How easy is it for a bad guy with a Toyota Wheel Lock key to steal my tires and wheels?

How easy is it for a bad guy with a Toyota Wheel Lock key to steal my tires and wheels?

 

They don’t even need the key, just have to hammer on a cheapo socket.

 

Easy is relative, it sounds like you’re on the path with a lock, park in lit areas that are familiar to you and hope for the best. If someone really wants something there is no full proof way to stop them.

 

They're probably already gone..

 

About ten minutes with a battery impact gun.

 

Very easy

 

Wheel locks are like most other locks; they keep honest people honest. There are plenty of workarounds, improvised and manufactured, to deal with wheel locks. If you're parked next to someone with the same wheels and they don't have locks, they may steal the other person's first. But if they really want your wheels and know what they're doing they'll get yours regardless of lock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNYIgoah4dk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qruyJOTlbLE

 

My uncle has a car lot and he has a stubby driver with a tool specifically for breaking off wheel locks on cars he buys at auction.

 

The good news, no body wants your wheels... TE's could possibly be the exception... but those, and any other desirable wheel, don't use factory lug nuts.

 

I figure that people with some knowledge can easily thwart them given the time and the opportunity. My dogs would make a racket if someone was in my driveway with a hammer and an impact driver. You do what you can do…

 

McGard (company that also makes the Toyota-branded locks) makes wheel locks that have a spinning collar around the nut that is supposed to help thwart the method of hammering a socket on it, but for whatever reason they don't make them in the mag-style nut needed for our factory alloy wheels. McGard nuts all do have fairly unique keys though (even the regular ones), so chances are good that the key someone else has won't fit.

Like has been said, wheels locks only work against thieves who are in a hurry (and so it's still worthwhile to have them for that). But if someone really wants your wheels, they'll figure out a way to get them.

 

Get 4 wheel boots.

 

Even he pays thiefs, they would not touch those wheels

 

I worked at a tire shop. Wheel locks are worthless. They take no more time than a normal lug nut to remove, but cause shops all sorts of trouble due to needing to damage the lock (and replace it) when the customer inevitably loses the key.

 

It only thwarts the owner...

 

I have the default TRD OR wheels with the cheap plastic center cap. My investment in the Falken Wildpeaks AT4 probably doubled the value of the shoes on the corner of my truck.

 

I lost my McGard (lock brand Toyota OEM locks use) key and hammered a cheapo 19mm 12pt socket on, had all four locks off in less than 2 mins.

 

Funny, but maybe 2 would do the trick. One on each side might be enough to deter most people.

 

Just get a chain and lock it up...