12-13-2017, 02:04 AM | #1 |
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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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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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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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12-13-2017, 04:18 AM | #8 |
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12-13-2017, 05:22 AM | #10 |
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12-13-2017, 05:28 AM | #11 |
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12-13-2017, 05:30 AM | #12 |
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12-13-2017, 05:33 AM | #13 | |
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Its S2PAA I think? However, my comments still stand as a reply to this question albeit they werent very recent thefts. |
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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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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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Like anything I suppose it deters some others not.
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12-16-2017, 05:34 AM | #20 | |
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Good plan
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