I wonder how many of you secured your wheels with lug nuts.I didn't .It's another 50$ and it's always another 50 or 100 bucks for some little thing.Today when I was picking up my cross bars at the dealer's the fellow in parts asked me if I've got the lug nuts and I said no.He smiled and started to warn me of potential troubles telling me how I can prevent myself from spending biiiig bucks for new set of wheels.
I though about it for a second and then I realized that I haven't seen wheeless car in the city in a very very long time.Probably I would secure aftermarket customized rims but the stock aluminium wheels can't be such a hot commodity on the black market or can they?

I doubt they are a huge item, but people will steal anything anymore. The new thing is catalytic converters, they'll cut them off the car and sell them for the metals inside.

Wheel locks are an good idea, cheap insurance IMO.

Speaking of which, I notice a lot of cars don't have locking gas caps anymore. Will my Pat Limited have one, or will I have to pay extra for that?

I think you're going to have to pay for one as the one I'm buying didn't have one. You'd think you'd get that with a Limited. In my opinion, locking gas caps should be standard on all vehicles.

you can buy it aftermarket at any of the online sites linked in other threads.

While in Vancouver a year ago I parked at about 9PM (in an apartment parking area) beside an Accord with big chrome wheels. The next morning the car had no wheels. So it does happen.

:lockd:too many people carrying guns in texas I think. Never see wheel theft here. (small town)

Wheel locks came with my Patriot, but I do wish they came with a locking gas cap.

For the small price, it's nice piece of mind and very cheap insurance... Theives look for the easy steal. Having the locks might help deter potential theft [but will not stop it]

I bought a locking gas cap in pep boys last night as well as a set of mc gard wheel locks much better than the jeep ones i think

It may be urban legend, overkill, or paranoia, but I have heard to have your tires balanced after adding the wheel locks.

Kinda makes sense, and I guess can't hurt anything but the wallet and the clock really.

Jim

never heard of that beofre cant see what it would do to the balance on the rims i have had plenty of trucks and cars and never did that before

ok thats great live long and prosper i am glad you have had so much success at what you have choosen with your vehicles beofre it is a just an internet tip others can use or ignore if they want

ok thats great live long and prosper i am glad you have had so much success at what you have choosen with your vehicles beofre it is a just an internet tip others can use or ignore if they want

Something bugging you Jim? Cadavev didn't sound hostile at all in his post...
Lug nuts aren't on the rim when it is balanced so while changing them may or may not have some effect there isn't a way to compensate for it.

The mopar locking lugs aren't supposed to affect wheel balance, at least that's what it says on the package they came in.

Also, see the attached website-
http://www.justforjeeps.com/wheellocks2.html

What good is a lock that has the same exact key for every lock in existence?
A theif's investment of $40 could provide him with the key to dozens of wheels.

What good is a lock that has the same exact key for every lock in existence?
A theif's investment of $40 could provide him with the key to dozens of wheels.

The description for the Mopar lug locks says they come with an exclusive Mopar key. Does exclusive mean that only your key will fit your locking lugs? I hope so as I have these on my Patriot.

What good is a lock that has the same exact key for every lock in existence?
A theif's investment of $40 could provide him with the key to dozens of wheels.

Easier yet, a good pair of heavy pliers is all you need. They're not "locked" they are just rounded off on the outside. Useless.

Get the steel wheels and you won't have to worry. :)

Seriously, IMO, anything that makes it harder for a thief will make it somewhat less likely that you will be targeted. On balancing, as said, the wheel and tire combinations are balanced off of the car, so getting them rebalanced doesn't really make a difference when you replace a lug nut with a lock. Also, the lug nuts are only 2-2.5 inch from the center of the wheel.

On my two GM cars, the instructions said to use a hand wrench only on the locks, put the lock on last and take it off first. When I get tires worked on/rotated, I take off the center caps and the lock in the parking lot before I give it to them and give the locks to them to put on and torque by hand when they were finished. The locks lasted over 100 K miles.

I have never seen a tire place worker torque the lug nuts properly. Not saying that it doesn't happen, just that I haven't seen it. A smooth, steady pressure should be applied to the torque wrench until it clicks. The workers I have observed have jumped the torque wrench, which will overtorque the nut.

I always take it home, slightly loosen the nuts, maybe 1/4-1/2 turn, and then retorque them. After about twenty miles, I check the torque again, and then put the center caps on.

Overkill? Perhaps. FWIW and YMMV. :)

More and more cars seem to be coming in without a locking gas cap. Considering the rising cost of gas, and how easily someone could dump something in there to foul up your engine, I don't understand it. Is it that big a cost to add?

When will they design a gas cap or gas cap compartment thats hooked up to the power locks?
that would solve the problem