GM Locking Lugnut help

[dave521]

So, it seems I've joined the group of unfortunate people who have managed to misplace the locking lugnut key for my car. I don't have the replacement card either so I can't really order a replacement (first owner of the bird lost that). It has the factory GM locking lugnuts on it. Any advice as to the best/cheapest/easiest way to remove them?

[Skinny]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

These work well:


Get them at Sears.

[T-Mill]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

Those are kind of expensive aren't they? Just find an oversized socket that you don't need that you can hammer onto the lock and then spin...

At the very least, if this doesn't work you can go the route skinny gave, because those do work very well...

Is there an immediate reason you need them off? I ask bc when I worked at Sears and if someone came in for some kind of tire/wheel service and didn't have a lugnut key, we'd take the lock off for free... I can't remember if we did it for free if the customer wasn't buying some other service or not, but you might try calling around...

either way, even if they charge you, it'll probably still be cheaper than buying those bolt removers above...

[T-Mill]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

Reasons for not having locking lugnuts:

1. If someone has enough time with your car to jack it up and take off your rims, they have enough time to break in and find the wheel key since most people keep the key in the car since it's not practical to keep it anywhere else

2. If you get a flat at 2 in the morning during a terrential downpour on a deserted road, the last thing you want is to have a locking lug nut strip out on you, or not be able to find it at all

3. If someone is stealing your rims, chances are they know a thing or two about rims and know how to get around the locking lugnut...

4. If you have an alarm with a shock sensor, it'll go off as soon as they start jacking up the car

5. It creates more of a hassle for the owner of the car and the tire shop you take it to than it does for any potential thief...

[dave521]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

Thanks Skinny and T-Mill,

I did look at the ones at Sears and they do seem to be a bit on the expensive side. After calling around some it seems that it'll cost me $30-$50 to have them removed at a shop unless I buy a full set of tires. While I do need another set, I've been eying some of the 17" Z06 packages from oewheels rather than just putting new tires on my stock 16's (I've grown tired of that look).

As for locking lugnuts in general, yeah, I don't really see the need for GM to ever put them on our standard wheels anyway. They're not exactly anything highly valued and most people tend to replace the stock ones.

[EarlR]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

I had a similar problem when I bought my Camaro - locks on all four wheels and no socket. I called my local Chevy dealer, thinking they might be sympathetic; they said they could take them off for $90. I said thanks but no thanks - found an impact wrench socket just a little bigger (maybe a 13/16, or 7/8) and beat it onto the nut (as T-Mill suggested). Worked like a charm, they spun right off with an impact wrench, and the socket was no worse for wear. Took me about 10 minutes.

[Leonard 3.8L]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

I found a replacement number in my wheel instruction kit. Maybe you can look in your kit. Then call for a replacement - and it's probably free.

[Skinny]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

They're not very expensive at Sears. The larger sets are only about $50, smaller sets can be picked up for about $20. Even if you have to buy the larger set, that's $50, your problem is solved, and you have a very useful tool that you can use in the future. Or you can have someone else do it for you for $30-90 (as quoted in this thread) and your problem is solved, but otherwise you have nothing to show for your $$ spent.

Maybe I just look at money spent on tools differently than most.

[enzia35]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

They're not very expensive at Sears. The larger sets are only about $50, smaller sets can be picked up for about $20. Even if you have to buy the larger set, that's $50, your problem is solved, and you have a very useful tool that you can use in the future. Or you can have someone else do it for you for $30-90 (as quoted in this thread) and your problem is solved, but otherwise you have nothing to show for your $$ spent.

Maybe I just look at money spent on tools differently than most.

:tup: Money on tools=money well spent.

[Blizzard242]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

Yeah I picked up a small set of those at autozone to get mine off. Those are very very handy to have around if you're doing any wrenching.
A mechanic at belle tire gave me some new lug nuts to replace em for free. I was getting other tire work done at the time though.

[T-Mill]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

They're not very expensive at Sears. The larger sets are only about $50, smaller sets can be picked up for about $20 and your problem is solved, but otherwise you have nothing to show for your $$ spent.

agreed... I was thinking they cost more than that...

[dave521]

Re: GM Locking Lugnut help

Thanks for all the input, I'll head to Sears and see if I can find a good deal on a set.