Tom Cieminski lol just messing with him... but my caddy did have a set and have no idea where the key went, finally got it off though... that's why I was looking for these videos, btw this technique did not work for me
You're the man once again. I believed my daughter when she said a "boyfriend" lost her Miata wheel key some time previously. After visiting a Mazda dealer that couldn't help (after-market locks), I watched your video and decided to doubt her and look for myself: glove box, console, under seats and, after peeling back several layers of items in her trunk, I found it lying on top of the doughnut spare. Relief! You came to the rescue once again. Thanks!
Hey Man I want to thank you so much. I "lost" the key like a month ago and was freaking out since I didn't want to damage my fancy wheels. And you just saved me with your "just search for the key" tips. I had already searched everywhere but decided to listen to that good guy on TH-cam (you) and search again. Finally found it in the toolbox I never use attached to a ratchet I never user exept for the last time I removed my wheels. Thank you so much my man. Such a simple idea saved me so much assle.
last night I watched this video on the side of the road because I didn't have the key to my wheel locks. I got a ride to a Walmart, bought a hammer and a 12pt socket set. 4 hits and I was able to get the lock off. Thanks for sharing this knowledge. Your videos have gotten me out of a jam before but this got me home without having to call a tow truck.
If I ever get rims nice enough to steal on my car, I'm putting a whole pack of locks on each wheel. That way if anyone does try and take my wheels, they've got to earn them!
Soon to be the king H Yeah, good luck getting the right key for 4 different packs of locks, especially since they all have different and unique patterns.
Soon to be the king H Like I said, they'd have to earn those rims. And if they're willing to do the extra legwork just to figure out how to remove 20 locked lugs with 5 different locks and manage to succeed with the process, then they've earned them.
dude you are a life saver. bought a car and it had one on the entire thing and no key. saved me 40 dollars. everyone sells the whole kit but not just a key
Eric...U just made my day. I tried to get off a bolt for 3 hours and after punching a 3 foot by 3 foot series of connecting holes into the Sheetrock of my garage out of pure frustration, My girlfriend suggested I check TH-cam. Skeptically, but also desperately, I begrudgingly I found your video. literally 5 min and 1 12 tooth socket later the tire is off. YOU SIR ARE THE MAN. :-)
Thanks for the tip. Removed 4 locking lug nuts with Craftsman 1/2" drive 12 point 19mm socket, hammer and breaker bar. Counting time spent knocking out stuck lugs, took all of 5 minutes. Saved almost $35 for a one time use tool set. Cool. No apparent damage to socket either.
Good tip to try. Tighten the two lugs next to the locknut. Remove any remaining lugs. Then work on the locknut. This may release some pressure on the locknut. A little penetrating oil is never a bad idea either.
i would like to thank you immensely for your advice on removing these wheel locks. i called my local lowes home improvement store to see if they had a gator grip socket because i figured it would work. well the individual who answered the phone was "the son of a mechanic" and said i would have to drill out the lock and the stud and replace the stud. you have saved me from an abundance of frustration. i would just like to express my appreciation... again thank you
Pat π. often times the customer has some cheap aftermarket wheels and they lost the key and just want to be able to get their damn wheels off for a rotation so they authorize us to destory the old wheel lock and just replace with a new wheel lock or just a regular lug nut also we have a master key set more times than not we can easily just remove the lock but that is only for stock wheels and wheel locks moral of the story its nine times out of ten the costumer's fault
@@catfishmedia9543 hey, I had a mechanic break the threads off of my lock key and the pieces of the metal are in the grooves of the lug nut itself. How much does a dealership usually charge?
quick tip, when your breaker bar reaches 90 degrees instead of pullin it from the socket to re position you just swivel the bar back to where you started thats why they have a pivot at the top :D
Thank you this did get us out of a jam. Spent two days looking for the key. This video was the second one I watched, walked out side and got it off in a few mins. You are a genius. Thanks.
Ok, if you cant find your wheel lock key ask your friends if theirs looks like yours. My friend needed one for his Mitsubishi 3000GT so I let him borrow the one from my 2000 Toyota Tundra. True story i swear. Keep up the excellent videos!
Thank you. The morons that put my new tires on lost my key and did nothing about it. Now i need to put brakes on my car, this helps a lot. As for stealing, if he knows this, dont you think the criminals have figured it out by now...get real.
I've used three different methods. 1. Socket pound your version. Works but you could bread a good socket. 2. The tool, suggested and works pretty good, but cost more. Use this if you're going to do more than one wheel. 3. Old school, cold chisel and a hammer, 20 minutes of walking the chisel around the lock nut at different locations. Not fun but will work, it just takes a LONG time! One thing to remember when doing this is it may slip off and hit your nice rims, so put a big rag through the rim in line where you'll be using the chisel. I call it old school because my dad taught it to me, and he's in his 70's. He said it will take a long time but just when you're ready to give up, give it another 10 minutes, it will work. He was right. Thanks for the Vid Eric, I don't always agree with you, but I ALWAYS learn something. Best Wishes n Blessings Keith
Here's my solution to this problem - GO TO AUTO STORE AND BUY FOUR REGULAR LUG NUTS. THEN THROW AWAY THE STUPID WHEEL LOCKS!!!!! Obviously my recommendation is for a 'standard' neighborhood. If you're in high-crime district then the wheel locks may help.
I had my key for my locking lugs break ...the special design on the key just totally broke off....call the company who made the lock ...and they said I was shit out of luck .....so I did your trick and awesome they came right off....tks man!!!!
nice job. i get this done in a couple minutes using a sledge hammer, bang that socket on, use a jack handle with the half inch breaker bar. clamp the vise on the socket near the square end, using a bolt or punch the right size bang it out with the sledge hammer. Thanks for making these helpful videos. great help for aspiring automotive technicians everywhere
When I bought my van it came with a lock nut (with a key) on it. After I bought the van I moved to another province so I couldn't exactly go back to the dealer and say, "Pay for this." When I tried to take it off the key broke so the mechanic had to split the nut to get it off. I guess he didn't want to take a chance on ruining his socket. Anyway, this makes a lot more sense than splitting the nut or ruining the key. Thanks Eric.
Thank you so much! Was changing my front brakes on my jeep and the key broke! Well thanks to you I got the Lock nut off. Good bye to the rest because I am changing them out.
Good advice but this does not work on Volvo locking nuts (at least on a 2003 Volvo V70). The Volvo nuts sit flush with the hole in the wheel and so prevent you from putting any sort of socket over the nut. I visited 3 specialists and they all said the same thing... "You won't get it off sonny". I tried drilling it out with a solid carbide bit (fail). I also tried welding a big nut onto the surface of the locking nut (fail). The end result was having to saw the wheel off which resulted in me having to buy a new wheel AND a new wheel hub. All because some grease monkey cross-threaded the locking nut a year previously.
Jon Smyth Well I'll be buggered! I wish I had known about you back then. Fortunately the replacement wheel and hub cost me less than £150 which is less than it would have cost me for the 600 mile round trip to see you. Nevertheless it was a lot of hassle and I could at least have phoned you for advice :-(
After taking your car to a 'grease monkey' who has removed your wheels, get them to prove to you that the locking wheel nuts still come off. That way, if they have over tightened them, or cross threaded them, the problem and more importantly, THE BILL! is THEIR problem and not yours
Thanks Eric the car guy. This worked a treat just now. I bought a second hand car and the old owner couldn't find the lock nut key so i used your method and presto, they off quick as a flash. Im off in the morning to buy new lock nuts. Thanks for your help buddy. Hi from Australia.
He is going to return the socket under warranty after recording himself clearly using the socket outside of its intended use. I bet your local Autozone just loves hearing your return excuses ;)
Great tip - thanks for the instructions. I found after getting the wheel lock off, the easiest way to punch out the wheel lock is hammer the punch a couple of times, turn the socket 1/4 turn, hammer a couple more times, and repeat until the lug comes out of the socket. Much quicker than trying to continually hammer.
luckily for us and unluckily for thieves, you would make a helluvalotta noise doing all this shit. If you don't notice all this shit going on in front of your house, they deserve the wheels...
Did a friends front end ball joints, tie rods, control arm bushings, etc and he had one rim lock on drivers side. Needed to get it off, your video as usual helped a lot. Thx bro
dremel hole to get access to the ring, break the ring, maybe you need to dremel more to get more space to prey the ring segments out and then use Erics method...btw...depends on rims...you need to have access to the bolt top. Old type spinners are soft, the ring very brittle. I used a 21 metric 12 star, regular socket (not the long version). +WD 40 but cleaned the bolt with brake cleaner just before hammering the socket on...for max grip.
I bought a 95 Prelude that was in an accident for super cheap, but it has wheels with locks. The owner lost the key. No one has been willing to accept money to help me get them off. Thank you for this video
another thing that helps is to hammer directly on the lock straight on. Then hammer on the lock. The threads by nature have some slop in them. When you hammer it, the slop allows the lock to compress the aluminum/mag boss around the stud. This loosens the torque and makes easier to turn.
The 263 people who didn't like this video either didn't do it right or are whining about it being bad. My stupid self had a moment and lost my key. Shop around here wants 15$ a wheel to take them off. Argh!! I'm gonna keep searching for my key for a few more cud I'd love to keep my locks :/ Good video man Eric your my Honda Guru for everything. Now if I could devise a plan to get you here my timing belt broke doing 70 on the freeway yesterday. If all else fails I'll kill a few of my sockets.. I'll let you know how this went down. You rock dude!
Buy a new set of wheel locks, Fucktard. Very easy solution to keep blacks AND others from stealing your raggedy ass rims. KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid.
+fernando boschelli Why don't you use your own and stop leeching off others like the Bitch you are. Always wanting someone else to prop your sorry ass up. Be a Man...Boy.
I have just talking with a friend about getting his wheel locks off because his lock key broke a week ago and hes getting new tires today. Thanks for the tip!
Recently I had a flat tire and when I went to change the tire the locking lug was missing. The mechanic did not replace the locking nut when he was finished work on my tires. I tried the method in the video and I got all four of the darn things off and replaced them with regular nuts. The mechanic told me he could have removed them for 25.00, but could not find my lock nut key (he had about 10 of them). Thanks for posting this video, unsafe on the road with a flat at night.
Thanks, Eric. IT WORKED 4 me!! Special chrome alloy wheels on a 95 Lincoln TC. Took a 21mm lug and once I got it just snug I had to really WHACK it with a small sledge hammer. Which is obvious to me now. A little "PB Blaster" and it came right off. Thanks, again!
You can actually buy on E-Bay a socket that have reverse treads and locks itself to the nut and costs under 20$. Now you can finish job in 5 min. But you need to wait for socket to be delivered to you. :) Anyway nice video, keep up good work. I'm learning so much stuff from you about repairing my car. Thanks
Thank you, this worked great. I even saved my socket by just breaking the lock loose then just hitting it back and forth with a hammer and got the socket off ,and the truck had been sitting for 15 years.
Having some experience on what NOT to do, here is what I suggest. BEFORE you try this method, loosen all the lugs slightly.. Do NOT put silicone on the outside or inside of the socket after you get the first one off.. it will insure failure on the rest... ask me how I know. Afterward, get regular lugs and forget this locking BS unless you have $1,000 wheels and live on the S Side of Chicago. Nearly all cars now a days have some sort of alloy wheels. It's not that big a deal. My reason ? Duh.. think about your wife or significant other/daughter /son/father/mother etc etc having a flat tire and not having the key.. add in night time. Need I say more ?
Thank you for the vid! I have a key that has worn down and would not bite on my locking nut. I just went out to the garage, used a 24mm socket and the nut is off. I think it took me 3 minutes from the time I went out to the garage to the time I removed the lock from the socket. I can't believe I didn't think to try this before! Scary, but VERY helpful!
Thanks you for this, it got me out of a jam. I had my key but it broke the first time I used it. I used 12pt. 3/4" 1/2" drive socket. The only thing roadside would do was tow my car.
Thank YOU! The last time I took my car for inspection, the mechanic blasted the lug-nuts. I used your technique. But when I jammed the socket on it just spun with the ratchet. So I jammed the socket on again. But this time I used a breaker bar in combo with a 11/8 jumbo wrench (cheater bar). I put tension on the levers while I whacked it with a 3 lb. hammer. After two minuets it spun. Oh, sh-t it slipped I thought. Nope it broke free. Thank You for your great TIP!
Thank you. I had looked around for it, but not in the glove box. So your prompt to check all the different places is a great start. Try the simple solution(s) first.
Worked great Eric!! Thanks!! I actually bought one of those sockets that is supposed to take them off and it didn't work. Your method worked much better. Thanks for posting.
Bolt out. Reverse cutting threads that are tapered. Works every time in a heartbeat. Never missed w/one yet. Lent my brother one to take off a wheel for his stepson, and he came back and wanted to know how long these things have been around. Worked like a dream. I've used them on rusted, rounded out nuts & bolts for years, ever since they came out. Snap-on makes a full kit of them for around $360.00, but for the time they save U, and what they can do, they're worth every penny. Black and Decker, and Craftsman both make them now too, and a lot less costly. They also work extremely well on stripped out allen bolts. Money in the bank folks. Stop wasting U'r time, and damaging good tools. Just get the right tool for the job.
My Key broke in half...and crager couldn't help me replace it....but now that I know this...I can finally get it off....and never buy another crager locking set again...thank you sooooooo much!!!!!!
wow thanks man! My tire just blew out on my mustang and I lost the key and this is an easy way to take off the lock with tools I already own! Thanks again!
I lost the locks twice and finally decided to get rid of it. My lug nuts are 21mm and I used 19mm socket; hammered it quite hard enough and kaboom! it takes one turn only. I think I did it like as I mean it. No struggle and 16oz hammer is good enough to make it work easy. The torque wrench is the best.
It does work quite well. Use an impact wrench and make sure the diameter of the socket you are using is as close as possible to the diameter of the nut you're trying to remove. It'll spin freely but it will come out. It's much faster then you'd expect.
Dude thank you for all your help I just got my rotor screws off and your way was so easy I felt stupid trying different things til I got to your video. You’re a badass and thanks for the help
Thank you. I bought a set of lock nuts just over a year ago, then lost the key. I didn't know that I lost it, of course, until I had a rear wheel cylinder leaking badly. I also used a 12-point based on your recommendation. 7/8" was too big, and while 13/16" seemed a bit small, it was all I had that was a step lower than 7/8". Tried it three times - the last was a last ditch effort to hammer it on there the whole way (I didn't want to ruin it if I didn't have to). The socket split once I got it on there that deeply, but the socket also held enough to allow me to get the locking lug nut off. So as of now I have a new rear wheel cylinder on that side. :-)
Spearfisher1970 What do I have to do to be saved?......... That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved Romans 10:9 This is going to sound crazy 2 sum but..... trust me on this If you missed the rapture read this------------- -Do not take the mark of the beast! -Do not worship the Ant-Christ -Do not deny the Lord -Call on JESUS Additional information---------------- (Note: these are not in order) The "Mark" is what u'll need 2 buy things Anti christ will come on the scene Follow JESUS deny self Endure to the end! Anti crist will be killed his wound will heal n he rises back to life then he's Satan in incarnate Do not I repeat DO NOT take the mark!!!!!!!! Do not worship him(he will have powers) -Remain calm!!!!!!! -Prepare for the worst -Do not deny Christ -He'll claim to be God -He'll demand to be worshiped -He'll copy Christ's resurrection -Anti christ will sign covenant with Israel -3.5 years he breaks it -7years -tribulation =3.5 years -Great tribulation = Last 3.5 years(multiplied) Why the tribulation? Purpose#1 = To judge the World of sin Purpose#2= Reach out to the Jews Additional details------ -Aliens (possibly explanation of something) -Anti christ -A man will bring peace(That's the anti christ -Peace agreement -2 of GODS witness will appear in Jerusalem -For a period the witnesses will b UN-killable -the world will view the 2 witnesses die -The 2 witness will perform miracles(rain) -The 2 witness will b raised from the dead -Angels will be in air(presenting Messages) -Angels will present Gospel to everyone -Beware of False prophet -HELP the Jews Additional info--------------- Anti christ will kick out Jews from Jerusalem N will say he's god. -Many say Obama is the anti-christ What do I have to do to be saved?......... That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved Romans 10:9 What is the rapture? It's an event where GOD took all that were saved in Christ JESUS. The dead n those that are alive vanished to meet him in the air! That means millions have disappeared Here's what going to happen. Things will b very bad A man will rise up n Promsie peace! Don't believe this man. He will be well liked! He will make many promises. He will make a peace agreement with the Jews for 7 years. In 3.5 years he will break the agreement and he worshiped in the temple He eventually will be killed n comeback to life. He will say he's god n show u his powers n demand to be worshipped. The real GOD will send 2 witnesses n they will appear in the streets of Jerusalem. For a period of time these two witnesses will be protected n no one will be able to kill them. Eventually they will be killed n the whole world will witness it! These two witnesses will be raised from the dead and Ascend to heaven. Further instructions----------- Run! Ditch your phone Don't go to church.... there will be people waiting for u! Understand that this is your last chance n if you deny JESUS or take the "mark" on your right hand or forehead... that will be it for u n you will automatically not be able to go to heaven! There will be angels presenting the Gospel and all types of languages so that everyone can be reached. I repeat DO NOT take the mark!! I repeat DO NOT worship anyone but JESUS the one true GOD
working in a major tire dealer in the US taking wheel locks off is hard on us and the car, please keep track of the wheel lock keys! If you lose one you can sometimes give the VIN to a dealer and get a replacement.
Just a thought, get a spare key made. I've never had to deal with one of these, so I'm just winging it, but I always get a spare key for anything. Somebody else will lose it if you don't. Enjoyed your video, as always.
@yonkersfugitive Real thieves would use the special tool as it takes less time and you use less effort. In my experience if someone wants something of yours they're going to have it pretty much no matter what you do. Thanks for the comment.
an easier way to beat the lug nut off is to put the socket into a long extension and beat the socket with a sledge hammer working it around and after a few hits the nut will fall out. that is of course if you dont mind ruining a socket and have tons of extras (i work at a tire/rim shop and we can use them for about 20 nuts or so until they arent useable) the reason i mention it is because ive seen a few accidents doing it your way but i figured id try to ad something, nice video .
@elitecssplayer You need a special socket to get it off normally known as a "key". Normally only one lug nut is replaced by this special lug nut called a "lock" and is used to deter theft by making the wheel removal more difficult however as a mechanic I find that people often loose their keys or forget they need them altogether and I am then forced to look for the key or find an alternative such as this.
Good vid Eric. I have had to use this method on several occasions. The air chisel and walking them off works too if they are on there really good. You will destroy them but hey, you have no key for it so it's pretty much useless anyway.
I had to do this with 24 locking lug nuts in order to swap a set of tires from one truck to another. A few tips. When you get to the vice, lock the lug nut in the vice then turn the socket in the tightening position sharply, in order to break the seal the socket has on the lug lock. Use a flat punch instead of a pointed one (especially for acorn style lug locks). And don't swing for the fences when hammering the punch, you may wind up punching straight through the end of the lug lock, and then you have to spend extra time with a smaller punch trying to get the lug lock out of your socket.
I don't care if people are bitching about this, but this helped me out years ago when my locknut BROKE off along with a piece of one of the locknuts rendering it useless. I had to do this to all four of my wheels... I found that it helped a LOT to use a blowtorch to heat the socket and hammer it on before turning it, this allowed me to use a slightly smaller socket for a tighter fit, this especially works if the nut is on way to tight which is why my locknut broke in the first place.
I'm not sure if these are exactly the same as mine as there seem to be many types but I did mine on my corsa slightly differently. If you find an old socket that you can bang in between the centre and the nut shaped bit in the middle, you can actually ping the outer shell off leaving the centre nut easily accessible and giving you plenty of room to bang a socket on with much better grip. Like I say, they all differ but this worked for me on my corsa. I even tried the proper removal tool/socket with the reverse thread but they are a waste of time and money. It took me about 20 minutes to remove all four from the car.
Thanks, for the help! Took my new used car in b/c there was a nail in the tire and it turns out I had tire locks and no key. With your help I was able to get them off - took it back in and tire is being repaired today.
Your videos are the best, Eric. Do you ever use brake fluid to loosen threaded parts and screws? I have had luck with it. Sometimes I heat up the part then drip or squirt on the brake fluid. After soaking the parts are lots easier to get apart. I bet you been doing that but I haven''t seen it used on any of your videos.
What happens if you get the socket stock on there but it is not taking the lock off and it is just spinning the socket. Is there a easy way to remove a stuck on socket?
Thanks Eric I lost my lock key and I don't know where I left it and I hit a metal in the freeway and my tire cannot change cause I lost the unlock so one of my coworkers saw your video and thanks God he fix my tire
If you're afraid your alloy's get stolen, stick with the steel factory rims. (Duh) In the 30's they've already figured out pressed steel rims are the best option for everyday use. Only on the race track you may benefit from the reduced unsprung mass aluminum offers.
I agree, pressed steel rims are the best, alloys are very expensive to replace, and are easily damaged. People say they lighter the steel but I feel that it really makes little difference economically. A steel rim with a full tire still gives a comfortable ride. Low profile tyres is just dumb, nowadays with all the humps and potholes it's better to have some ground clearance
It works. Trick is finding the correct socket size. The special kit to remove these locks run anywhere between 16 and 80 dollars. By a cheap socket at parts store for 4 bucks and go to work.
Good tip..good safety tip..make sure that's the first lug to take off and if you have time use a little penetrating oil the day before cuz aluminum and steel freeze together after a while..keep up the good work, Rusty Nuts
@klfer They are case hardened so I'm not surprised they eat up cut off wheels. I've used an air chisel as well but when your working on a car with aluminum wheels this can be tricky since you can easily damage the wheel. Thanks for the comment.
This really helps, I just bought a truck and the previous owner had never rotated the tires and the truck didn't come with the wheel key *FACEPALM* Thank you.
thanks eric! just stole my first set of wheels!
LOL
+Carlos Vreal its funny because MOST cars don't have these. all they really do is piss people off
Tom Cieminski lol just messing with him... but my caddy did have a set and have no idea where the key went, finally got it off though... that's why I was looking for these videos, btw this technique did not work for me
The best technique is to get them off then throw them in the trash and replace them with regular lugs lol
+Carlos Vreal Miscreant! ;)
You're the man once again. I believed my daughter when she said a "boyfriend" lost her Miata wheel key some time previously. After visiting a Mazda dealer that couldn't help (after-market locks), I watched your video and decided to doubt her and look for myself: glove box, console, under seats and, after peeling back several layers of items in her trunk, I found it lying on top of the doughnut spare. Relief! You came to the rescue once again. Thanks!
Hey Man I want to thank you so much. I "lost" the key like a month ago and was freaking out since I didn't want to damage my fancy wheels. And you just saved me with your "just search for the key" tips. I had already searched everywhere but decided to listen to that good guy on TH-cam (you) and search again. Finally found it in the toolbox I never use attached to a ratchet I never user exept for the last time I removed my wheels. Thank you so much my man. Such a simple idea saved me so much assle.
last night I watched this video on the side of the road because I didn't have the key to my wheel locks. I got a ride to a Walmart, bought a hammer and a 12pt socket set. 4 hits and I was able to get the lock off. Thanks for sharing this knowledge. Your videos have gotten me out of a jam before but this got me home without having to call a tow truck.
If I ever get rims nice enough to steal on my car, I'm putting a whole pack of locks on each wheel. That way if anyone does try and take my wheels, they've got to earn them!
lmao
You can get a key to turn those lugz for 7$ on eBay or 20$ for a key and 16 lugs from auto zone so your rims wouldn't last very long lol
Soon to be the king H Yeah, good luck getting the right key for 4 different packs of locks, especially since they all have different and unique patterns.
Let me know how that goes when your sitting on blocks lol
Soon to be the king H Like I said, they'd have to earn those rims. And if they're willing to do the extra legwork just to figure out how to remove 20 locked lugs with 5 different locks and manage to succeed with the process, then they've earned them.
dude you are a life saver. bought a car and it had one on the entire thing and no key. saved me 40 dollars. everyone sells the whole kit but not just a key
If the car is a' rockin', the wheel's not unlockin'!
Eric...U just made my day. I tried to get off a bolt for 3 hours and after punching a 3 foot by 3 foot series of connecting holes into the Sheetrock of my garage out of pure frustration, My girlfriend suggested I check TH-cam. Skeptically, but also desperately, I begrudgingly I found your video. literally 5 min and 1 12 tooth socket later the tire is off. YOU SIR ARE THE MAN. :-)
I like the straight forward-ness and humour of this guy, you're alright bud. Thanks by the way.
Sums him all up perfectly.
Thanks for the tip. Removed 4 locking lug nuts with Craftsman 1/2" drive 12 point 19mm socket, hammer and breaker bar. Counting time spent knocking out stuck lugs, took all of 5 minutes. Saved almost $35 for a one time use tool set. Cool. No apparent damage to socket either.
Good tip to try. Tighten the two lugs next to the locknut. Remove any remaining lugs. Then work on the locknut. This may release some pressure on the locknut. A little penetrating oil is never a bad idea either.
i would like to thank you immensely for your advice on removing these wheel locks. i called my local lowes home improvement store to see if they had a gator grip socket because i figured it would work. well the individual who answered the phone was "the son of a mechanic" and said i would have to drill out the lock and the stud and replace the stud. you have saved me from an abundance of frustration. i would just like to express my appreciation... again thank you
i work for a dealer and you would be surprised how much we use this technique
Catfish moto stealerships are such shit, they should be condemned or just run by robots who won't lie and steal and break your shit
Pat π. often times the customer has some cheap aftermarket wheels and they lost the key and just want to be able to get their damn wheels off for a rotation so they authorize us to destory the old wheel lock and just replace with a new wheel lock or just a regular lug nut also we have a master key set more times than not we can easily just remove the lock but that is only for stock wheels and wheel locks moral of the story its nine times out of ten the costumer's fault
@@catfishmedia9543 hey, I had a mechanic break the threads off of my lock key and the pieces of the metal are in the grooves of the lug nut itself. How much does a dealership usually charge?
About a $100 a lug nut lol-dealers are rip offs
Eric should be on TV man. first came across you when i wanted to clean my EGR, now i just watch your videos cos you have such showmanship. keep it up.
quick tip, when your breaker bar reaches 90 degrees instead of pullin it from the socket to re position you just swivel the bar back to where you started thats why they have a pivot at the top :D
Thank you this did get us out of a jam. Spent two days looking for the key. This video was the second one I watched, walked out side and got it off in a few mins. You are a genius. Thanks.
Wanna keep your rims from being stolen? Weld them on to the hub.
Thanks man worked great !
+asdf XD
that's the way to go
So how do i change my drum brakes now?
Andy47357
You don't bro. Get some life time brake pads at autocheap.
Ok, if you cant find your wheel lock key ask your friends if theirs looks like yours. My friend needed one for his Mitsubishi 3000GT so I let him borrow the one from my 2000 Toyota Tundra. True story i swear. Keep up the excellent videos!
Damn,just copped me 2 clean sets of rims good looking out buddy
Jhon Carter 😂👌
I can't believe you did that,you are a bad dirty person,ashamed of you.
................so.....how much for those rims?!!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂
life saver, i didnt think to use the 12 point socket. worked like a charm. now i can finish this brake job and get this car back on the road.
Thank you. The morons that put my new tires on lost my key and did nothing about it. Now i need to put brakes on my car, this helps a lot. As for stealing, if he knows this, dont you think the criminals have figured it out by now...get real.
He's just stating this for ethical reasons. Thousands of idiots will watch his videos. As a content creator, I'm sure he's aware of this.
I've used three different methods. 1. Socket pound your version. Works but you could bread a good socket. 2. The tool, suggested and works pretty good, but cost more. Use this if you're going to do more than one wheel. 3. Old school, cold chisel and a hammer, 20 minutes of walking the chisel around the lock nut at different locations. Not fun but will work, it just takes a LONG time! One thing to remember when doing this is it may slip off and hit your nice rims, so put a big rag through the rim in line where you'll be using the chisel. I call it old school because my dad taught it to me, and he's in his 70's. He said it will take a long time but just when you're ready to give up, give it another 10 minutes, it will work. He was right. Thanks for the Vid Eric, I don't always agree with you, but I ALWAYS learn something. Best Wishes n Blessings Keith
Here's my solution to this problem - GO TO AUTO STORE AND BUY FOUR REGULAR LUG NUTS. THEN THROW AWAY THE STUPID WHEEL LOCKS!!!!!
Obviously my recommendation is for a 'standard' neighborhood. If you're in high-crime district then the wheel locks may help.
id use like 5 wheel locks
each wheel
I had my key for my locking lugs break ...the special design on the key just totally broke off....call the company who made the lock ...and they said I was shit out of luck .....so I did your trick and awesome they came right off....tks man!!!!
This is good advice for those really nice wheels at the junkyard that seem to be the only thing good left on the car...
nice job. i get this done in a couple minutes using a sledge hammer, bang that socket on, use a jack handle with the half inch breaker bar. clamp the vise on the socket near the square end, using a bolt or punch the right size bang it out with the sledge hammer.
Thanks for making these helpful videos. great help for aspiring automotive technicians everywhere
And this is why i use steel wheels , nobody wants to steal that
istvan buda naw. its all about that plastic wheels man! haha
+istvan buda Wooden.
+istvan buda imagine how much money you could make from selling that steel to the junkyard though
When I bought my van it came with a lock nut (with a key) on it. After I bought the van I moved to another province so I couldn't exactly go back to the dealer and say, "Pay for this." When I tried to take it off the key broke so the mechanic had to split the nut to get it off. I guess he didn't want to take a chance on ruining his socket. Anyway, this makes a lot more sense than splitting the nut or ruining the key. Thanks Eric.
Did you get a free new thingy from the lifetime warranty? The manufacturer really needs to look at their policy.
free new thingy made me laugh.. dunno why
Thank you so much! Was changing my front brakes on my jeep and the key broke! Well thanks to you I got the Lock nut off. Good bye to the rest because I am changing them out.
Good advice but this does not work on Volvo locking nuts (at least on a 2003 Volvo V70). The Volvo nuts sit flush with the hole in the wheel and so prevent you from putting any sort of socket over the nut. I visited 3 specialists and they all said the same thing... "You won't get it off sonny". I tried drilling it out with a solid carbide bit (fail). I also tried welding a big nut onto the surface of the locking nut (fail). The end result was having to saw the wheel off which resulted in me having to buy a new wheel AND a new wheel hub. All because some grease monkey cross-threaded the locking nut a year previously.
We take Volvo locking nuts off, look at facebook,com/LockingWheelNutsRemoved We have never failed.
Jon Smyth Well I'll be buggered! I wish I had known about you back then. Fortunately the replacement wheel and hub cost me less than £150 which is less than it would have cost me for the 600 mile round trip to see you. Nevertheless it was a lot of hassle and I could at least have phoned you for advice :-(
Glad you're sorted. You'll never get caught again, eh?
You're damn right! Those locking bolts are gone for good, I just use standard bolts now. :-)
After taking your car to a 'grease monkey' who has removed your wheels, get them to prove to you that the locking wheel nuts still come off. That way, if they have over tightened them, or cross threaded them, the problem and more importantly, THE BILL! is THEIR problem and not yours
Thanks Eric the car guy. This worked a treat just now. I bought a second hand car and the old owner couldn't find the lock nut key so i used your method and presto, they off quick as a flash. Im off in the morning to buy new lock nuts. Thanks for your help buddy. Hi from Australia.
He is going to return the socket under warranty after recording himself clearly using the socket outside of its intended use. I bet your local Autozone just loves hearing your return excuses ;)
thats what i thought aswell
+shcoop25
He's a POS
Goldboy Jr and you are...? Nameless youtube hater
Well he performed a way to help someone I need, so he made a sacrifice with the socket.
Lol in 2019
Great tip - thanks for the instructions. I found after getting the wheel lock off, the easiest way to punch out the wheel lock is hammer the punch a couple of times, turn the socket 1/4 turn, hammer a couple more times, and repeat until the lug comes out of the socket. Much quicker than trying to continually hammer.
luckily for us and unluckily for thieves, you would make a helluvalotta noise doing all this shit. If you don't notice all this shit going on in front of your house, they deserve the wheels...
Did a friends front end ball joints, tie rods, control arm bushings, etc and he had one rim lock on drivers side. Needed to get it off, your video as usual helped a lot. Thx bro
This method DOES NOT work on McGard spinner collars-!
primopup I am finding this out myself. What a pain!
Sure don't 🤦
dremel hole to get access to the ring, break the ring, maybe you need to dremel more to get more space to prey the ring segments out and then use Erics method...btw...depends on rims...you need to have access to the bolt top. Old type spinners are soft, the ring very brittle. I used a 21 metric 12 star, regular socket (not the long version). +WD 40 but cleaned the bolt with brake cleaner just before hammering the socket on...for max grip.
It does but you first need to take a die grinder to the collar to split it. Once removed, it works the same.
I bought a 95 Prelude that was in an accident for super cheap, but it has wheels with locks. The owner lost the key. No one has been willing to accept money to help me get them off. Thank you for this video
Surely a life time warranty doesn't include misuse?
they dont know that
another thing that helps is to hammer directly on the lock straight on. Then hammer on the lock. The threads by nature have some slop in them. When you hammer it, the slop allows the lock to compress the aluminum/mag boss around the stud. This loosens the torque and makes easier to turn.
Tack weld a nut to the lock.
The 263 people who didn't like this video either didn't do it right or are whining about it being bad. My stupid self had a moment and lost my key. Shop around here wants 15$ a wheel to take them off. Argh!! I'm gonna keep searching for my key for a few more cud I'd love to keep my locks :/ Good video man Eric your my Honda Guru for everything. Now if I could devise a plan to get you here my timing belt broke doing 70 on the freeway yesterday. If all else fails I'll kill a few of my sockets.. I'll let you know how this went down. You rock dude!
great!!! now blacks will be able to steal my rims from my x6
Buy a new set of wheel locks, Fucktard. Very easy solution to keep blacks AND others from stealing your raggedy ass rims. KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid.
Sure, give me your salary for the next 2 year and your foodstamps so I can get them
+fernando boschelli Why don't you use your own and stop leeching off others like the Bitch you are. Always wanting someone else to prop your sorry ass up. Be a Man...Boy.
Joe S. Hearns Jr. Fuck ya
Good idea
Fuck you bitch I got a 2013 BMW 650 gt on 22's asantis nobody want your cheap ass rims I bet they are cheap and your car is 2008 x6
I have just talking with a friend about getting his wheel locks off because his lock key broke a week ago and hes getting new tires today. Thanks for the tip!
Recently I had a flat tire and when I went to change the tire the locking lug was missing. The mechanic did not replace the locking nut when he was finished work on my tires. I tried the method in the video and I got all four of the darn things off and replaced them with regular nuts. The mechanic told me he could have removed them for 25.00, but could not find my lock nut key (he had about 10 of them). Thanks for posting this video, unsafe on the road with a flat at night.
Thanks, Eric. IT WORKED 4 me!! Special chrome alloy wheels on a 95 Lincoln TC. Took a 21mm lug and once I got it just snug I had to really WHACK it with a small sledge hammer. Which is obvious to me now. A little "PB Blaster" and it came right off. Thanks, again!
You can actually buy on E-Bay a socket that have reverse treads and locks itself to the nut and costs under 20$. Now you can finish job in 5 min. But you need to wait for socket to be delivered to you. :) Anyway nice video, keep up good work. I'm learning so much stuff from you about repairing my car. Thanks
Thank you, this worked great. I even saved my socket by just breaking the lock loose then just hitting it back and forth with a hammer and got the socket off ,and the truck had been sitting for 15 years.
you are the man! I bought a tool to remove a lock nut when the key broke - didn't work - this worked like a charm! Thanks!
Man. Ty. My son has new driver luck with tires. And lost his key. Just did what u showed and we in business. Thanks man
To the maker of this video, much appreciated. Respect for helping people out
Having some experience on what NOT to do, here is what I suggest. BEFORE you try this method, loosen all the lugs slightly.. Do NOT put silicone on the outside or inside of the socket after you get the first one off.. it will insure failure on the rest... ask me how I know. Afterward, get regular lugs and forget this locking BS unless you have $1,000 wheels and live on the S Side of Chicago. Nearly all cars now a days have some sort of alloy wheels. It's not that big a deal. My reason ? Duh.. think about your wife or significant other/daughter /son/father/mother etc etc having a flat tire and not having the key.. add in night time. Need I say more ?
Thank you for the vid! I have a key that has worn down and would not bite on my locking nut. I just went out to the garage, used a 24mm socket and the nut is off. I think it took me 3 minutes from the time I went out to the garage to the time I removed the lock from the socket. I can't believe I didn't think to try this before! Scary, but VERY helpful!
Thanks you for this, it got me out of a jam. I had my key but it broke the first time I used it. I used 12pt. 3/4" 1/2" drive socket. The only thing roadside would do was tow my car.
Thank YOU! The last time I took my car for inspection, the mechanic blasted the lug-nuts. I used your technique. But when I jammed the socket on it just spun with the ratchet. So I jammed the socket on again. But this time I used a breaker bar in combo with a 11/8 jumbo wrench (cheater bar). I put tension on the levers while I whacked it with a 3 lb. hammer. After two minuets it spun. Oh, sh-t it slipped I thought. Nope it broke free. Thank You for your great TIP!
Thank you. I had looked around for it, but not in the glove box. So your prompt to check all the different places is a great start. Try the simple solution(s) first.
Thank you! This is the best fix on TH-cam.
Worked great Eric!! Thanks!! I actually bought one of those sockets that is supposed to take them off and it didn't work. Your method worked much better. Thanks for posting.
Bolt out. Reverse cutting threads that are tapered. Works every time in a heartbeat. Never missed w/one yet. Lent my brother one to take off a wheel for his stepson, and he came back and wanted to know how long these things have been around. Worked like a dream. I've used them on rusted, rounded out nuts & bolts for years, ever since they came out. Snap-on makes a full kit of them for around $360.00, but for the time they save U, and what they can do, they're worth every penny. Black and Decker, and Craftsman both make them now too, and a lot less costly. They also work extremely well on stripped out allen bolts. Money in the bank folks. Stop wasting U'r time, and damaging good tools. Just get the right tool for the job.
My Key broke in half...and crager couldn't help me replace it....but now that I know this...I can finally get it off....and never buy another crager locking set again...thank you sooooooo much!!!!!!
As a immigrant, life is hard, stole 30+ sets of cool wheels now and life is good, I came back to pay the respect to the masters. Thank you
wow thanks man! My tire just blew out on my mustang and I lost the key and this is an easy way to take off the lock with tools I already own! Thanks again!
Thank you very much. I just used your tip to get the wheel lock off my Lexus and it worked like a charm. Great tip.
I lost the locks twice and finally decided to get rid of it. My lug nuts are 21mm and I used 19mm socket; hammered it quite hard enough and kaboom! it takes one turn only. I think I did it like as I mean it. No struggle and 16oz hammer is good enough to make it work easy. The torque wrench is the best.
It does work quite well. Use an impact wrench and make sure the diameter of the socket you are using is as close as possible to the diameter of the nut you're trying to remove. It'll spin freely but it will come out. It's much faster then you'd expect.
This is the coolest video of yours i watched so far that i didn't have to pay for!
Dude thank you for all your help I just got my rotor screws off and your way was so easy I felt stupid trying different things til I got to your video. You’re a badass and thanks for the help
From one Blue collar guy to another Thx man ~! Wish you were the one to change out my heater core on my F 150 ,,,geeeze what a job
Thank you. I bought a set of lock nuts just over a year ago, then lost the key. I didn't know that I lost it, of course, until I had a rear wheel cylinder leaking badly. I also used a 12-point based on your recommendation. 7/8" was too big, and while 13/16" seemed a bit small, it was all I had that was a step lower than 7/8". Tried it three times - the last was a last ditch effort to hammer it on there the whole way (I didn't want to ruin it if I didn't have to). The socket split once I got it on there that deeply, but the socket also held enough to allow me to get the locking lug nut off. So as of now I have a new rear wheel cylinder on that side. :-)
Spearfisher1970
What do I have to do to be saved?.........
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved
Romans 10:9
This is going to sound crazy 2 sum but..... trust me on this
If you missed the rapture read this-------------
-Do not take the mark of the beast!
-Do not worship the Ant-Christ
-Do not deny the Lord
-Call on JESUS
Additional information----------------
(Note: these are not in order)
The "Mark" is what u'll need 2 buy things
Anti christ will come on the scene
Follow JESUS deny self
Endure to the end!
Anti crist will be killed his wound will heal n he rises back to life then he's
Satan in incarnate
Do not I repeat DO NOT take the mark!!!!!!!!
Do not worship him(he will have powers)
-Remain calm!!!!!!!
-Prepare for the worst
-Do not deny Christ
-He'll claim to be God
-He'll demand to be worshiped
-He'll copy Christ's resurrection
-Anti christ will sign covenant with Israel
-3.5 years he breaks it
-7years
-tribulation =3.5 years
-Great tribulation = Last 3.5 years(multiplied)
Why the tribulation?
Purpose#1 = To judge the World of sin
Purpose#2= Reach out to the Jews
Additional details------
-Aliens (possibly explanation of something)
-Anti christ
-A man will bring peace(That's the anti christ
-Peace agreement
-2 of GODS witness will appear in Jerusalem
-For a period the witnesses will b UN-killable
-the world will view the 2 witnesses die
-The 2 witness will perform miracles(rain)
-The 2 witness will b raised from the dead
-Angels will be in air(presenting Messages)
-Angels will present Gospel to everyone
-Beware of False prophet
-HELP the Jews
Additional info---------------
Anti christ will kick out Jews from Jerusalem
N will say he's god.
-Many say Obama is the anti-christ
What do I have to do to be saved?.........
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved
Romans 10:9
What is the rapture? It's an event where GOD took all that were saved in Christ JESUS. The dead n those that are alive vanished to meet him in the air!
That means millions have disappeared
Here's what going to happen.
Things will b very bad A man will rise up n Promsie peace! Don't believe this man. He will be well liked! He will make many promises. He will make a peace agreement with the Jews for 7 years. In 3.5 years he will break the agreement and he worshiped in the temple He eventually will be killed n comeback to life. He will say he's god n show u his powers n demand to be worshipped. The real GOD will send 2 witnesses n they will appear in the streets of Jerusalem. For a period of time these two witnesses will be protected n no one will be able to kill them. Eventually they will be killed n the whole world will witness it! These two witnesses will be raised from the dead and Ascend to heaven.
Further instructions-----------
Run!
Ditch your phone
Don't go to church.... there will be people waiting for u!
Understand that this is your last chance n if you deny JESUS or take the "mark" on your right hand or forehead... that will be it for u n you will automatically not be able to go to heaven! There will be angels presenting the Gospel and all types of languages so that everyone can be reached.
I repeat DO NOT take the mark!!
I repeat DO NOT worship anyone but JESUS the one true GOD
I did this today as shown on this video and it worked great. I used a 12 point 3/4 socket. Thanks!!
Thanks! Car i bought had no key and custom rims with DEEP lug holes. Your method had one off in 5 minutes!
working in a major tire dealer in the US taking wheel locks off is hard on us and the car, please keep track of the wheel lock keys! If you lose one you can sometimes give the VIN to a dealer and get a replacement.
Hi Eric, this is to say a big thank-you. Just got my lock wheel nut out.
Just a thought, get a spare key made. I've never had to deal with one of these, so I'm just winging it, but I always get a spare key for anything. Somebody else will lose it if you don't. Enjoyed your video, as always.
@yonkersfugitive Real thieves would use the special tool as it takes less time and you use less effort. In my experience if someone wants something of yours they're going to have it pretty much no matter what you do. Thanks for the comment.
Thanx Eric, I have been having sleepless nights.
This got the lock off my Jeeps spare after the key broke.... Thanks Eric
And here I was wasting an hour trying to Dremel it. Thank you so much Eric.
an easier way to beat the lug nut off is to put the socket into a long extension and beat the socket with a sledge hammer working it around and after a few hits the nut will fall out. that is of course if you dont mind ruining a socket and have tons of extras (i work at a tire/rim shop and we can use them for about 20 nuts or so until they arent useable) the reason i mention it is because ive seen a few accidents doing it your way but i figured id try to ad something, nice video .
@elitecssplayer You need a special socket to get it off normally known as a "key". Normally only one lug nut is replaced by this special lug nut called a "lock" and is used to deter theft by making the wheel removal more difficult however as a mechanic I find that people often loose their keys or forget they need them altogether and I am then forced to look for the key or find an alternative such as this.
Good vid Eric. I have had to use this method on several occasions. The air chisel and walking them off works too if they are on there really good. You will destroy them but hey, you have no key for it so it's pretty much useless anyway.
Great tip! Saved me from being at the mercy of the tire shop after they messed up my key. Thanks!!
I had to do this with 24 locking lug nuts in order to swap a set of tires from one truck to another. A few tips. When you get to the vice, lock the lug nut in the vice then turn the socket in the tightening position sharply, in order to break the seal the socket has on the lug lock. Use a flat punch instead of a pointed one (especially for acorn style lug locks). And don't swing for the fences when hammering the punch, you may wind up punching straight through the end of the lug lock, and then you have to spend extra time with a smaller punch trying to get the lug lock out of your socket.
I don't care if people are bitching about this, but this helped me out years ago when my locknut BROKE off along with a piece of one of the locknuts rendering it useless. I had to do this to all four of my wheels... I found that it helped a LOT to use a blowtorch to heat the socket and hammer it on before turning it, this allowed me to use a slightly smaller socket for a tighter fit, this especially works if the nut is on way to tight which is why my locknut broke in the first place.
you sir are a genuine hustler thanks
I'm not sure if these are exactly the same as mine as there seem to be many types but I did mine on my corsa slightly differently. If you find an old socket that you can bang in between the centre and the nut shaped bit in the middle, you can actually ping the outer shell off leaving the centre nut easily accessible and giving you plenty of room to bang a socket on with much better grip. Like I say, they all differ but this worked for me on my corsa. I even tried the proper removal tool/socket with the reverse thread but they are a waste of time and money. It took me about 20 minutes to remove all four from the car.
@69newark I believe I mentioned that in the video. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks Eric. This helped me get my spare tire off my jeep when the last owner lost the lugnut key. thanks
i used to do this when i was a tire boy. i went through many sockets but this is a tried and true method!!
Thanks, for the help! Took my new used car in b/c there was a nail in the tire and it turns out I had tire locks and no key. With your help I was able to get them off - took it back in and tire is being repaired today.
Your videos are the best, Eric.
Do you ever use brake fluid to loosen threaded parts and screws? I have had luck with it. Sometimes I heat up the part then drip or squirt on the brake fluid. After soaking the parts are lots easier to get apart.
I bet you been doing that but I haven''t seen it used on any of your videos.
What happens if you get the socket stock on there but it is not taking the lock off and it is just spinning the socket. Is there a easy way to remove a stuck on socket?
Thanks Eric I lost my lock key and I don't know where I left it and I hit a metal in the freeway and my tire cannot change cause I lost the unlock so one of my coworkers saw your video and thanks God he fix my tire
If you're afraid your alloy's get stolen, stick with the steel factory rims. (Duh)
In the 30's they've already figured out pressed steel rims are the best option for everyday use.
Only on the race track you may benefit from the reduced unsprung mass aluminum offers.
I agree, pressed steel rims are the best, alloys are very expensive to replace, and are easily damaged. People say they lighter the steel but I feel that it really makes little difference economically. A steel rim with a full tire still gives a comfortable ride. Low profile tyres is just dumb, nowadays with all the humps and potholes it's better to have some ground clearance
Thanks,this good way to take them off the wheels faster just 5 minutes I took 4 wheels off no need to spend money to buy tools.Thanks again .
It works. Trick is finding the correct socket size. The special kit to remove these locks run anywhere between 16 and 80 dollars. By a cheap socket at parts store for 4 bucks and go to work.
Good tip..good safety tip..make sure that's the first lug to take off and if you have time use a little penetrating oil the day before cuz aluminum and steel freeze together after a while..keep up the good work, Rusty Nuts
@klfer They are case hardened so I'm not surprised they eat up cut off wheels. I've used an air chisel as well but when your working on a car with aluminum wheels this can be tricky since you can easily damage the wheel. Thanks for the comment.
Thank you, I appreciate this video, I broke my wheel lock and don't want to buy another one lol
This really helps, I just bought a truck and the previous owner had never rotated the tires and the truck didn't come with the wheel key *FACEPALM* Thank you.