From dale_at_unofficialbmw.com Sat Jan 30 08:59:39 1999
From: Dale Beuning <dale_at_unofficialbmw.com>
Subject: wheel locks
To: bmwuucdigest-digest_at_list-server.net

>Wheel Locks--
>
>McGARD or BMW Factory?

Factory:
I had the original style factory locks on my M3 for a while. Took it in for service and forgot to remove the locking caps before leaving. The apes at that dealer screwed up two of the locks, of course I didn't find that out until 2 months later when I was going to "rotate the tires real quick before we go out of town for the weekend". I ended up spending 3 hours chiseling off the stupid cap, and scratching up the 10-spoke wheel a bit in the process. The other one I convinced to come off with only 1/2 hour of fiddling. I'm slowly being educated to to use the dealer only for parts purchases.

McGard:
I had these a long time ago on a non-BMW. The locking lugs were way overtightened by some ape, it may have been me. When I went to remove them, I twisted the key into two pieces. That was fun trying to get those off. They may have a different style key now where this won't happen.

Gorilla:
Got these from Discount Tire with the purchase of my wife's TSW Imola wheels. On her car they have worked well. The are still on there. I ordered a set for my M3, 3 months later I went to put on track shoes, and the rear two locking lugs had _snapped in half_! I always use a torque wrench on my BMW lugs, so they were correctly torqued. We managed to get the remaining threads out. I was just glad they didn't go further in and trash the parking brake. I'm not planning on using these again.

BavAuto:
Bought these at OFest '97 in NH. They look like each one is hand made by a machinest. My initial gripe with these is the little black plastic cap is easy to break by the dealer apes. Just take it off when you drop off the car. These are the ones I'm currently using and I like how well made they are.

Dale
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                       |            Dale Beuning           |
                       |       email: dale_at_unofficialbmw.com     |

                       | web: http://www.unofficialbmw.com |
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