Wheel Locks: The Key to Preventing Wheel Theft
With a set of quality wheel locks – like those offered by McGard – you can drastically reduce the chance of waking up to stolen wheels.
While it takes an enterprising criminal to bypass tricky new automotive security features and make off with an entire vehicle, less skill is required to steal parts. Those thieves looking to make a quick buck commonly target catalytic converters, batteries, and a particularly vulnerable area: wheels and rims.
Why steal wheels? In addition to being an easy crime that can take under 2 minutes to complete, these parts are untraceable and fetch a pretty penny on resale.
Thankfully, there are measures you can take to help prevent car-wheel theft. The simplest among them is investing in quality wheel locks.
What Are Wheel Locks?
Wheel locks are essentially redesigned lug nuts. They function just like regular lug nuts/bolts, securing your wheels to the vehicle, but require a special key tool for installation and removal. The result is an added layer of security that deters thieves.
Generally, a set of wheel locks contains (1) locking lug/nut/bolt for each wheel and one matching key.
Many new vehicles offer wheel locks as standard equipment – and those that do almost always turn to McGard.
“Actually, no other wheel lock device is installed on new vehicles as often as ours,” says Serena Duminuco, Aftermarket Sales Manager. “McGard is an OE supplier to most automobile brands around the world – and if you compare our features [to the competition], you’ll see why it’s the best wheel and tire protection available.”
“McGard offers both OE wheel locks purchased through the car dealerships, as well as aftermarket wheel locks,” she continues. “Both the OE and aftermarket locks are manufactured using the same high-quality materials. The main difference between the two is that the OE locks are made for a specific vehicle, whereas the aftermarket version is made to fit a wide range of vehicles. Both meet or exceed OE standards for safety and durability.”
- Manufactured in the USA
- Fully machined from bar stock
- Through-hardened restricted chemistry steel which is specifically made for McGard
- Used by over 30 car companies
- Hundreds of different key patterns
- Over 50 years’ experience
Do I Really Need Wheel Locks?
With standard, non-locking wheel lugs, generally any OEM socket can be placed over the lug, thereby allowing a tire iron or breaker bar to turn the lugs and easily remove the wheel from the hub.
Wheel locks complicate this process. Since they feature a pattern on top and are completely rounded on the outside (instead of a regular lug hex), a standard lug wrench won’t fit without the matching key tool. This is the only way to rotate and remove the lock.
As long as the lock is fitted correctly on the wheel and no key is evident, short of breaking the lug off the hub, the entire wheel and tire complex cannot be removed. Many would-be thieves will not want to waste precious time battling a wheel lock due to the extensive time it would take – as well as the loud noise it would produce.
Shopping For Wheel Locks
When it comes time to decide on a set of wheel locks, there are a few important things to consider.
Mechanical Fitment
Lug nuts/bolts are not one-size-fits-all and neither are wheel locks. You must identify if the vehicle has the OE wheels or aftermarket wheels. From there, you will need to find the right lug thread size, diameter, overall length, hex size, and seating surface in order to match what is currently on your vehicle.
To find your vehicle’s thread size, check the owner’s manual. Alternately, you can use a thread pitch gauge to take the measurement yourself, bring your lug down to the local parts store for matching, or simply visit McGard’s website, www.mcgard.com and use their Application Look Up.
This tool will provide the information you need with all the McGard products/part numbers that will fit your vehicle. It will also make you aware of any notes that you may need to know regarding fitment.
Another consideration is seat type, which refers to where the lug nut/bolt actually makes contact with the wheel surface. A wheel lock must have the same type of seat to properly fit the wheel.
Cone seats are the most common type, and feature a tapered/conical seat. Other popular styles include mag seats (or “shank style”), which feature a flat surface with an extended shank, and ball/radius seats which feature a curved plate.
Some European brands (or domestic models assembled outside the U.S.) feature lug bolts. Unlike lug nuts, which thread onto the hub’s wheel stud, a lug bolt essentially has its own wheel stud permanently attached to the head. Vehicles using lug bolts require either a radius seat or cone seat.
Color & Finish
Wheel locks, like lug nuts, come in a variety of finishes, from chrome, zinc, black and even gold. Since you’ll only be replacing one lug nut on each wheel with a corresponding lock, it’s important to match the finish and color to what’s on your vehicle.
A Reliable Name
Aside from fitment, it’s also best to know who exactly is designing and fabricating the wheel lock set in question.
Watch out for fly-by-night companies offering flashy options at bargain prices. Many of these are cheap imports constructed of sub-par materials that can chip, rust and peel. Besides, soft metal doesn’t exactly offer much protection from thieves. And with such limited key patterns, a savvy criminal may not have to exude much effort anyway.
Meet McGard
Learn why McGard wheel locks deserve your consideration, and how they can keep you from being a target of theft.
Quality American Manufacturing
McGard wheel locks are made in the USA at the company’s headquarters in Orchard Park, New York. All McGard products are designed to exacting specifications for customer applications using state-of-the-art technology like 3D modeling, CAD/CAM design and programming, and in-house testing labs. They also have been IATF 16949:2006 certified, which encompasses ISO 9000 & 9001, and have received numerous awards throughout the years from the finest automobile manufacturers around the world.
To ensure structural integrity of its wheel locks, the company uses only restricted chemistry steel made specifically for McGard. “Each lock is through-hardened and tempered, reaching the depth of hardness needed for its unsurpassed level of security,” explains Jeff Wade, Regional Aftermarket Sales Manager. (Competitors’ locks are sometimes case-hardened, which is only a surface treatment.)
Exceptionally High Standards
“Additionally, our chrome plating process is the best in the industry,” Wade adds. “It includes three layers of nickel and one layer of microporous chrome. The first two nickel layers offer corrosion resistance and luster, while the third layer interacts with the microporous chrome layer to disperse nature’s corrosive action (i.e., rust).”
All McGard locks and lug nuts meet or exceed the highest OEM proof load standards (135,000 to 160,000 PSI). The company’s standard for concentricity of the bearing surface to the pitch diameter is also 30% more precise than OEM’s. This ensures even distribution of the clamp load, as well as proper fitment once the lock is secured.
Unbeatable Security
In addition to structural integrity, McGard wheel locks offer the best in security.
The computer-generated key designs not only allow for an unlimited number of key patterns, but also enable extra narrow groove patterns. This narrow groove resists the intrusion of lock removal tools into the pattern, offering additional protection.
Innovative Designs
McGard is the only manufacturer to offer 8 different key hex sizes to match the vehicle’s original equipment lug wrench. The company’s most popular sets contain Dual Hex keys for greater application coverage. (A pretty useful feature when you’re stuck having to change a flat along the road.)
“Our keys are also very user-friendly,” says Duminuco. “A steel collar guides the key into the lock pattern and holds it in alignment for easy installation and removal.”
What Happens If I Lose My Wheel Lock Key?
Most factory-provided wheel lock keys will come in a little baggie and can be found either in the glove box or in the spare wheel compartment. If you lose your wheel lock key, or purchased your vehicle second-hand and there’s no wheel lock key to be found, you have a few options for replacement.
The ideal option is to simply purchase a new one. Each key comes with a unique product code/ID number. If you have this product code/ID number, you’re in luck. You can simply call up the company and request a replacement key.
If you’ve lost the code along with the key, you can contact McGard Customer Service directly. They just need a picture of the lock on the vehicle along with the year, make, and model. Then, they can figure out what key you need.
They can also register you in their system at this time with the proper code, in case you need another one in the future. If the key is needed urgently, overnight shipping is available along with additional shipping options through ground shipping.
Get ahead of this issue – and the fear of stolen wheels. Install a McGard wheel lock set! In addition to providing excellent quality, protection, and customer service, McGard can computer-register your key code as backup. This makes any potential replacement process much less stressful.
To learn more about McGard wheel locks, visit https://mcgard.com/
