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      03-04-2017, 05:08 PM   #1
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Wheel Locks - You May Want To Read This!

Ok Fellas! Like me, many of you have installed wheel locks on your BMW,...and or other cars. We do this for one simple reason and that is to either deter,...or prevent someone from "easily" taking our expensive tires and wheels. That said, here is my story.

I bought my 2012 X5M from an other than BMW Dealership about two years ago. I'm sure if it did not have wheel locks prior to the purchase,...so that simply means that I purchased and either installed them myself or the dealer, etc. I also know for a fact that wheels have never been removed,...except for the following reasons,...and that would be to replaced the swaybar links of which I had done at a BMW dealership.

So, I ordered a set of Continental DWS's,...replacing the current Run-Flat tires, etc. I arranged for them to be installed at a shop that have installed my tires on many of BMWs,...from E39 5'er to E53 X5 3.0, E53 X5 4.8is, and now (hopefully) for my E70 X5M. So, after receiving the delivery notification from Tirerack letting me know that my tires have arrived at the installer, I called and scheduled an appointment with them.

The drama starts now!

First, they were booked solid for 4-5 days, so I couldn't get the tires installed any day soon. I finally settled on a Tuesday of the coming week. Fast forward... Tuesday comes, I'm at the installer,...only to discover that the person that took my call jacked of the appointment,...and they actually had me scheduled for Friday (amazingly, this happened even though he had told me Friday was not available. I'm sure now he meant the Frtiday before,..as that's what I understood. So, it was what it was and I patiently waited for the 'correct' Friday come so I could get rid of the noisy and "cupped" runflats.

Ok, Friday is here, and I'm all set to have the new tires installed. Once my vehicle hits the lift and the tech starts to work on my X5M,...the sky falls! The Service Manager (SM) comes and informs me that the wheel lock key will not removed the locks. I'm like,...WHAAAAT! The SM takes me into the shop,...the tech tries again (with his 'impact' gun) and the lock lug bolt would not turn. We all look at the Wheel lock key,..and see that it has been damaged,...i.e., 'rounded'! I'm like, "how the hell did that happen?" (....thinking the impact gun had a lot to do with it, though I couldn't prove it). This especially would have been the case if the tech didn't have it 1) square on the face of the wheel lock key,..and or had it in the "tighten" setting vs the loosen setting. Either way,...I couldn't prove that he jacked up my wheel lock key, but I do know that only two shops had an opportunity to remove the front wheels and that was a BMW shop,...and the tire shop!

So, now, whenever I take my vehicle in and I know that the tires may be removed, I'm going to show the manager the wheel lock key's condition (and take a photo) and let them know that I expect it to be in the same condition when I pickup my car. If not,...they will be buying another set,...because the last thing you want to happen to you is to be on the road,...have a flat,...and absolutely not be able to remove the wheel locks,...even though you have the freak'n lock key!

Why this post,...because I recently made a road trip to Birmingham and this could have been the case. I would have been at the mercy of a freak'n tow truck, etc, etc.

I advise all to check their wheel lock key and make sure it isn't damaged!

Fyi, I have McGard Wheel Locks,...from BMW!

Oh! The locks were finally removed,...by my BMW shop,...no charge! Although the tech said he had to 'drill' the left front wheel lock,....imagine that! So, yes!...I had to buy a complete new wheel lock set!

PS: My new tires are scheduled to be installed tomorrow - 4-5-17! Hopefully....

Edit #1: My apology for the lengthy post!

Edit #2: I'm back at the tire shop for the install. This time, I removed the locks myself and will install them as well. You know, I've had McGard wheel locks on every BMW I've owned and have never remotely had encountered this issue. So, in the future, I will not allow any tech to handle my wheel lock key! Ever!!
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      03-04-2017, 05:26 PM   #2
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Honestly, I take the wheel locks off if they are on any car that I own. I've had 2 bad experiences with them, the worst being my old GTI that had the lock key basically crumble because the lock nut/lug had seized. Didn't have the serial number for that because previous owner never gave it to me, so had to creatively cut off the locks.....not a pretty job. Relying on that thin key pattern to take up the torque is like playing russian roulette. Eventually someone is going to over torque the lock, then you better hope the key is strong enough to handle the torque required to unlock.....
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      03-04-2017, 05:53 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by S4vant View Post
Honestly, I take the wheel locks off if they are on any car that I own. I've had 2 bad experiences with them, the worst being my old GTI that had the lock key basically crumble because the lock nut/lug had seized. Didn't have the serial number for that because previous owner never gave it to me, so had to creatively cut off the locks.....not a pretty job. Relying on that thin key pattern to take up the torque is like playing russian roulette. Eventually someone is going to over torque the lock, then you better hope the key is strong enough to handle the torque required to unlock.....
Same here...though only 1 problem. I bought a car with no key for the locks, bought a new key, turned out the tire i needed to replace had the old key broken off into the lock. I tried everything shy of blowtorch to get it out and ended up paying a shop $250 to remove it...they tore up the rim in the process. No locks for me.
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      03-04-2017, 06:30 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by S4vant View Post
Honestly, I take the wheel locks off if they are on any car that I own. I've had 2 bad experiences with them, the worst being my old GTI that had the lock key basically crumble because the lock nut/lug had seized. Didn't have the serial number for that because previous owner never gave it to me, so had to creatively cut off the locks.....not a pretty job. Relying on that thin key pattern to take up the torque is like playing russian roulette. Eventually someone is going to over torque the lock, then you better hope the key is strong enough to handle the torque required to unlock.....
Hmm,...funny you say this, but the dealer says the left lug lock was seized!
The locks have been on my X5M for about 2 years,..so, I really wasn't buying the "seized" theory.
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      03-04-2017, 07:35 PM   #5
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Mine were not on longer than a year that final time, but I suspect that the shop that mounted my tires used an impact wrench on one of the lock lugs, and over torqued it. When I attempted to remove the lock with a lug wrench and the key to do a brake job, the key portion (the pattern part) crumbled....it happened to be the first wheel I need to take off on a front and rear brake job. No serial number, so I was SOL.
Tried fancy drill bits, tried to grind flats on it, etc. Let me tell you, the locks are legitimately tough. My shop had to mangle my crappy set of winter wheels to get those locks off.
They need to make a better key. The locks themselves are nearly indestructible. Until I have confidence that the key is reliable, no McGard locks for me. Even if I have the serial number, if I'm stranded somewhere and the key goes, serial number does not help my immediate situation.
Again, just my $.02. Some people swear by the things.....
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      03-05-2017, 12:26 AM   #6
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I used to work for a tire shop and once I saw just how accessible wheel lock keys are I've never bothered with them on my personal cars.
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      03-05-2017, 08:54 PM   #7
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If you need wheel locks, it indicates a bigger problem. You live in, or visit, a bad place with bad people. If you have to live there, better to own things you can afford to lose.

The last thing I would want is to be out in the boondocks somewhere in the dark, needing to fumble around with an uncooperative wheel lock.
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      03-06-2017, 01:15 PM   #8
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OP- Thanks for the post, yes a long story but it was informative for those who probably aren't having the same mindset of yourself. I have wheel locks on due to parking outside because of the location I'm at. No it's NOT a bad area yet as stated above there are some areas that aren't the best when I drive to it.

Usually I expect my own car before handling it over to any shop (e.g. BMW or INDY shops) because of having terrible experiences in the past. So yeah definitely a good thing to remove the wheel lock yourself before having any servicing done in those areas.
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      03-06-2017, 02:00 PM   #9
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Op sorry to hear of your wheel lock troubles. I had a set that would not come loose/heads stripped like yours. Somehow on all four? Tech welded a chevy lug nut through the hole in the nut to the wheel lug on the BMW. Put the air gun the the nut and zipped those suckers right off. I then replaced the lockers with regular lug bolts.
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      03-06-2017, 02:24 PM   #10
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Ran into similar problems with the locks on my M3 a while back.
More trouble than they are worth, IMO, maybe unless you park on the street where they won't last overnight.
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      03-06-2017, 03:11 PM   #11
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Yet another reason I have and continue to run stock lug nuts. For the perceived security they seem like more of a headache than anything (watch my wheels are going to get heisted tonight!).
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      03-06-2017, 04:35 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Milliwatt Rob View Post
If you need wheel locks, it indicates a bigger problem. You live in, or visit, a bad place with bad people. If you have to live there, better to own things you can afford to lose.

The last thing I would want is to be out in the boondocks somewhere in the dark, needing to fumble around with an uncooperative wheel lock.
Rob,...not really. I live in a nice neighborhood,...however, once I leave my nice neighborhood, anything can happen. Even the wealthiest neighborhoods have some sort of crime rate! I live by the motto of the "Boys Scout",..."Be Prepared"!

I realized that if thieves want something bad enough,...they won't stop at anything! I just hope that the X5M doesn't end up on a "hot list to have vehicle",...where thieves are stealing them for overseas shipment!

Also, for the record, I'm not worried about an X5M owner that was able to buy his or her vehicle and 'understands' the great risk they are getting into regarding a catastrophic repair bill or $1500 in tires, etc. I'm concerned about the guy that bought any X5 that have OEM 20" wheels,...and want a new set of tires on the low and cheap,...or a cheap wheel/tire upgrade!

The nicer the things you have are,...the less number of venues you can take those nice things to. The world is a dangerous place,...and the good old US of A is not exempted! There are many,...millions and millions of convicts with US. birth certificates and some folks will steal their own mother and sell her if they thought the price was right!

So, wheel locks are my second line of defense. My first line is,...be mindful of your travels - always!
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      03-11-2017, 02:01 PM   #13
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Wheel lug locks work FINE but you can't use an air/impact gun with them - techs are super lazy and simply don't care, so they try to tighten or loosen with the gun. What happened to your key was that it snapped because whoever worked on your truck tightened the locks WAY too tight and snapped the key.

I take a piece of masking tape and write on the lug lock key "NO AIR GUN" and then I also take a piece of tape on my wheels and point to the location where the lock is and state "NO AIR GUN".

Locking lugs are not perfect however they keep amateur thieves away.

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      03-11-2017, 03:42 PM   #14
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Dude. That was a long story just for broken lug key. But yea my friends key did that too. If anyone is worried about having stock wheels stolen in this day and age and you can afford a bmw, then you either live in the hood and need to reevaluate your priorities or buying a shitty car that will be camaflaged in the hood lol.
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      03-12-2017, 11:41 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by racermp View Post
Dude. That was a long story just for broken lug key. But yea my friends key did that too. If anyone is worried about having stock wheels stolen in this day and age and you can afford a bmw, then you either live in the hood and need to reevaluate your priorities or buying a shitty car that will be camaflaged in the hood lol.
Dude,...1) You didn't have to read it. 2) I've read many "long stories" on these boards and never once complained about their length or brevity!,...Quote: "If anyone is worried about having stock wheels stolen in this day and age and you can afford a bmw"! This is the most ridiculous statement I've ever read anywhere on the internet. I suppose that folks that have their entire car stolen,..be it a BMW or other make,...can't afford their vehicle either? "Quote: So, cars and wheels are only stolen in the hood! Amazing... My what a gated community the rest of us live in!
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      03-12-2017, 04:03 PM   #16
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Yea the dealer I worked at while back in college got a BMW in for rotor and brake pads and the guy bought it and never got the key for the locks and the shop Forman said no problem went to his tool box and grabbed a socket from drawer and hammered it on and removed the lock in seconds !!!! He told me he buys them at harbor freight as the sockets where soft metal and would mesh around the round wheel lock and squeeze them off. Customer just had to pay for a new lug bolt.

After that I figured what the hell..... if the tech knew that and it was that easy to remove them then the perps would probably do the same and never used them after that.
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      03-14-2017, 09:28 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by racermp View Post
Dude. That was a long story just for broken lug key. But yea my friends key did that too. If anyone is worried about having stock wheels stolen in this day and age and you can afford a bmw, then you either live in the hood and need to reevaluate your priorities or buying a shitty car that will be camaflaged in the hood lol.
lol

I have aftermarket wheels, if I had my OEM wheels on there wouldn't be a wheel lock on those bad boys
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      03-14-2017, 02:13 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
Yea the dealer I worked at while back in college got a BMW in for rotor and brake pads and the guy bought it and never got the key for the locks and the shop Forman said no problem went to his tool box and grabbed a socket from drawer and hammered it on and removed the lock in seconds !!!! He told me he buys them at harbor freight as the sockets where soft metal and would mesh around the round wheel lock and squeeze them off. Customer just had to pay for a new lug bolt.

After that I figured what the hell..... if the tech knew that and it was that easy to remove them then the perps would probably do the same and never used them after that.

This.
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      07-26-2017, 11:33 AM   #19
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I can easily take wheel locks off. I use to do it quite regularly at all the tire shops I have ever worked in.

I have a set of flip sockets made for lugs, when I have wheel locks that are broken, I use the 7/8ths flip, slam it on, and zip the wheel locks off. Easy. That kind of speedy and good service earns a tire tech a lot of cash tips.
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      07-26-2017, 12:23 PM   #20
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i had a small tire shop take off the wheel lock of my x5 when my tires needed to replaced and i didnt have a wheel lock for them. He just took another lock hammered it on and took all the locks off. My x5m has some now but since i have the key this time and i know they can be taken off by just hammering another lock on im not worried anymore about them.
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      07-26-2017, 03:15 PM   #21
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My dealer installs wheels locks when you option for the wheel and tire protection. This past spring during the swap to summer wheels, two of the wheel locks seized.
In the end destroyed two winter wheels and replaced a set of rotors.
Will NEVER use wheel locks again.
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      07-27-2017, 09:43 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lknbimmers View Post
My dealer installs wheels locks when you option for the wheel and tire protection. This past spring during the swap to summer wheels, two of the wheel locks seized.
In the end destroyed two winter wheels and replaced a set of rotors.
Will NEVER use wheel locks again.
I bet you they were cross threaded in.
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