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Preventing Spare Tire Theft

Chipe

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An experienced wheel thief doesn't use visegrips. They bring a 12 point socket set and hammer, select one of the appropriate size, beat it on the McGard lock or similar, and loosen it with a wrench. You'd be surprised how easy it is. You'll never bother with wheel locks again. Actually takes less time and fumbling around than using the actual McGard style key.
And that's when my motion activated rear dash cam comes on and records everything they are doing.
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JO DYRT

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On vacation or parking out and about, I will back into a spot, using the nice JL backup camera. I try to use a spot that has an obstacle I can put the spare within inches of. This makes it so the entire Jeep has to be moved to get the spare off. I’m willing to walk a bit further to park in a spot like that.
I have been backing in to spots forever and still do.
 

CarbonSteel

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I got these and put them on today. I love the way the black looks on my Sahara. :).
I waffled a little on the black ones since the inner part of my wheels are black, but ended up with the chrome.
 

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Ismor

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It's so easy to remove a wheel lock, no drill or special tool needed. Scary!

 

Chupacabra

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It's so easy to remove a wheel lock, no drill or special tool needed. Scary!
One stripped on my previous BMW, tire shop, Costco, couldn't get it off. I eventually went to BMW where they have hardened steel master keys, and they were able to get it off with that. The pot metal key that you get with the car strips pretty easily, and the nut was recessed pretty good into the wheel making it hard to get anything else on it.

Once they took that one off, I replaced all the lockers with the original lug nuts and tossed the lockers. I hate them.
 

Goin2drt

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I actually would like to video tape that threat. Maybe they are more creative then I am to get off a 117lb wheel and tire solo. :CWL: I just have the Gorilla lugs on mine. I figure not much is going to save it if they really want it.
 

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Whaler27

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I have had my wheels stolen with the locking nuts. They just break your window and take your lug key...
Yep, they’re gonna break the windows and look for the key. My key is well hidden in an unlikely place, so I’m just delaying the theft process.

People stealing wheels and tires aren’t deep thinkers. They go for the low hanging fruit and they do whatever they’ve seen and been successful with in the past. Sometimes it’s not a question of whether they can’t steal your stuff, but whether it’s easier to steal some other guy’s stuff — so I use locking lug nuts and try to steer well clear of Portland and Eugene both terrible areas for meth-monkeys and property crime of every kind.

It may be hard to imagine, but when I was a kid Portland was a nice small city and a great place to visit. Now there’s almost nobody from Oregon left and it’s the sh#tshow you see nightly on the news... sigh.
 

BlackGenesis

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I just keep OEM Sahara wheel/tire, 32" on.
Jeep is riding on 34" nice looking wheels/tires that new was around 2k (bought second hand for 900), but there's no way i am waisting money on matching spare that my wife could never handle (98lb).

In very unlikely event where tire need to be changed and I am in the Jeep - It will ride 1" lopsided. My wife will treat 295/60r20
E rated tires as runflats.
 

DocTwinkie

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Doc... Duh.
I’m calling BS on this. This is an urban legend I’ve heard from every dealer for the past 15 years. First off dealers use locking lug nuts because they can charge the customer a few hundred dollars extra for them anyway. Second, the dealership has hundreds of thousands in inventory sitting outside and apparently the lowest budget security system possible.
My dealership was hit a few months ago. My car was there for service and they took mine as well. Dealership got me a new spare and camera cover (they just broke it off). I didn’t have locking lugs.

so. Happens.
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