Wheel Theft

The battle to keep car crime at bay continues unabated. What with transponders, immobilisers, alarms and other anti-theft systems, vehicles today are virtually impossible to steal without the keys – or the use of a flat-bed truck!

As a result, thieves are settling for nicking whatever components they can – and wheels are particularly vulnerable. That’s why locking wheelnuts are a good investment. But if you have had a set for quite a while, it could be time to invest in some new ones, because as with so many other sorts of automotive crime prevention, designs have improved significantly over the years.

Locking wheelnuts became popular in the Sixties as demand for alloy rims grew, and owners wanted to protect their investment.

Initially, the wheelnuts provided basic resistance, but standards have increased significantly since then. Now, most designs have more than 100 combinations, and that makes them harder than ever to crack.

Buying a set

Aftermarket versions tend to be one of three designs – block, pin and cookie-cutter. The first of these looks the simplest because they resemble a standard bolt with an irregularly shaped head. Pin models are slightly more complex, as tiny recesses in the head match up with studs in the key.

Toughest to defeat is the cookie-cutter style. This has a circular indent in the bolt which is unlocked with a key that matches the pattern. For added security, these are often fitted with a spinning shroud around the head, and the number of key combinations is limitless.

Most new cars are fitted with some form of anti-wheel theft device. These are sometimes repackaged aftermarket kits, chosen more for their price than their effectiveness. So with a set of locking wheelnuts costing around £35 at most, and wheels and tyres coming in at closer to £1,000, it makes sense to upgrade.

In our most recent test (Issue 960) McGard’s Ultra (from Exclusive Tuning, www.exclusivetuning.com or 0870 300 0136), and the Evo MkV (Evo Automotive, 01908 646566) came top. Both use cookie-cutter designs and a spinning shroud.

When buying, take one of your standard bolts to compare with the locking version. Consider thread length, head taper and weight. If they don’t match, the replacement bolt might create balance problems in the wheel and tyre or even loosen on the move.

So as not to draw attention to the locking bolts, match the colour – for example, those on a BMW are black, while Mercedes cars wear silver. And don’t skimp on price, as you tend to get what you pay for. Products that are easier to defeat tend to be at the cheaper end of the market.

Look for a set with a That­cham category four rating. That means it’s passed the insurance industry’s stan-dards for durability, key replacement, traceability and attack resistance.

Losing the key

Replacements for manufacturer-supplied sets can be expensive, and the cost doesn’t necessarily relate
to the price of the vehicle.

If you have to buy a new Focus key from Ford, it will be nearly £30, yet Porsche charges half that for a Cayman replacement. Similarly, a set of BMW or Audi locking bolts is about £30, but Saab charges nearly £70.

Unless you have the key code, however, you will have to go through a lengthy and expensive elimination process to find the correct replacement and even then, it might have to be specially ordered.

In the meantime, how do you get the wheels off? Brute force is usually the answer, and a garage might have to drill the bolts out for you. This can damage wheels and destroys the locking nuts. Expect to be charged at least an hour’s labour for the work.

When buying a used car, see if the locking wheelnut key works before you buy the vehicle. Even if it’s the right one, it can become worn and simply spin on the head.

Easy pickings

If it doesn’t have a spinning shroud, locking bolts can be removed by hammering an undersized socket over the nut until it fits tight.

However specialist sets are now available that work on most bolts, as long as there’s no spinning shroud. They’re aimed at the professional mechanic, but there’s nothing to stop anybody buying them. And at around £30, you can bet that seasoned wheel thieves already have a set. That’s why buying locking wheelnuts which have a spinning shroud is a worthwhile investment.

Is the technology used elsewhere?

The spare wheel is slung beneath some cars in a drop down cage. This is handy for keeping the boot clear, but it’s a particularly vulnerable spot and a well known and easy target for crooks.

If the wheel is bolted in place, simply fit a locking wheelnut instead to keep it secure.

As well as alloy wheels, number plates are a target, and similar technology is being used to beat this. For example, the Stoplock Plate Lock has locking bolts, and a sustained attack on the plate will break it, rendering it useless to the thief.