Question about wheel locks and keys and possibly breaking one off...

[purbeast0]

First of all I fucking hate wheel locks. I had no clue my wife had them on her rear wheels still as I fixed a leak in her front tires a couple months ago and there were none up there.

She has another leak and I went to take the wheel off to repair it and saw it has a damn lock, and we don't have the key.

I found on Amazon that we purchased some 8 years ago and it was these specific ones.

https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-61631-Acorn-Thread/dp/B000CMJ2QE

I don't even recall why we bought them but we did.

My question is, if I were to order another set of those, is it going to be the exact same key? Or are all of the lugnut/keys unique?

And if not - how the hell can I break this off? If I don't have to pay my mechanic to do it I'd rather do it myself, just like I want to plug the tire myself instead of paying $25 for them to do it.

 

[pcgeek11]

First of all I fucking hate wheel locks. I had no clue my wife had them on her rear wheels still as I fixed a leak in her front tires a couple months ago and there were none up there.

She has another leak and I went to take the wheel off to repair it and saw it has a damn lock, and we don't have the key.

I found on Amazon that we purchased some 8 years ago and it was these specific ones.

https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-61631-Acorn-Thread/dp/B000CMJ2QE

I don't even recall why we bought them but we did.

My question is, if I were to order another set of those, is it going to be the exact same key? Or are all of the lugnut/keys unique?

And if not - how the hell can I break this off? If I don't have to pay my mechanic to do it I'd rather do it myself, just like I want to plug the tire myself instead of paying $25 for them to do it.

This works like a charm. Just get a replacement lug nut and you will be golden.

https://www.amazon.com/GIREORAN-Wheel-Lock-Removal-Piece/dp/B0CL3GYHDN?th=1

 

[K1052]

Friend of mine got a flat and of course he could not find the key. Hammered a 12 pt socket that was just a little too small over the nut and used a ratchet with a pipe slid over the handle to crank it off. Busted the cheap Chinese ratchet in the process tho. Probably not the best way but it worked.

 

[purbeast0]

This works like a charm. Just get a replacement lug nut and you will be golden.

https://www.amazon.com/GIREORAN-Wheel-Lock-Removal-Piece/dp/B0CL3GYHDN?th=1

But will that kind work with the wheel lock I have? It has the circle thing around it that spins.

 

[purbeast0]

Friend of mine got a flat and of course he could not find the key. Hammered a 12 pt socket that was just a little too small over the nut and used a ratchet with a pipe slid over the handle to crank it off. Busted the cheap Chinese ratchet in the process tho. Probably not the best way but it worked.

I saw someone on youtube do that with the kind I have. He hammered a 12pt one on and got it off after that. But I wasn't sure if there was any other way to do it. I have no clue what size I would need.

And did your friend have that same kind in the link of the ones I have?

 

[K1052]

I saw someone on youtube do that with the kind I have. He hammered a 12pt one on and got it off after that. But I wasn't sure if there was any other way to do it. I have no clue what size I would need.

And did your friend have that same kind in the link of the ones I have?

His did not have that collar so unsure if it would fit between.

 

[pcgeek11]

But will that kind work with the wheel lock I have? It has the circle thing around it that spins.

I didnt see the link in your post. What I linked will NOT Work. You have a spinning safety device around the actual nut.

It says that they each have a specific key system. It should have a serial number with the package that you can send to the manufacturer and get a replacement key. Other than that is is either a mechanic with a proper tool or a hammer and chisel time for you.

NOTE:
Many Tire shops and mechanics have a set of lock driver for just your situation. Maybe contact them. Worth a shot.

 

[balloonshark]

This is what I found by searching amazon's Q&A

Q: How can i buy only the key, because im lost the key from my set asked on March 18, 2017

Answer: Go to the Gorilla website; "replacement keys".· March 20, 2017

Answer: My set had a sticker that I adhered to the inside of the glove box. That sticker had a numerical that identified the key. You should be able to order that from the manufacturer using the number identified.

---

Q: Is there a different KEY in every package, or the same key in multiple packages? asked on January 18, 2019

Answer: The key is used only one package. If the key lost, you have to provide key code of the old package, suppler can make a new key fit to your current set and you pay for that key. January 20, 2019

---

Q: What can I do if i lose the key? asked on December 1, 2022

Answer: A mechanic has to remove them with a special tool..
Sometime they have to be torched off December 8, 2022

Answer: When you bought the wheel locks, it came with a key serial number on a paper,,, if you still have this paper, just call or email them this number so that GORILLA can mail you a new lock key.

---

Replacement keys but you'll need the registration #: https://www.gorilla-auto.com/replacement-key

 

[purbeast0]

Yeah I'd rather destroy the lock than get a key to get it off safely, I just need to know how to "destroy" it properly to get it off lol.

This was the video I saw of the guy doing it with 12 sided sockets. I also noticed it appears to be a 16mm one but not sure if that means it would fit mine, probably not, although I do have a 15mm and 17.46mm (11/16 inch) 6 point socket, that I could gauge to see how close it gets diameter wise to where I could wedge it in.

(time stamped)

 

[purbeast0]

Yeah I just tried putting the 15mm one and either that or a 16mm 12 sided one can probably be hammered on there. The 17.46 one is definitely too big it's almost as large as the circle that goes around the lock.

I may hit up HD tomorrow and get a 15mm and 16mm one and see if either works.

EDIT:

HD doesn't have any in those sizes damnit. I do see some on Amazon but only one would arrive tomorrow.

Does it matter if I get a deep one versus a standard size one? Would one have more of a benefit over the other type?

I'm looking at this specific one here - https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-12-Point-Impact-Socket-SID13316/dp/B09MWMYV6K

 

[BoomerD]

Air the tire up...take it to a tire shop. Let them fight with it.

 

[purbeast0]

The 16mm 12point socket actually worked pretty damn easily. Initially I thought that it was slipping as I was turning it cause it was so easy and I was trying to get it off the lug nut, then all of a sudden I realized it was actually coming off lol.

Now I have to figure out if I can get the socket off the lock so I can do the other one. It's no rush cause that tire is fine so I may just order another one.

But any ideas how the hell to get this socket off the wheel lock? I wedged it in there by hitting it with a hammer.

 

[balloonshark]

Maybe put the socket in a vice and use a chisel or screwdriver to pound the lock off the socket. You may need to pound around the edge of the lock on all sides a bit until it gets loose. Or while viced you could stick something down inside the socket (screwdriver?) and pound the lock off the socket.

Or perhaps try this.

Or similar to my idea:

 

[purbeast0]

Yah I ended up getting it out eventually. However it is damaged from getting the first wheel lock off because I tried to do it on the other wheel lock, and it was just spinning around.

Since I only HAD to get one wheel off now to fix a flat, I'm going to just have a mechanic bust the wheel lock off. I already have the extra lug nut so if he only charges like $10 or something to bust the wheel lock off, I'll just have him do it.

 

[BoomerD]

Yah I ended up getting it out eventually. However it is damaged from getting the first wheel lock off because I tried to do it on the other wheel lock, and it was just spinning around.

Since I only HAD to get one wheel off now to fix a flat, I'm going to just have a mechanic bust the wheel lock off. I already have the extra lug nut so if he only charges like $10 or something to bust the wheel lock off, I'll just have him do it.

You might have to replace wheel studs as well. (presuming your car has studs and nuts and not lug bolts)

 

[purbeast0]

You might have to replace wheel studs as well. (presuming your car has studs and nuts and not lug bolts)

Nah it just has lug nuts. I already had the replacements.

I fixed the tire yesterday so all is good.