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Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 1:17 pm
by MyLittleStudPony
The tyre goons lost my locking wheel nut key at the last visit. So they put the original non locking wheel nuts back on and later got me a new set of locking wheel nuts plus a new key. Genuine OE.
Is it worth putting them on? It's a five year old Prius so not particularly desirable wheels or tyres. And I generally don't leave it unattended anywhere rough.
Do people nick car wheels any more? Maybe it's worth putting the locking nuts on just in case. They do seem to cause grief sometimes though.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 1:33 pm
by KungFooBob
How close do you live to Liverpool?
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 1:37 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
I've lost the key before and the tyre goons still got the wheels off.
Find it really hard to believe the TWOCers can't defeat 'em pretty quick.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 1:37 pm
by Saga Lout
And I thought you were so butch!
Use the locking wheel nuts. If some scrote wants your wheels they'll slow him down a bit. Maybe.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 1:46 pm
by MrLongbeard
OK so it's only a 12 year old Civic, but I haven't used locking wheel nuts for years, mind ewe I don't lose any sleep if I go out for the day and return to find I haven't shut let alone locked the doors at home.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 1:52 pm
by Stig
They hinder legitimate owners and pose no issue to thieves
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 2:03 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
"locks only keep out honest people"
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 2:31 pm
by Felix
They are one of the first items to get binned when i get another car.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 4:50 pm
by Cousin Jack
Felix wrote: Sun May 04, 2025 2:31 pm
They are one of the first items to get binned when i get another car.
Why? I don't think I have ever needed to remove a wheel on the current car. Locking nuts are standard so I use them, not sure I would buy them but since they are there.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 5:23 pm
by Felix
Cousin Jack wrote: Sun May 04, 2025 4:50 pm
Felix wrote: Sun May 04, 2025 2:31 pm
They are one of the first items to get binned when i get another car.
Why? I don't think I have ever needed to remove a wheel on the current car. Locking nuts are standard so I use them, not sure I would buy them but since they are there.
At present i have a Chinese rattle gun in the back of the car with a 17mm socket on it. I dont want to be dicking about with stupid keys at the side of the road in the pissing rain.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 5:37 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
I haven't taken a wheel off a car since about 2021.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 5:40 pm
by KungFooBob
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun May 04, 2025 5:37 pm
I haven't taken a wheel off a car since about 2021.
I removed a rear wheel last weekend, to take the wheel arch liner out to reattach the fuel over flow hose which had started dragging behind the car.
My locking wheel nut is in a little day-glow orange drawstring bag with the dealers contact details printed on it

Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 5:41 pm
by Felix
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun May 04, 2025 5:37 pm
I haven't taken a wheel off a car since about 2021.
Not had mine off since yesterday when i was changing the N/S hub, drip links and track rod ends.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 5:42 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
I know exactly where mine is, it's in a shadow foam case alongside the four non-locking nuts. Said case is clipped into a space under the boot floor. I see it often. I've just never had cause to remove it from it's nest

Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Sun May 04, 2025 5:45 pm
by KungFooBob
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun May 04, 2025 5:42 pm
I know exactly where mine is, it's in a shadow foam case alongside the four non-locking nuts. Said case is clipped into a space under the boot floor. I see it often. I've just never had cause to remove it from it's nest
That's the same as my old SL. I assumed the locking wheel nuts were an 'option' and they put the non-locking ones back in the box the locking ones came out of.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Mon May 05, 2025 8:41 am
by Druid
There's a clear difference of opinion here between those who drive new cars and take them to a dealer to get work done, and those who drive old bangers and spend their weekends fixing their cars on the drive.
I bin the locking wheel nuts

Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Mon May 05, 2025 8:49 am
by Mr. Dazzle
I get the dealer/mechanic to fix my old banger too
We have two cars, a brand spanker I get through work which never needs anything doing and a 2011 Honda Shitvic which seldom needs anything doing - 'cause it's a Honda. The work the Honda
does need is infrequent enough that I get the mechanical to do it at MOT time.
CBA with crawling around under cars any more
They both have locking wheel nuts though.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Mon May 05, 2025 9:12 am
by KungFooBob
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Mon May 05, 2025 8:49 am
I get the dealer/mechanic to fix my old banger too
We have two cars, a brand spanker I get through work which never needs anything doing and a 2011 Honda Shitvic which seldom needs anything doing - 'cause it's a Honda. The work the Honda
does need is infrequent enough that I get the mechanical to do it at MOT time.
CBA with crawling around under cars any more
They both have locking wheel nuts though.
You're not from Yorkshire.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Mon May 05, 2025 9:16 am
by Mr. Dazzle
Pronouncing the H in Honda was the clue.
Re: Car locking wheel nuts - worth using?
Posted: Mon May 05, 2025 9:20 am
by Skub
The locking nuts are one of the first things I bin on a new (to me) wagon. Anyone stealing the wheels of a 10 year old Toyota Auris needs them more than I do.
