Planning to upgrade your stock wheel lock for better theft prevention of your favorite wheels? It would be helpful to know how do wheel locks work beforehand.
Knowing the wheel lock mechanism of your vehicle gives you an upper hand to read and bypass the thief’s mind. Hence, you can approach a step ahead to use better wheel locks to keep your wheels safe.
Thus, let’s start digging into all the mysteries of the wheel lock mechanism that keeps the wheels in place safely and sturdy.
What’s Wheel Lock?
If you are new, you must know what wheel locks are before jumping into the tricky mechanism. Wheel locks are a security feature designed to prevent the theft of wheels, rims, and tires from vehicles. They are also known as lug nut locks or anti-theft wheel locks.
Wheel locks have been in use since the early 1960s when they were invented by McGard. They have since become a popular aftermarket accessory for vehicle owners looking to enhance the security of their wheels.
Generally, there are four to six lug nuts required in each wheel of a vehicle for attaching it to the axle. But in some high-value vehicles, you will notice a specially designed lug nut that is expressly different from the others.
These are exclusive lug nuts or bolts with a distinctively shaped head that needs an appropriate key for mounting and removing the wheels. The manufacturer often includes the key with the wheel lock set.
You can find it in a specific place such as the glove box, under the boot, or inside the toolbox provided by the car company. Only the person who owns it or authorized staff may change or replace the wheel.
How Do Wheel Locks Work?
Wheel locks work by replacing one or more of the standard lug nuts on a vehicle’s wheels with specialized lug nuts that require a unique key to be installed or removed.
The lug nuts used in wheel locks have intricate patterns or shapes on their outer surface that are difficult to remove without the corresponding wheel lock key.
The key has a matching pattern that fits perfectly into the lug nuts, allowing them to be tightened or loosened.
When a wheel lock is installed on a vehicle, it provides an additional layer of security against wheel theft.
Without the wheel lock key, it becomes challenging for thieves to tamper with the wheels, as they cannot easily remove the specialized lug nuts.
This deters potential thieves and makes it less likely for them to target a vehicle equipped with wheel locks.
It’s important to note that wheel locks only protect against the theft of wheels, rims, and tires. They do not protect against car theft as a whole.
Wheel locks should not be confused with wheel chock locks or wheel lock clamps, which are used as tire “boots” to prevent vehicle theft.
Types of Wheel Locks
There are various types of wheel locks available in the marketplace starting from the very basic lug and key type. This type of wheel lock is directly provided by the vehicle manufacturer as a stock.
However, you can find better and more secure types of wheel locks for your vehicle from the upcoming list.
Threaded Socket Key Wheel Locks
Threaded wheel locks are used to secure the wheels instead of the common lug nuts or bolts. Unlike typical wheel lugs, they have a unique exterior thread design.
A distinctive key that fits the external thread layout is needed to install or get rid of them. These are quite cheap and not as secure as they say they are.
Cone Shaped Wheel Locks
Wheel locks with a narrowed cone-shaped seat as opposed to lug nuts with a flat seat are known as cone seat wheel locks. When mounted on the wheel, this construction results in a snug fit.
To tighten or loosen cone seat wheel locks, use a matching key that slots into the tapering seat. These wheel locks are comparatively better than the usual ones.
Thieves would need more than a hammer and socket wrench to remove such wheel locks. As a result, it’ll buy you more time meaning your wheels are more secure.
Centralized Wheel Lock
It’s a uniquely shaped wheel lock for a wheel with star-shaped lugs to attach. Generally, there is a mounting tool that goes into the centerboard of the wheel.
Then the wheel lock covers all the lug nuts attaching itself to the center locking tool. You will literally get a bunch of keys using which you can open the top cover.
Afterward, you can get all your lugs removed manually. This wheel lock is quite sturdy and eats up plenty of time for the thieves to break it apart to steal the wheels.
What Causes The Wheel Lock Not To Work?
You must keep an eye on your vehicle’s wheel locks to ensure it is working properly. Sometimes the stock wheel locks become obsolete leaving your wheels readily available to be stolen. Here are some probable reasons causing the wheel locks to not work.
Corrosion With Aging
Low-quality wheel locks are made up of cheap iron and steel. Hence, the internal pattern of the wheel lock gets corroded over time and loses its unique structure. Hence, any regular socket wrench easily fits in to remove it from the wheel.
Damage From External Impacts
While using the key incorrectly with mismatched torque applications can damage the internal groves of your wheel lock.
Moreover, thieves trying to remove the wheel lock using heavy machinery can result in the same. Such practices cause the wheel lock to not work.
Incompatibility
Wheel type and design are very important to be considered when getting a wheel lock. An incompatible wheel lock won’t work on the wheel and could be a waste of money.
Hence you should always check your wheel type and the pattern of lugs used to secure it with the axle.