Lost my wheel lock key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

I lost my wheel lock key. I don't have the key info to order a new one, nor do I know what brand they are. The problem is, every shop I've been to says they can do it, but then can’t. Sears auto would have done it for $5.99 per lock/wheel. After I waited for hours, they said they couldn’t do it because the lock is too far in and they my damage the rim. I have Chrome Cobra R’s. I’ve gone to countless shops and they keep telling me they can do it. So I tell them to come take a look before I waste time waiting, and they ALL say that the lugs/lock on the Cobra R’s are seated is too far in. Any suggestions?

Thanks


:confused:

Don't know if this will work for you, but this is how I got mine off. I pounded a 22mm deep socket onto the lock lug with a hammer and then just turned it off like a regular lug nut. I don't know if the lug holes on your R's is wide enough to fit the socket, but it ought to.

I had it happen but it was on pony's so it wasn't closed in like your R's. They hammered one of their sockets on tat was too small and wedged it on there, then impacted it right off. This might be the only alternative. Good luck and elt us know before you saw you rim in half!!!

I suspect that that is what the other shops have tried, or were going to try, because that's a very common problem, and the solution is always a deep 7/8" (or 22mm, they're the same size) impact socket and an impact gun. I have found a few locks that require a 15/16" socket, but a 7/8" fits most of them. Question is, will that size socket fit into your rim. Might want to check yourself and see.

Take care,
~Chris

There is a socket that has a coarse left hand thread in it that is tapered that can be used to fit over the lock. It just bites into the lock and spins it off.

You can probably get it at a good, local parts store. Someplace like NAPA.

I know what those shops mean, though, by not having the room to do it. I could barely use my stock lug nuts with my Cobra Rs. I bought McGard spline drive lug nuts instead. They work great. When you get the locks off, I recommend you try those for your wheels. Here is the page on the spline drive lug nuts:

http://www.mcgard.com/automotive/new_prod.asp

Our locks are made by McGard (if they are stock). You may want to contact them and see if you can send them an etching of your lock to help them identify what key to use.

http://www.mcgard.com/contact/ is where you can get contact information for McGard.

If they are a factory style lock, then you could go to a Ford dealer and see if any keys from their master set will fit it.

Even if they arent factory style, then its worth a shot, they might have one that is close enough to fit it.

If it comes down to it, you could drill a hole in the center of the lock, then use an easy-out in that hole and spin it off.


good luck with it

I tried the ford dealer, but they couldn't do it without damaging the rim they said. I'll try a 22mm long socket and see if it works. Hope I don't have to saw my rims in half!! lol!

Thanks

I don' t know if this is already what the shops were using, but I bought a "slim" socket from a wheel and tire store here when I put my Cobra R's on. My old tire iron didn't fit into the R's, so now I carry that slim socket and a breaker bar to use.

I did the same thing Hethj7. I had to get my car towed after a blowout that got me stuck between here and Hartford. I got a ride home from a friend but had to leave my car overnight. I forgot to tell them to use the slim socket in the glovebox and they scratched the hell outta one of my rims. The worst part was I didn't notice until I had driven back home.

That sucks man! I would hate to have some nice wheels all scratched up because of something like that.

I dont think this would work.. but Im going to throw it out.... you could try to drill lug nuts and then tap them with reverse thread and then just thread in a bolt and remove it that way...
like I said, I dont think it'd work... but it just popped into my head... then again.. maybe it would work... dependson how much meat is in the body of the lugnut
-as

you will have to use a deep chrome socket maybe a cheap china man one i had the same thing happen once and i just got an assortment of deep chrome sockets and finally found one that was thin enough to fit inside the wheel and thin enough to fit between the wheel and the top of the locking lug i then beat it on with a hammer and used an impact to remove it kind of a real pain but it worked

Will a deep chrome socket or a 22mm deep socket only work on 1 of the four wheel locks? Will I have to get 4? What I mean is, once I hammer it on, will it not be reusable?

get a screwdriver and put it in the other end and knock the locking lug back out the only way you will need another socket is if you knock it to far onto the lug and crack it.

An impact socket will last longer than a chrome socket. Chrome sockets tend to crack.

Take care,
~Chris

I also ran into the same problem. Everybody said sure bring it in no problem. Then about half hour later they'd come dragging out saying wow just to hard to get back in that hole !!
Heres what finally worked for me .... forget the impact socket or the good stuff its to hard, to high quality lol ... get the cheapest socket you can find ... they're softer and will beat over the nut. Even if it splits a bit its still on there pretty tight .. then take a breaker bar and slowly take it off... if you use an impact wrench it'll just strip the socket. I spent a month trying to get mine off ... the cheap socket worked for me in about 20 minutes. Good luck

Not to mention that an impact socket will tend to be thicker, and you need something thin to fit in your wheel

I definitely will need something thin, as I found that out yesterday. There is hardly ANY space between the lock and the walls of the rim. Where do I find a thin long 22mm socket?

look around.

If you go to a Good Year store, or somewhere that sells aftermarket wheels, they usually have a tool to remove wheel locks. It's a socket that doesn't have any teeth in it and the inside is tapered. You pound it onto the lug and it will pull them right off. Good luck.

Oh yeah, I had this same thing happen to me and I had Cobra R's. They got them off without a scratch.