From digest.v6.n222 Sat Feb 15 03:38:07 1997
From: Steven J Bernstein <stevenb_at_interactive.net>
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 01:48:19 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: <MISC> Wheel Locks

On Fri, 14 Feb 1997, Chris Dodge wrote: > I just recieved my new 17" Breytons for my 325is.
> I was wondering if I should replace one of the
> wheel bolts with a wheel lock. Does anyone have

I went through this decision - perhaps you can learn from my experience:

When I upgraded my E28, I bought Moda M1 wheels, which have deep lug holes. The stock wheels have very shallow holes. I also bought a set of the McGard locks, and found them to be of pitiful manufacturing quality and seemed very easy to defeat. Parts vendors that sell them should be ashamed of themselves. Perhaps I overreacted, but the instructions claimed that you must check the torque on the lug nuts after the first 25 miles of driving. I found that insane - I am very particular about torquing the lug bolts to factory specification (for the sake of my brakes

• - see FAQ), and was unwilling to do this. I was also concerned about obtaining an accurate setting with this funky bolt and "key", since it required "adjustment". I sent them back before using them.

I then bought the factory locks (admittedly $48 (list $70) instead of $24)

• - the newer type which require a key. They consist of a normal lug bolt, which you tighten/torque with all the others. That is VERY good. Then there is a perfectly round cap that fits over the entire head of the lug bolt locks into the lug bolt, and has a keyhole in it. The wide portion of the key is asymmetric, and I had to file down one side to get it to fit properly without scratching the finish off of the lug hole while turning. That wasn't a big deal. There are plastic caps for the locks, but with such deep holes, there is no easy way to remove them once they snap on. I ended up aborting those caps, which prevent dirt from entering the lock. This is not good.

The locks are a bit difficult to turn without turning the entire assembly. Unfortunately, my first set was defective, and one bolt cap got stuck on the bolt. I had to drill it out, with hardened bits, and due to the good design of the key mechanism, it was VERY time-consuming. One must drill off center or the bit will simply spin in the mechanism. This was beyond the capabililities of your average crackhead. 8^) I actually appreciated the design. I replaced the kit with another (free under warrantee) and have been pleased ever since. Despite the problems I had, these are FAR superior to the aftermarket wheel locks. The only point to have them is to minimize the chances of theft. I believe they serve that purpose well. The McGards are cosmetic junk.

Hope this is useful,
.steve.

p.s. anyone see the new Z3 6-cyl commercial? It looks like a twisty mountain road in the Italian Alps, where a guy is in his Z3 and comes up to a beautiful woman in an old farm truck. She appears to lose the brakes and yells for help, and he convinces her to jump from the truck to his car (very Bond-esque). She does and they drive off - then you see the woman's mother sit up in the truck and easily bring the truck to a safe stop, while you see her smile broadly that her daughter made a good catch. It was cute.

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| Steven J. Bernstein              E-mail: bernstein_at_interactive.net |

| P.O. Box 11242           WWW: http://www.interactive.net/~stevenb/ |
| Hauppauge, NY 11788 USA    __________       VOICE: +1 718 740 7411 |

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From digest.v6.n222 Sat Feb 15 03:38:07 1997
From: rpms_at_cyberramp.net
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 22:50:47 -0600
Subject: <rubber> Wheel Locks

Chris Dodge wrote:
> I was wondering if I should replace one of the
>wheel bolts with a wheel lock. Does anyone have
>an opinion as to whether these really prevent or
>deter someone from removing my wheels?

>Also, which brands or types work the best?
>Baverian Auto has two types shown in their
>magazine, their own and McGard. Both look
>and are priced similary.

Chris,

By all means, get wheel locks. By all means, don't get McGard's. They use a uniquely shaped key that fits into your lug wrench. If you don't get the key inserted firmly and absolutely into the lock, it will come out unexpectedly and you will bang your knuckles on the pavement. Not fun. They're not so bad if you have an impact wrench, but it's tough to get the key to stay put in the lock while you're trying to fit a torque wrench socket to it. Besides, I think they look homely as hell.

Bavarian's own brand, however, looks well made, and has a screw-on dust cover that imitates the look of the other lugs. I'm going to try a set of them on my next wheels.

Good luck!

Scott Ferguson
1980 635 CSi Eurospec