X51

So don't criticize me for doing what I did. I've already kicked myself many times in the past hour. 3 of my 4 factory locks would come off the wheels, but one would not. The key would not go in, the dealer's gold certified tech could not get it off, nor could any of my Porsche buddies. I proceeded to try to drill it out, thinking I could get the bottom pin to release from the inside threads. No go. Here's the problem - my last drill bit broke off in the cylinder of the lock. (I was going up in increasing size to rout out the cylinder hoping it would come loose).

So, any bright ideas on how I get this wheel lock off the stud now?

thomasmryan

dremel tool or a pilotless hole saw with a guide.

it took hours of fogging oil and powdered graphite to get the long key style off my 92. I imagined doing that in the rain roadside. they live in a box in the garage.

Jfrahm

Are these the typical style with the long lugnut, round cap/cover and Porsche marked key? For those you can just knock the center out with a chisel.

For others, if you do not have the key for these they are super easy to rake pick with a cheap eyeglass screwdriver.

Jay Wellwood

John Shiery had a similar problem - he used the pilotless hole saw method to remove the offending wheel lock. Only thing to note is careful placement/control is a must to ensure you don't wander off the path and make contact somehow with your wheel.

Aftermarket wheel lock removal sockets are also available from automotive retailers - no direct experience with them and if they work.

Anymore, wheel locks only serve to frustrate owners...

Jim C

In a pinch, the Dremel method. Same thing to be wary of - very easy to damage the wheel itself, just like wandering with the pilotless hole saw.

Good luck.

Jim C

X51

Thanks for all the feedback. I had tried the hammer/chisel without success, and didn't have a pilotless hole saw handy. I took it to my friendly tech at the Porsche dealership and they used some more heavy duty equipment to break the case on it this morning. Now I just have the aluminum cylinder of the lock still stuck in the lug nut, but at least I can remove the nut. The other three of these wheel locks are going in the trash. No wonder Porsche didn't use them very long.

Jfrahm

The hammer and chisel should work well, you basically cut the lock cylinder out of the face of the cover and leave it behind.

However if anyone is reading this and is considering bashing these out due to a lost key, they are super easy to rake pick with a couple eyeglass screwdrivers from the dollar store so try that first.
Wedge the cover to the wheel with some scrap cardboard (so it does not spin), then a little tension on the lock, a quick rake and the cylinder will turn. They only turn a small amount. There are good animations for rake picking if you do not know what this all about.

-Joel.