and i posted a long post on page 3 that details 3 different types of locking lug nuts and 2 different types of regular lug nuts
good wheel lock discussion thread here, and i posted a long post on page 3 that details 3 different types of locking lug nuts and 2 different types of regular lug nuts.
so to give some feedback on your points:
1. practicality.
when only driving around in town, i do not carry my locking lug nut key with me and it's not in the car. if i have a flat somewhere out in town, i can call a friend or get an uber and get back to my house and get the key. tesla's don't have a spare tire anyway, so you can't fix the flat wherever the car is stuck. you have to call someone and get a spare tire there regardless.
when on road trips, then yes, i take the following with me to be able to repair a decent percentage of flat tire incidents myself:
on longer road trips i also carry:
ok, so the other argument about practicality with wheel locks: do they stop thieves from actually stealing the wheels? many people say that they don't. in some cases, they're correct, the locks will only slow them down, and even then, not too much. the ubiquitous mcgard locks are quite easily defeated by hammering a socket over the lock so that it can be unscrewed.
there are two decent wheel locks on the market that aim to defeat this trick: the gorilla guard locks, and the gorilla x2 locks. (gorilla makes 5 different kinds of wheel locks, these two are the only ones that can't be defeated with this technique).
now, are the guard or the x2 impervious to thieves? no. but, at only about $20.00 for the set, it's very cheap insurance. even if they only ever prevent some teenagers from playing a prank, i think they're worth it.
there is one additional locking wheel system on the market that is interesting, but i don't recommend it. it's the rimlox system. these are impossible to remove without breaking something, no matter what you do. you'll either break/damage the wheel, the stud, or the hub if you try to get them off without the key. rimlox is so confident in the system that they offer 100% replacement guarantee of wheels and tires if your wheels are stolen with the rimlox properly installed. now, why do i not recommend these?
2. aesthetics
the gorilla guard and x2 locks both have a smooth head that blends in with the other telsa lug nuts, so the look isn't nearly as objectionable as the mcgard locks. see my pictures in the thread i referenced at the beginning of this post.
so to give some feedback on your points:
1. practicality.
when only driving around in town, i do not carry my locking lug nut key with me and it's not in the car. if i have a flat somewhere out in town, i can call a friend or get an uber and get back to my house and get the key. tesla's don't have a spare tire anyway, so you can't fix the flat wherever the car is stuck. you have to call someone and get a spare tire there regardless.
when on road trips, then yes, i take the following with me to be able to repair a decent percentage of flat tire incidents myself:
- locking lug nut key
- tesla inflator/sealant unit
- blackjack patch kit
on longer road trips i also carry:
- floor jack
- wheel chocks
- ratchet
- torque wrench
- deep sockets
ok, so the other argument about practicality with wheel locks: do they stop thieves from actually stealing the wheels? many people say that they don't. in some cases, they're correct, the locks will only slow them down, and even then, not too much. the ubiquitous mcgard locks are quite easily defeated by hammering a socket over the lock so that it can be unscrewed.
there are two decent wheel locks on the market that aim to defeat this trick: the gorilla guard locks, and the gorilla x2 locks. (gorilla makes 5 different kinds of wheel locks, these two are the only ones that can't be defeated with this technique).
now, are the guard or the x2 impervious to thieves? no. but, at only about $20.00 for the set, it's very cheap insurance. even if they only ever prevent some teenagers from playing a prank, i think they're worth it.
there is one additional locking wheel system on the market that is interesting, but i don't recommend it. it's the rimlox system. these are impossible to remove without breaking something, no matter what you do. you'll either break/damage the wheel, the stud, or the hub if you try to get them off without the key. rimlox is so confident in the system that they offer 100% replacement guarantee of wheels and tires if your wheels are stolen with the rimlox properly installed. now, why do i not recommend these?
- $400 per set.
- all sets must be made custom for your wheels, no off-the-shelf packages available.
- guarantee only applies if you have a certified dealer install them. (there are two keys, an installation key and a removal key. the certified dealer must keep the installation key. your removal key is "sealed". you unseal it only if you need to fix a flat, then you have to send it back to rimlox to get it "resealed".)
- guarantee only applies if police report is taken on a day that your key is sealed.
- guarantee is void if the car is stolen.
- they are possible to defeat if you're willing to break the wheel stud, although that probably will damage the rim, but thieves might try it.
- to transfer ownership of the locks with the car to a new owner requires $300 transfer fee.
2. aesthetics
the gorilla guard and x2 locks both have a smooth head that blends in with the other telsa lug nuts, so the look isn't nearly as objectionable as the mcgard locks. see my pictures in the thread i referenced at the beginning of this post.
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