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      12-13-2017, 02:04 AM   #1
MarkG_M5Comp
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Locking wheel bolts lack security?

We know that BMW locking bolts are a bit of a weak spot but I don't believe BMW offers enough protection from theft.

Yesterday, a passing dog walker knocked on my door telling me he'd found a locking bolt in the path/road outside my house and since I 'did stuff' with my cars he thought it could be mine.

I checked, it wasn't mine as all were present and correct. BUT having checked the key, the bolt found on the road is the very same key pattern as both our cars!!

Do they have more than one set/pattern? This is crazy.

The M3 now has extended bolts and therefore new lockers but I'll be buying replacement for the other car.
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      12-13-2017, 02:17 AM   #2
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I had noticed the same and asked about this a few years back and was told by the service department that (if I remember correctly) there are 12 different/individual patterns for the locking wheel nut
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      12-13-2017, 02:20 AM   #3
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They have around 40-50 sets. I had to have a new set recently and the old ones had to be taken off first. The guy from service dept took a complete set of locking wheel nuts and kept on trying them until one fitted the nut.

IMO, these locking wheel nuts are quite fragile now. They are said to be McGuard's. They are actually quite easy to remove without the locking wheel nut key; various techniques on Youtube and some others as well.
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      12-13-2017, 02:33 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff123 View Post
They have around 40-50 sets. I had to have a new set recently and the old ones had to be taken off first. The guy from service dept took a complete set of locking wheel nuts and kept on trying them until one fitted the nut.

IMO, these locking wheel nuts are quite fragile now. They are said to be McGuard's. They are actually quite easy to remove without the locking wheel nut key; various techniques on Youtube and some others as well.
Agree with the easy of removal, many years ago I lost my locking wheel nut for my Nissan Primera, the local recovery block just hammed on 19mm socket and then took it off in around 20 seconds.
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      12-13-2017, 02:55 AM   #5
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Thats the method that I saw on Youtube.

What they did on mine was a two man job; one held a type of short bar similar to a cold chisel against the nut, the other hit it with a large hammer several times. That fully loosened the nut and it just came off by hand then.

I fitted the new locking nuts myself and the wheel or thread don't seem to be damaged.

The alternative to this, according to a garage that BMW sent me to, was to weld something to the nut and then screw it off. But, the chap said it would almost certainly damage the wheel. It would be a last resort solution.
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      12-13-2017, 03:32 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff123 View Post
Thats the method that I saw on Youtube.

What they did on mine was a two man job; one held a type of short bar similar to a cold chisel against the nut, the other hit it with a large hammer several times. That fully loosened the nut and it just came off by hand then.

I fitted the new locking nuts myself and the wheel or thread don't seem to be damaged.

The alternative to this, according to a garage that BMW sent me to, was to weld something to the nut and then screw it off. But, the chap said it would almost certainly damage the wheel. It would be a last resort solution.
The McGard bolts that BMW use have a ring around the head supposedly to prevent a socket being hammered on to it.

You have to consider, it's only a deterrent. I doubt a thief would really want the attention of noisy hammering on all 4 wheels, or the unusual sight of welding at the wheel all while the car is on milk crates.

Besides, it's 2017. Do people really still steal wheels these days?
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      12-13-2017, 04:01 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nobby Clark View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff123 View Post
Thats the method that I saw on Youtube.

What they did on mine was a two man job; one held a type of short bar similar to a cold chisel against the nut, the other hit it with a large hammer several times. That fully loosened the nut and it just came off by hand then.

I fitted the new locking nuts myself and the wheel or thread don't seem to be damaged.

The alternative to this, according to a garage that BMW sent me to, was to weld something to the nut and then screw it off. But, the chap said it would almost certainly damage the wheel. It would be a last resort solution.
The McGard bolts that BMW use have a ring around the head supposedly to prevent a socket being hammered on to it.

You have to consider, it's only a deterrent. I doubt a thief would really want the attention of noisy hammering on all 4 wheels, or the unusual sight of welding at the wheel all while the car is on milk crates.

Besides, it's 2017. Do people really still steal wheels these days?
Yes I thought this..... Does anyone know of any wheel thefts recently?
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      12-13-2017, 04:18 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dizzy619 View Post
Yes I thought this..... Does anyone know of any wheel thefts recently?
Don't need to bother as they can just steal the car
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      12-13-2017, 04:47 AM   #9
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They do still happen. Not sure how long ago this was. Also Corby Council lost a load of wheels on their workvans one night a few years ago.

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      12-13-2017, 05:22 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Abzynthe View Post
They do still happen. Not sure how long ago this was. Also Corby Council lost a load of wheels on their workvans one night a few years ago.

Is that even in the UK? (no!)
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      12-13-2017, 05:28 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nobby Clark View Post
Is that even in the UK? (no!)
No, but I'm sure they have the same locking nuts as we do here. My other example, was however in the UK
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      12-13-2017, 05:30 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Abzynthe View Post
No, but I'm sure they have the same locking nuts as we do here. My other example, was however in the UK
I wouldn't be so sure. Often in the UK wheel nuts are added by the dealer. Also I doubt many council vans would have locking nuts.
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      12-13-2017, 05:33 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nobby Clark View Post
I wouldn't be so sure. Often in the UK wheel nuts are added by the dealer. Also I doubt many council vans would have locking nuts.
Its not really something I have research tbh, but I just assumed that a lot of cars came from factory with them now a days as I thought they were part of the build spec. I'm sure they are for BMW anyway.
Its S2PAA I think?

However, my comments still stand as a reply to this question albeit they werent very recent thefts.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dizzy619 View Post
Yes I thought this..... Does anyone know of any wheel thefts recently?
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      12-13-2017, 07:04 AM   #14
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My sister informed me her new Suzuki Swift (last year) did *not* come with locking wheel nuts as standard, she managed to get them chucked in as part of the deal.
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      12-14-2017, 02:13 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Abzynthe View Post
They do still happen. Not sure how long ago this was. Also Corby Council lost a load of wheels on their workvans one night a few years ago.

Reckon the dealer took the wheels off to stop the cars being stolen
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      12-14-2017, 03:48 PM   #16
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Whole set of wheel bolt keys can be bought very cheaply from ebay:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F362156153352

Which is partly why I bought aftermarket Mcgard bolts for mine, needed longer bolts for the spacers anyway though.
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      12-14-2017, 04:25 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dizzy619 View Post
Yes I thought this..... Does anyone know of any wheel thefts recently?
Some bastard somewhere will steal anything if it’s not screwed down

Like anything I suppose it deters some others not.
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      12-15-2017, 05:50 PM   #18
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Standard BMW keys are freely available on the internet. Standard McGard's aren't but they're just as vulnerable to the usual attacks.
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      12-15-2017, 06:01 PM   #19
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That's what insurance is for. They can keep my scratched rims and I'll just get new ones with no curb rash
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      12-16-2017, 05:34 AM   #20
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Quote:
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That's what insurance is for. They can keep my scratched rims and I'll just get new ones with no curb rash


Good plan
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