Currently at Tire Shop (Lost Lug Nut Key Issue)

Im currently at the tire shop with my tacoma i just bought. original owner lost the key for the lug nuts. he's making it sound like im SOL. Has anyone ran into this problem before? I read guys have been able to get them off but not without destroying the lug nuts. any ideas? Im being told this is going to get "real expensive, real quick".

Thanks

 

You can get a key for I think 14.99 and I got mine within the week. The name of the company is McGuard and all they used was my vin number. Don't destroy them not worth it... Good luck http://www.mcgard.com/replacement

 

I forgot to give the guys changing my tires my key for the lug nuts, 15 mins later they were done... when i asked how they said most keys are basically the same and had the right pattern...

 

thanks they were able to call another shop in the area and found what they needed. appreciate the quick responses

 

Which makes you wonder how useful the "key" really is? If most tire shops have them (as does mine), I figure those that really want your tires/rims in the middle of the night have them also.

 

Two common methods

1) drive a socket slightly smaller than the outside of the nut over the nut. Remove with ratchet. This is destructive, but also the common theft method.

2) tack weld a nut to the end of the locking nut and remove with socket that fits nut. Also destructive, but works well.

Whoever gave you all the 'real expensive' malarkey was either ignorant or blowing smoke up your skirt.

Glad they got it sorted with an actual key.

Now you know that locking lugnuts are about as useful as alarm systems. I mean think about it. The local tire shop knuckle dragger has key access. Sees your spiffy tars, jots down your addy .............

 

A Firestone dealer destroyed ( stripped) my key for the Mcgard wheel locks supplied with my 2013 4wd. He was using an impact gun to remove them , big no no and I think he had it in tighten by mistake on that one lug. He had gotten the other three off already. They said " take it to the dealer we have no way to remove" . I brought it home and used the hammer on a smaller 12 point socket and breaker bar method. They came right off ,good thing for never seez on the threads. Bought 4 new standard lugs from Toyota at $4.00 each.I wouldn't want to deal with a lost or stripped key on the side of the road. They offered to pay for the new lugs nuts by the way.

 

Craftsman makes a killer tool

I had just got new methods an was terrified I was going to destroy them

With the tool had them off in 5 min

 

Is it an actual keyed lug nut? Or a splined lug nut? I lost my spline socket and called a place that sold the same wheels that were on my truck and they sold me one for $5.99.