window and look in there.
2. If it's not in the vehicle, what do you do when you get a flat?

I'd go with plain lugs if I could, but my Method rims don't have the clearance for them and require spline lugs. So I keep two spline sockets on hand. One in the glovebox, one in the toolbox.

Typically if a thief is bashing windows, they probably are not after your wheels. Wheel thiefs usually come prepared and go straight to the wheels... that said and to answer your question, I’ve always kept mine in a pouch inside the glove box.

Aren't your spline lugs anti-theft also ? I know mine are. They have a specific pattern and work with the set of splines they came with..

 

[Boatbuilder88]

Hey all,

Glad to be a part of this community! I have a question about wheel locks for your rims. I have a set of RBP Rims. I live in the Los Angeles area, so I do have concern about someone trying to steal them.

Does anyone have any suggestions on wheel/rim locks for those specific rims? Thank you, and I am grateful for the info. Have a great day!

I use Gorilla spline lug nuts. Set of 23.

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