Oh, God Please Help!!!!

[koopstaknicca]

Hi, my brake pads and the rotor is all worn out and I had this one guy try to replace them. I have a 1997 grand am GT 2-door V6. The repair guy is the only one I could afford and I need the car by tomorrow. Now he's telling me that he doesn't know how to take the "wheel lock" off. He says it's some kind of special lock for the wheels. I dunno what the hell he's talking about. And he's having problems taking the lug nut off. PLLLEEEASE HEEEELLLPPPP!!!!

[Crackers]

If your wheels have locks he needs the key (or he will need to break it off). If you have no locks on the wheels, he may be trying to say that he can't get the wheel off the car. Lots of force is sometimes needed. (we used to put one nut back on half way and then hammer the tire from the inside to knock it free. The one nut kept the tire/rim from flying off the car when it finally did come loose).

[koopstaknicca]

Is it possible to contact Pontiac and have them send me the keys? The dealership that sold me the car said they don't have it.

[sunrunner_pei]

Originally posted by koopstaknicca
Is it possible to contact Pontiac and have them send me the keys? The dealership that sold me the car said they don't have it.

Most dealerships/mechanics have a "master" key they can use to remove most wheel locks. It destroys the locking lugnut, but at least you get the wheel off. I had to do that when I accidently threw away the key to the locking lugs on my '91 Sunbird GT.

[Crackers]

Of course it has to be from Pontiac and not an aftermarket key. You can also break it off (forcing a wrench over it), or break the stud (but risk damaging the rim). Is there a manufactures name on it?

[koopstaknicca]

Never mind, guys. He forced the lugnuts off. Funny thing, I bought a set of 16 lugnuts and the key for 40 bucks, then went to the guy who installed the new breaks. He broke the key. So, I have to go over to the place again, and buy new ones.

[92CamaroRS]

dont waste your time with lock lugnuts they become more of a problem than you want. some time you will have the car to get the tires taken off and when they go to put them back on and they use a airrachet and ruins them. more of a hassle then a safty feature.

[GhettoSuperStar]

Originally posted by GAguy
dont waste your time with lock lugnuts they become more of a problem than you want. some time you will have the car to get the tires taken off and when they go to put them back on and they use a airrachet and ruins them. more of a hassle then a safty feature.
It's not a safety issue as much as it is a security issue. If you have a nice set of wheels and tires and you don't have them locked you're asking for trouble. It would really suck to get up to go to work and find your rig on milk crates and the bling blings missing.
LOCK YOUR WHEELS!

[92CamaroRS]

no they always strip they are nothign but CRAP! almost every set of lock lug nuts i have seen last about 3 or 4 times putting them on and taking them off and then they are stripped and the key dont work. im not worried about someone taking my rims and i doubt it happens too much anymore. it takes too long to jack a car up and remove them. someone is bound to see you doing it. too much of a hassle. you will have to have them snapped off. and some idiot always ends up using an air ratchet and ruins them even faster.

[GhettoSuperStar]

I disagree. You obviously had some bad experience with cheap locks or something or idiots taking off you wheels. The Gorilla locks and lugs I have are fantastic and I don't expect them to strip out at any time. If they do get stripped out by some a-hole with an impact wrench, you need to have the shop replace them. They can't just go willy nilly on your locks and come back saying "Uh, sorry dude but I stripped out your wheel locks. My bad."

[92CamaroRS]

its not that they dont tell ya and all of these have been factory locks. ill never put them on my car just my opinon on them i dont live in a huge town where ppl steal rims and the like. i guess if you like em good but i will never use them again.

[GhettoSuperStar]

I misunderstood what you where talking about specifically. I have no knowledge of factory locks, please excuse me on that. Factory locks must be of inferior quality.

[master]

McGuard locks are the best. But make sure you tighten them by hand, not with impact wrench.

[p8ntman442]

almost cried the day that i was trying to get the wheels of my w41 and found locking lugs. luckilly I torn the interior out b4 i did the rest and found it under the rear seat. Whew. they seem to be of good quality and i had no problem getting them off without stripping, no idea if they are factory though.

[92CamaroRS]

well ill never use em i just dont like em too much of a hassle. same with them damn plastic lugnut covers i think it looks better without em on there.

[TA^Guy]

Actually the GM factory locks are pretty darn good, they are impact socket style with notches around the edge. Fords on the other hand have this wavey key that fits into the female style lugnut. It;s a vandium chrome style key and the little waves always snap off even without using a impact gun.
Typically the only problem you have is when some wing nut uses a impact gun on them, but if they becomes seized, stripped or cross threaded then thats a different issue. It's not hard, nor time consuming to just use a breaker bar or a huge ratchet to break them free, then back them off swifty with the gun. And if they are installing you lugnuts with a impact gun they are doing it wrong anyhow and could be contributing to warped rotors, broken studs, or stripped lugnuts. Lug nuts should be snuggly tightened down and then tightened in a alternating or star pattern at 100ftlbs. And as a note, alloy wheels or any type should be check and re-torqued if needed after say 20-100 miles.

And my little wheel lock story goes like this...

My buddys IROCZ was at the body shop for a little while. One night some dirtbags jumped the barbed fence and broke into his car. Along with the stereo they tried to steel his wheels. Remove all lug nuts except the locks, and left it that way. When my buddy checked out the car when these brainiacks torn the interior apart looking for stuff to take they removed the wheel lock from the center console and left it on the floor. Now if they were only smart enough they would have had some custom wheels too.

[Crackers]

I like the locks. Too many of my friends have found their cars either on blocks or just sitting tire-less on the street. They are a pain but worth it.

As for mags, even if you put the nuts on with an air gun you should always finish tighten them with a GOOD torque wrench (not the kind with the little arrow the swings back and forth).

[akabatman2]

Hi Guys. Speaking of Wheel Locks I heard McGuard and Gorilla Locks mention.

Can someone tell me how to find top quality wheel locks for my 2001 Grand Am GT?

Thanks. :)

[master]

FYI: There are no such things as "factory wheel locks". They are all re-packaged locks made by McGuard or Gorilla or some other brand. And they are usually not installed at the factory but is a dealer installed option.

[Big Joe]

eh i dont really car for wheel locks myself but if i ever put a nice set of wheels on my car ill do it but right now im not too concerned about my factoy rims getting stolen

[Bruce Gabriel]

A locksmith may be able to help- Gabe

[akabatman2]

:nic:

So, ummm...Doodz...

Wheel locks....

Which are better Gorilla or McGuard?

and Where can I get these locks?

All I've seen are some cheap Wal-Mart kind for 9 bucks...

Thanx

:bravo: