[67Carl]

As I spend more and more money on my car security is becoming a concern. I just put on new wheels and thought about locking lug nuts. Did some research in the site archives and found most of the posts talked about how to remove lock lugs. It's surprisingly easy. And quick. So much so that I don't know if its even worth it, so I wanted to ask you:

1) Do you use locking lug nuts?
2) As part of a layered approach to security do you think it is worth it?

[thefley]

just removed mine today and hit the trash with them. got tired of the bit striping out the head of the nut.

got new tires installed today at Discount Tires and told them to put on some new lug nuts so they installed a whole set that uses a star shaped socket that is the full length of the nut. Not what I wanted but they already had it ready so I accepted them.

my opinion as an officer I know and have seen if someone wants it they will steal it no mater how hard you make it for them. hell I have seen them tow off a car just to steal the wheels and dump the rest of the car.

my opinion is to just to make sure your insured and park it where you can see it.

[67Carl]

Originally Posted by thefley

my opinion as an officer I know and have seen if someone wants it they will steal it no mater how hard you make it for them. hell I have seen them tow off a car just to steal the wheels and dump the rest of the car.my opinion is to just to make sure your insured and park it where you can see it.

She lives in the garage and I never leave her in the driveway. Traveling for the holiday and its the first time she'll spend the night outside.

I agree that you can't stop a dedicated high level thief from taking it, but I want to make it as difficult as possible (and deter the low level thief/scumbag) to get. Alarm with tilt/shock sensors, door jamb switch for the hood, rf zone intrusion and pager remote going in today. May opt for the GPS tracking module in the future to combat the flatbed/wrecker asshats. Figure if I had lock nuts on and they used the smaller socket or pipe method to remove it the jarring would trigger the alarm. Anything I can do to slow them down, even a little...

[Chuck]

I work as a tech. for a living an I hate those things. Nothing worse than digging through a customer's car full of crap to find the key. Sometimes they will say they didn't know they had them or, have no idea what I am talking about. Out comes the Snap-On lug lock tool. Unless you leave your car parked on the street in real bad neighborhoods, why would you want them? A classic car in that situation would most likely just be stolen outright, not just the wheels. Not to mention they look like crap. I would imagine that unless your classic Camaro has 24"+ wheels that the bad guys wouldn't even want the wheels.

[thefley]

Originally Posted by 67Carl

She lives in the garage and I never leave her in the driveway. Traveling for the holiday and its the first time she'll spend the night outside.

I agree that you can't stop a dedicated high level thief from taking it, but I want to make it as difficult as possible (and deter the low level thief/scumbag) to get. Alarm with tilt/shock sensors, door jamb switch for the hood, rf zone intrusion and pager remote going in today. May opt for the GPS tracking module in the future to combat the flatbed/wrecker asshats. Figure if I had lock nuts on and they used the smaller socket or pipe method to remove it the jarring would trigger the alarm. Anything I can do to slow them down, even a little...

All good ideas. I like the idea of GPS, thought about wiring in an old Android phone to stay hot and on under dash for gps tracking.

[captcanuck68]

If you don't have a quality type anti theft alarm with a built in motion detector/perimeter shield, then invest in one as this is the next best thing to sleeping in the car.

It may not be a 100% solution to theft of either the wheels or the whole unit...but the average thief out there will probably go for easier pickings.

There is a fair amount of info in the archives in regards to anti theft devices (I hesitate to use the word "alarms" as these are limited)...so you may find something to suit your purpose when traveling and give you better peace of mind.

capt

[67Carl]

Originally Posted by Chuck

Not to mention they look like crap. I would imagine that unless your classic Camaro has 24"+ wheels that the bad guys wouldn't even want the wheels.

My Camaro has 30" wheels and they are Solid Gold (see pic below). In reality, I have new 17" Coys with new rubber. People will steal just about anything but I do agree the locks are ugly. Not as ugly as that gold monstrosity...

Originally Posted by captcanuck68

If you don't have a quality type anti theft alarm with a built in motion detector/perimeter shield, then invest in one as this is the next best thing to sleeping in the car.

There is a fair amount of info in the archives[/I] in regards to anti theft devices (I hesitate to use the word "alarms" as these are limited)...so you may find something to suit your purpose when traveling and give you better peace of mind.
capt

Just put in a security system with "perimeter alarm". Day after it was installed I was at the auto parts store and the 1st level warning started beeping. Looked outside and some very sketchy looking guy had leaned over and was looking through an open window. Another 1-2 seconds of that or if he reached in it would have gone full postal. Worked perfect. I did a fair amount of research regarding security and you're right, lots of good information here. The one area without a lot of discussion was locking lugs, so I just wanted to see how many others used them.

[thefley]

67Carl that is a sweet car

[DOUG G]

Block it in good and try not to be too flashy until you're on your way out....drawling attention to it is just like a neon sign.

[Steptoe]

Imagine driving it daily for the last 30 yrs
shopping, camping anything a noramal car does +..literally.. daily.

From that piont of veiw..
locknuts... stop opportunists...
Go back to my very 1st posts... got stolen , they could not start it... towed it.
The trans locking ign shaft works... just smasking and pulling the ign switch really stuffs up the modern car theif lol.
This stops opportunists to the ave car theif...
Beyond that a good middle of the range...Cobra, steelsheild type, central locking...takes it the next step...
After that If u built a concret bunker around it they would still get it...serious not many of those.
I had a cobra, kill , tremor, no central locking.
Turned out they had inside 'help' inside the car parks...blind eye sortta thing.
So they got around the cobra....
No cental locking solenoid things to hold the lock knob down....Ripped the rubber seal between the windows... thats no biggie..
oh I used to keep and old key that fitted but not turn...sorta careless in the center consol..that cused a broken key in the lock... thats cool..Then comes the smash and pull the ign...but that makes things whoose for them..And now most proberly jambed in park...
So it is now tow....This is getting very visable to the public.....

I now have
locking nuts
Factory trans ign lock setup
updated alarm... 3 kill, sound, tremor hood trunk and central locking...
Have wondered about that...when one walks away in the car park it already has drawn the attention of anyone with the sightest dishonest intention. Then hit the "lock me up with a fun fare of beeps and flashing lights at a distance" button...puts dishonest people off.
And then is when... Anyone of the slightest questional ....you hit the button before they have connected u and the car..
one can tell a genuine admirer, be it a car guy , or some guy showing it to his children...then walk up, say hey, and hit the button in front of them.