Lug nut locks
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I am all set to go and get my new tires installed on the 911. I go to my tool bag to get the lug key out and have it ready to hand it to them, and its gone. Now, I am no longer the happy camper with new tires because how does one get the wheel off with out the key. Does anybody have any idea how to get these off? Are the locks standard for all cars of that year or something I can replace at the dealer?
Ell
Ell
#2
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Ell, I had a similar problem with my '89 when I bought it. If you have the locks that use a small key there is no way to get a replacement from the dealer. I posted to the board and told to drill and punch the lock cylinder. I did that on the first one and then bypassed the drilling and just punched them instead. Use a punch with a pointed tip (to help hold it in the right area) and then use a vise grip to pull the lock sleeve off. They are not very durable! 2 good wacks from a carpenters hammer. I went with porsches' new locks, $60 that are similar to mcGards and come with a code to purchase new keys should you lose yours. Good Luck, Mike
#4
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You can drill them off and just replace them with a regular lug nut.It looks much better and you will not have this problem again. I have never seen a Porsche wheel get stolen off a car.Very few Porsche owners I know have wheel locks.
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I considered this a long time ago and quit using the locks because I was afraid of one getting stuck on the car. Although this was before the E-Bay fencing system, I came to the conclusion that although Porsche wheels are expensive, they fit a very narrow market and are less likely to be a theft target. This may be even more the case for those of us who run older 15" and 16" wheels no longer in fashion and hard to find good tires to fit.
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UNfortunately, I have some first hand experience with this.
If they are the Porsche wheel locks GO TO THE DEALER. They'll take care of it in no time flat.
Don't nearly have a heart attack like me. The factory nuts that I had are black, with "bite marks" around the edges of an otherwise smooth dome. The "Key" is a specially shaped socket that fits the bite marks. The cap of the nut is also designed to shear off if you use a brute force extractor. This was determined by experimentation. <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" />
I have 993 wheels with deep, deep holes for the lugnuts. Lost the key. Went to the local tire shop. "Sure, we can take care of it, no sweat." The tech takes a special socket and hammers it onto the locking nut.
...And promptly discovers that the cap will shear off, leaving a nearly inaccesible partial nut still buried inside the wheel. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> This will hold the wheel quite well, by the way. While laying on the garage floor awaiting paramedics, I was haunted by thoughts of cutting my beloved cup wheels off with a torch.
By sheer luck, a longer socket was able to bite into the fragment and get it out. The tire place asked me to leave, with three locks still on the car.
The dealer took car of it in minutes- no charge, no coronary. If you have Pep Boys (or similar) locks, probably any shop can get them off with a master set of keys. But don't let them use the hammer! (I still carry the broken one in the glovebox to remind me.)
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Don't nearly have a heart attack like me. The factory nuts that I had are black, with "bite marks" around the edges of an otherwise smooth dome. The "Key" is a specially shaped socket that fits the bite marks. The cap of the nut is also designed to shear off if you use a brute force extractor. This was determined by experimentation. <img border="0" alt="[crying]" title="" src="graemlins/crying.gif" />
I have 993 wheels with deep, deep holes for the lugnuts. Lost the key. Went to the local tire shop. "Sure, we can take care of it, no sweat." The tech takes a special socket and hammers it onto the locking nut.
...And promptly discovers that the cap will shear off, leaving a nearly inaccesible partial nut still buried inside the wheel. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> This will hold the wheel quite well, by the way. While laying on the garage floor awaiting paramedics, I was haunted by thoughts of cutting my beloved cup wheels off with a torch.
By sheer luck, a longer socket was able to bite into the fragment and get it out. The tire place asked me to leave, with three locks still on the car.
The dealer took car of it in minutes- no charge, no coronary. If you have Pep Boys (or similar) locks, probably any shop can get them off with a master set of keys. But don't let them use the hammer! (I still carry the broken one in the glovebox to remind me.)
#7
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Thank you all,
I went to the dealer only to find out that they were not stock locks. They sent me to Bell Tire, were with luck and $20. they are off. I think I will just order regular lugs to replace them to that I won't have this problem again.
Again thank you
Ell
I went to the dealer only to find out that they were not stock locks. They sent me to Bell Tire, were with luck and $20. they are off. I think I will just order regular lugs to replace them to that I won't have this problem again.
Again thank you
Ell