Locking wheel nuts (also known as wheel lug nuts or alloy wheel nuts) are a standard feature in many modern automobiles. Invented in the 1930s, these lock nuts are the first method to improve wheel assembly. This component of your vehicle is also crucial because it prevents thieves from stealing your expensive alloy wheels. The proper knowledge about wheel lock nuts will be handy when you are on the highway and the tyre gets punctured. This post will shed adequate light on mobile locking wheel nut removal and its need.
How Do the Wheel Lock Nuts Appear
Although there are significant variations, a locking wheel lug will seem visually identical to the other nuts on your car’s wheels. Cylindrical in form, a locking wheel nut contrasts with the hexagonal shape of most wheel bolts. There may be additional telltale signs that you’re using a locking wheel nut instead of a regular one, but that will depend on the specifics of your vehicle. A locking wheel nut may protrude more from the wheel than the other nuts, or it may protrude less. The locking wheel nut will have a distinctive pattern carved into it and may not have a cover like the other nuts.
Do All Cars Have Wheel Lock Nuts
Although the vast majority of brand-new automobiles come with locking wheel nuts, this feature is not standard on any vehicles currently on the market. If your vehicle has alloy wheels, it will also have locking wheel nuts. While these nuts have immense importance in terms of vehicle safety, all companies can consider offering this feature on all cars.
When You Need to Remove Wheel Lock Nuts
Whenever you need to replace your vehicle’s tyres, you need to unlock these nuts first. The manufacturer provides a locking wheel key to open these nuts. Keys for locking wheel nuts are tiny, about the size of a standard bolt, and are often stored in a compartment inside the vehicle.
Check to see whether you were given a special key to unlock the wheel nuts when you bought the automobile privately. However, it’s probably still in the place where the manufacturer left it. Car manufacturers typically only have a few locations where they keep locking wheel nuts. However, in the case of a flat tyre on a lonely road during the night when you also don’t have the unlock key can be a major difficulty.
Are the Wheel Lock Nut Keys Different On Every Vehicle
In a word, absolutely. The lockable wheel nuts are either specific to your vehicle or the set that was delivered by the supplier. For instance, if you needed to take off a wheel on your Toyota and you only had a key that fit BMWs, you’d be out of luck.
What to Do If The Wheel Lock Key Gets Lost or Nut Gets Broken
If you’ve searched your car thoroughly but can’t locate the key to the locking wheel nut, don’t worry; you can still take the wheel off your automobile with the right tools and some assistance. If you want to be sure the wheels don’t get damaged, you should hire a mobile tyre repair expert. A pair of universal locking wheel nuts will be used to replace the ones your technician removes. As a result, you won’t have to go through the trouble of tracking out the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for each individual make and model of the car you own. It’s cheaper than obtaining a new key for the original set, but your car’s locking wheel nuts will no longer be unique.
Closing Words
Now, you should be familiar with the wheel lock nuts and how you can unlock them. However, you should not worry about the nut removal if you have lost the key or the nut is damaged for any reason since there are mobile locking wheel nut removal service providers that do the task with ease.