416to212

I need a set of lug nuts for some rims. I'm shopping around for a set that locks for added theft security.

I have a set of Rays Lug Nuts where one of them has a 7 sided lug with a slot cut into it, but I'm not convinced that they are all that secure.

I stumbled upon the Gorilla Wheel Lock System where all 20 of the lugs are locks.


Has anyone tried these and what do you think of this idea of having all lugs be locking lugs (same key though). I figure it should be extra tough to steal and would definitely take more time and make more noise.

What other locks do you think are great and have actually prevented your wheels from being stolen?

Silver06

IMHO, Wheel locks are NOT going to even slow down a wheel thief.

For shops, auto dismantlers, etc., They make sockets with reverse-burrs on the inside that chew into locking lugnuts to allow for easy removal...


One on each wheel, or twenty... Wouldn't even make a difference to the badguys...

Snakebite202

Gorilla Wheel Lock systems are actually decent, and WILL slow a thief down. I had a set on my old car and not even the tire shop could get them off. It took some extensive work and at least 2 hours to get them off when I lost the key. Oh yeah, I had 4 per wheel.

khronus79

iTrader: (1)

Black top wheel locks WILL deter a thief, it's impossible to take them off without a key

416to212

LOL so Silver06, you would throw on a set of stock lug nuts on a $3000 set of wheels because you're sceptical of wheel locks? Yeah right.... I'll believe you when you put your money where your mouth is. What are you rolling on without any security features?

Combined with a tight tolerance between the lug/lock and rim's lug opening and a unique lock profile, I figure it would slow down any professional. I figure it would deter them even more if they spotted 5 locks per wheel! They might be able to get the wheels off but with damage and there is no sense in damaging a wheel that you're trying to sell on the black market.

Silver06

Someone once said: "Locks are only to keep honest people honest"

Don't try to put words in my mouth....

All security is a deterrence. Good wheel locks are a deterrence.

For most of the population, where we live and drive, none of us have ever had their wheels stolen. No locks needed.

For the rest of us, we have invested in stuff that we want to keep. We are prepared to pay extra money for deterrence. That's good.

Professional gangs of wheel thieves aren't roaming around looking for $3k wheels off cars - they are hitting distribution warehouses, etc.

It's kids looking for one set of wheels that wheel locks deter. The Gorilla Locks are great for that; arguably the best.

Just don't kid yourself.


Around here, the high-end car thieves have cellular jammers to stop Lojack and such; have the cars flatbedded into shipping containers; and are offshore within a day.

RX-8's are not on their list... Therefore, the one could argue that the security built into our cars makes them highly theft-resistant. Notsomuch.

Silver06

O/P... I should apologize for taking this thread off-topic, though. Your question was quite clear, and I didn't answer it in my first post. My bad.

J8635621

iTrader: (10)

How much are those gorilla locks?

LionZoo

I agree with Silver06. It might slow down a kid out to get his dream set of wheels, but professional thieves will have them off in no time. They offer slight protection, but if I really wanted your wheels I could get them no matter what locks you have.

416to212

There are a few different sets of these Gorilla Wheel Lock Systems.

All prices from Summit Racing. I just have to decide what diameter I will need. I'll go with the biggest I can get into the wheel.

Standard 1" diameter in Chrome (GOR-71633N) is $41.69.
Standard 1" diameter in Black Chrome (GOR-71633NBC) is $55.39.

They also make a small diameter for certain wheels with small lug openings:
0.8" diameter only available in Chrome (GOR-21633SD) is $48.99.

Anybody have anything better to add besides comments I could also read in threads that involve The Club (ie: if they want it, they'll take it...)

khronus79

iTrader: (1)

Disagree, please explain to me how would you go about removing my wheels with this set of locks?????

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...icial%26sa%3DX

pdxhak

iTrader: (2)

Nothing wrong with wheel locks but just know they do not really prevent a determined thief. Also if you make it harder for them to steal then they could do more damage to your car trying to take them.

My first car had the stereo stolen. I rigged it up so there were braces inside the dash making it a real bitch to get out if you did not know what I did. Did this stop the thieves? Nope. They ripped my dash apart to get the stereo out.

stayfrosty

again deterrence is great, but if someone wants to get em off they are comming off, those locks just use a security torx wrench i have a full set of them

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Just because me, you and him(whoever that is) dont know how to open these locks. That does NOT mean the professional doesn't know how.

All I can say is, people called them "professional" for a reason.

elf

As stated before, professionals and the really determined wheel thieves will get your wheels regardless, but for the less determined thieves the type of wheel locks you have may be just enough for them to think it's not worth the time and effort for your wheels when there are easier targets out there.

Soooo .... twenty different types of lugnut locks from twenty different manufacturers FTW!

cfree

Is each set of these by gorilla a little different? What would stop a proffessional from just ordering a set and having their own key to take your wheels?

laythor

would not even need the key.. just a good drill bit.

Symbioticgenius

No joke, my friend had a OEM Rim off his Z stolen, just one Rim... I guess they needed it.

A Coworker had a car stolen, only to have cops find it a few, days\weeks later with Steelies on.

Moral of the story. Make your Rims too hard to steal, they might just take your car.