Went to tire shop to change a flat and told ‘em they couldn’t due to a missing socket (?). I understand it’s a wheel lock and I looked near my jack and glove box and couldn’t find anything. Do I need to order a whole new set at this point or is there another option? Thanks in advance!

  • Manual-shift6@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    All of these answers are good. I’ll add two comments: 1 - This is the major reason I can’t stand these ”wheel lock” lug nuts. Lose the “key” socket and you’re often screwed. 2 - I’ve removed the “really good and expensive” spinning collar locking lug nuts with a really big pair of slip-joint (“water pump” or Channelock) pliers. The “but it’ll make the thief pass by” argument is bullshit. I knew a young guy who was an active thief who targeted vehicles with locking lug nuts, clubs, etc, just to show it didn’t work. He’s now incarcerated but he had an interesting point…

    • wagoogus69@alien.topBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      they’re port installed. they don’t attach the specific wheel lock number to the vin unfortunately.

  • LongrodV0NhugenD0NG@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Everyone’s already said it. These do nothing to stop anyone. Tire shops don’t wanna “ruin” them on you and a lot of times refuse to work on them.

    Imagine you blew a tire and are stuck trying to put your spare one and can’t find this lock… your paying a massive tow bill now.

    Just take the 4 of them off and replace as others have said. If someone wants your OEM rims they are gunna get them I promise this one shitty wheel lock is not stopping them

  • FlamingSaviour@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Could be with the jack, could be in the glove box, could be in the doors, could be hiding with the spare… Every time I’ve had to look for one of those they’re in a different spot.
    Assuming you’re completely out of luck and your key is completely gone, any mechanic (Maybe not a tire shop) should have a box of turbo sockets that’ll take those right off.

  • qxwxp@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    As someone else has already said, just hammer on a 12 point socket and take them off yourself.

    I did this on a 2013 Lexus RX450h last weekend, so it’s pretty likely that the lug nuts on yours are the same size. In my case they were 19mm, so I’m willing to bet it will work for you as well. This is what I bought:

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078Z23KZB

    I’d just buy 4 of them, one for each lug nut, so you don’t have to try to hammer them back off and re-use them. Total cost is like 16 bucks and it will take about 20 minutes.

  • thetaoofroth@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Honestly hammer on a 12 point and rip. Worse case scenario they round the already round nut.