Mcguard wheel lock warning

[Ksnau]

So I was doing some stuff on my suspension and had to take off the front tires and when I tightened on the front driver side tire the wheel locks that came with the car (they were just already on there I didn't buy them myself) broke.

I was able to buy these locking lug nut removers that are on Amazon and at AutoZone and other places and they immediately took the other three locking lug nuts off but the one that broke the key would not work. they just wouldn't bite into the metal like the other ones did. The other ones came off in seconds on the first try but this one I've been trying to get off since Tuesday.

I even bought another set of locking lug nut removers which are basically like a socket but they have cutting blades so that as you turn the socket to remove it, they kind of bite into it and I even bought a second set because I thought that the blades on the tool had dulled from removing the first three and that's why they weren't biting into this one. I also tried different sizes of them but nothing.

I also found a different type of Locking lug nut remover that basically has threads in it and you're supposed to be able to use an impact and screw it on and as it screws on the threads cut threads into the lug nut and so when it goes all the way down it has no choice but to keep turning and unscrew well. But the morons who made this great idea forgot to make sure that the threads in that tool were strong enough to cut thru the metal or the lug nut because when I tried it on my lug nut it just immediately flattened the threads And my tap and die kit doesn't have a die big enough to cut threads into it.

So I found what I think is the right key. Of course someone threw away the plastic case that Ford left in there with the regular lug nuts and also code of what key I had on the back of the case so you know which key you get, which I put away in case I ever needed the code off of it to get a replacement key but of course it's missing. So without that code I have no idea what key I have.

So Amazon has pictures of replacement keys you can buy but you just got to kind of eyeball it. Of course that won't be here till Tuesday. I've tried everything online too like putting a 3/4-in nut on there or any other 12 point socket that fits right and pounding it on with a hammer But all it does is flatten the splines and some of the sockets I used are good like decades, old real steel, brand name sockets.

I've tried the locking lug nut remover tools. I've tried heat. Basically they're all slipping on it. It's just not working so I'm waiting for the key to come in to try it first. But if that doesn't work, basically what I'm going to have to do is get my angle grinder out draw an outline of a 17 mm hex bolt. I think that's the biggest size I'll be able to cut into it and just it grind down. So the outside of it is the shape of a 15 mm nut and use a regular socket and hopefully that'll get it off. The good thing is that about the first 3/4 of those locking lug nuts are just metal. They don't have anything to do with the thread and they're kind of thick. You can see from the inside so I'm hoping they're thick enough for this to work. Actually what I'll probably do is just grind two sides flat and use a crescent wrench first to see if I can get it off. Or maybe use my big 24-in pipe wrench if I can get it on there and then if that doesn't work I can grind it down so I can put a socket on it

So I just wanted to post a warning that especially if you have these mcgard ones I would get them off and not use them. But I personally wouldn't use any after this but I park in the garage at work and at home and I don't go to shady places or at least places where I think this would happen but its up to y'all but this is my experience. It seems like a lot of people have had this problem also either by using an impact or tightening them too much which I really didn't think i was. I was literally tightening it with one arm and I'm not that strong. Although I was using a breaker bar that was like 2 and 1/2 ft but I was not even pushing that hard. But the fact that they make tools for this should tell you that this s*** happens way too often.

I'll put some pictures to kind of show how screwed up it is and I'll try to remember to put a post when I get it off what I ended up having to do

 

[Rockboz]

I was always taught the 12 point socket/ sledgehammer trick. WhileI do feel sorry for your situation, the plus side is, you do not have to ship your car back to the factory and have the wheel machined off like Valteri Botas did in the Monaco Grand Prix with his Mercedes.

 

[wireman]

Have had McGard locks on 3 vehicles with no issues including my BS.

There are more issues with Ford's factory 2 piece lug nuts that fail because of rust under the chrome cap or distortion from impact guns.

I've changed out the lug nuts on all 4 of my last 4 Ford vehicles.

 

[Mwittke5857]

So I was doing some stuff on my suspension and had to take off the front tires and when I tightened on the front driver side tire the wheel locks that came with the car they were just already on there I didn't buy them myself, but the key to them broke.

I was able to buy the locking lug nut removers that are on Amazon and at AutoZone and stuff and they immediately took the other three off but the one that broke the key would not work they just wouldn't bite into the metal like the other ones did. The other ones came off in seconds. The first try this one. I've been trying to get off since Tuesday.

I even bought another set of locking lug nut removers they're basically like a socket. They kind of have circular blades. I guess cut into them so that as you turn the socket to remove it, they kind of bite into it. But I even bought a second set because I thought that the blades on the tool had dulled from removing the first three and that's why they weren't biting into this one and I tried different sizes but nothing.

I also found a different type of Lock and lug nut remover that basically has threads in it and you're supposed to be able to use an impact and screw it on and as it screws on the threads cut threads into the lug nut and so when it goes all the way down it has no choice but to keep turning and unscrew well. The morons who made this great idea forgot to make sure that the threads in that tool were strong enough because when I tried it on my lug nut it just immediately flattened the threads.

So I found what I think is the right key. Of course someone threw away the plastic case that Ford left in there with the regular lug nuts and also a coat on the back so you know which key you get that I put away in case I ever need the code off of it to get a replacement key. So without that code I have no idea what key I have.

So Amazon has pictures of replacement keys you can buy and you just got it kind of eyeball it. Of course that won't be here till Tuesday. I've tried everything online too lole putting a 3/4-in nut on there or any other the 12 point socket and pounding on with a hammer But all it does is flatten the splines and some of the sockets I used are good like decades, old real steel, brand name sockets.

I've tried the locking lugnut remover tools. I've tried heat. Basically they're all slipping on it. It's just not working so I'm waiting for the key to come in to try it first. But if that doesn't work, basically what I'm going to have to do is get my angle grinder out drawn outline of a 15 mm hex bolt. I think that's the biggest size I'll be able to cut into it and just grind down. So the outside of it is the shape of a 15 mm nut and use a regular socket and hopefully that'll get it off.

So I just wanted to post a warning that especially if you have these mcgard ones I would immediately get them off and not use them. But I personally wouldn't use any but I park in the garage at work and at home and I don't go to shady places. You know it's up to y'all but this is my experience. It seems like a lot of people have had this problem also either by using an impact or tightening them too much which I didn't. I was literally tightening it with one arm. Although I was using a breaker bar that was like 2 and 1/2 ft but I was not even pushing that hard. But the fact that they make tools for this should tell you that this s*** happens way too often.

I'll put some pictures to kind of show how screwed up it is and I'll try to remember to put a post when I get it off what I ended up having to do

Weird

So I was doing some stuff on my suspension and had to take off the front tires and when I tightened on the front driver side tire the wheel locks that came with the car they were just already on there I didn't buy them myself, but the key to them broke.

I was able to buy the locking lug nut removers that are on Amazon and at AutoZone and stuff and they immediately took the other three off but the one that broke the key would not work they just wouldn't bite into the metal like the other ones did. The other ones came off in seconds. The first try this one. I've been trying to get off since Tuesday.

I even bought another set of locking lug nut removers they're basically like a socket. They kind of have circular blades. I guess cut into them so that as you turn the socket to remove it, they kind of bite into it. But I even bought a second set because I thought that the blades on the tool had dulled from removing the first three and that's why they weren't biting into this one and I tried different sizes but nothing.

I also found a different type of Lock and lug nut remover that basically has threads in it and you're supposed to be able to use an impact and screw it on and as it screws on the threads cut threads into the lug nut and so when it goes all the way down it has no choice but to keep turning and unscrew well. The morons who made this great idea forgot to make sure that the threads in that tool were strong enough because when I tried it on my lug nut it just immediately flattened the threads.

So I found what I think is the right key. Of course someone threw away the plastic case that Ford left in there with the regular lug nuts and also a coat on the back so you know which key you get that I put away in case I ever need the code off of it to get a replacement key. So without that code I have no idea what key I have.

So Amazon has pictures of replacement keys you can buy and you just got it kind of eyeball it. Of course that won't be here till Tuesday. I've tried everything online too lole putting a 3/4-in nut on there or any other the 12 point socket and pounding on with a hammer But all it does is flatten the splines and some of the sockets I used are good like decades, old real steel, brand name sockets.

I've tried the locking lugnut remover tools. I've tried heat. Basically they're all slipping on it. It's just not working so I'm waiting for the key to come in to try it first. But if that doesn't work, basically what I'm going to have to do is get my angle grinder out drawn outline of a 15 mm hex bolt. I think that's the biggest size I'll be able to cut into it and just grind down. So the outside of it is the shape of a 15 mm nut and use a regular socket and hopefully that'll get it off.

So I just wanted to post a warning that especially if you have these mcgard ones I would immediately get them off and not use them. But I personally wouldn't use any but I park in the garage at work and at home and I don't go to shady places. You know it's up to y'all but this is my experience. It seems like a lot of people have had this problem also either by using an impact or tightening them too much which I didn't. I was literally tightening it with one arm. Although I was using a breaker bar that was like 2 and 1/2 ft but I was not even pushing that hard. But the fact that they make tools for this should tell you that this s*** happens way too often.

I'll put some pictures to kind of show how screwed up it is and I'll try to remember to put a post when I get it off what I ended up having to do

[/QUOTE
Weird, . I have used McGard locks on pretty much every rig I have owned that I had custom wheels on since 1975. I only lost one removal tool which McGard was able to provide a duplicate overnight

 

[Ksnau]

Sorry I forgot to go back through and edit it. I re-edited my first post so it doesn't read so crappy if anyone else reads it .

Oh, I forgot to mention that I even took my Dremel and tried to cut slits into the locking lug nut that the locking lug nut remover tool could grab onto since it wasn't cutting deep enough into it. And that wasn't working. I'm assuming I couldn't get the pattern just right or I wasn't getting the angle cut in just right. I don't know but that didn't work either. I'm thinking that something got seriously screwed up on the stud or the inside of the locking lug nut. I would say it cross threaded but I always put them on by hand. I always go the reverse rotation until it locks into the thread, so I know that it's not going to cross thread, so I think the chance of that are pretty small.

I'm itching to get the angle grinder out but I can't do that until I try the key because if I use the angle grinder it's going to mess up the outside part of where the key puts pressure on and I don't want it to fail cuz it only had the inside to lock onto and it stripped that. So I'm just lucky enough that I can work from home most days and I have someone that I can usually borrow a vehicle from or normally I would have my e-bike to ride except I'm getting the battery fixed cuz it failed. Also technically I can drive the car. It's just that if I get a flat not only will I be screwed and not be able to take off the tire, I'll be on the side of the highway or wherever the flat tire happens so I don't want to take that chance if I don't have to.

 

[Mwittke5857]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I even took my Dremel and tried to cut slits into the locking lug nut that the locking lug nut remover tool could grab onto since it wasn't cutting deep enough into it. And that wasn't working. I'm assuming I couldn't get the pattern just right or I wasn't getting the angle cut in just right. I don't know but that didn't work either. I'm thinking that something got seriously screwed up on the stud or the inside of the locking lug nut. I would say it cross threaded but I always put them on by hand. I always go the reverse rotation until it locks into the thread, so I know that it's not going to cross thread, so I think the chance of that are pretty small.

I'm itching to get the angle grinder out but I can't do that until I try the key because if I use the angle grinder it's going to mess up the outside part of where the key puts pressure on and I don't want it to fail cuz it only had the inside to lock onto and it stripped that. So I'm just lucky enough that I can work from home most days and I have someone that I can usually borrow a vehicle from or normally I would have my e-bike to ride except I'm getting the battery fixed cuz it failed. Also technically I can drive the car. It's just that if I get a flat not only will I be screwed and not be able to take off the tire, I'll be on the side of the highway or wherever the flat tire happens so I don't want to take that chance if I don't have to.

Speaks volumes of the quality & security of the product, I highly recommend them

 

[Ksnau]

Yeah sure. If I never had to take my tire off I'd leave it on and no one would be able to get it. Except that I got the others off easy. I'm pretty sure that something else is going on here.

Also, I forgot to say that I've been taking these tires on and off for the last couple of days. Trying to get my sway bar end links adjusted just right so it's not like they've been on there forever and just rusted onto the stud

 

[Ksnau]

Have had McGard locks on 3 vehicles with no issues including my BS.

There are more issues with Ford's factory 2 piece lug nuts that fail because of rust under the chrome cap or distortion from impact guns.

I've changed out the lug nuts on all 4 of my last 4 Ford vehicles.

I didn't know about the two-piece thing. I'll definitely be replacing my lug nuts. That's scary. And just another example of how Ford usually makes really cool stuff and then screws it up by cheaping out on the little stuff

 

[Mwittke5857]

Yeah sure. If I never had to take my tire off I'd leave it on and no one would be able to get it. Except that I got the others off easy. I'm pretty sure that something else is going on here.

Also, I forgot to say that I've been taking these tires on and off for the last couple of days. Trying to get my sway bar end links adjusted just right so it's not like they've been on there forever and just rusted onto the stud

 

[Ksnau]

I don't think anti-seize would be right. I did read that you need to use it if you're using aluminum lug nuts, but I'm pretty positive that our lugs are not aluminum since their magnetic.

 

[Ksnau]

God, I was looking at buying replacement lug nuts and it just seemed like everyone's had bad experiences with every different type. I was also shocked to remember that our lug nuts are supposed to be put on at 100 ft lb. That might be why this happened because I've been using my points to get my oil changes and tight rotations at the dealer and I don't. I just don't put them at that rating. I don't care if that's what they say it's supposed to be at. I do 65 foot lb. And that's always been fine for me on every car and I'm not going to change that.

However, I did look inside a few of my other lug nuts and a couple of them. Not all of them did have a little bit of rust at the bottom, especially the other locking lug nuts and I'm wondering if that's what caused to happen oh obviously know more when I get the darn thing off, but pretty much all of the locking lug nuts that I pulled off have at least a little bit of rust in them.

Also, this is on me. I've noticed that the conical mating surface is scuffed up on some of the lug nuts, so I need to be cleaning out those holes before I put the lug nuts back in, so that's just a warning to other people. Maybe you already knew about it? I just never thought about it, but I'll include a picture of one of the locking lug nuts that's scuffed up really bad.

 

[Mark S.]

God, I was looking at buying replacement lug nuts and it just seemed like everyone's had bad experiences with every different type

Pros & cons...

 

[Ksnau]

I had a terrible thought. The car I'm borrowing is a 2020 CRV. So for kicks I took off one of the lug nuts and it fits on ours perfectly. I looked it up and they both have 60° conical ends. However the Hondas are shorter. I don't know if this would be an issue or not. I kind of just want to buy a Honda lug nut kit to use on mine cuz I trust them more than Ford and they seem to be a single piece lug nut

 

[Mwittke5857]

I don't think anti-seize would be right. I did read that you need to use it if you're using aluminum lug nuts, but I'm pretty positive that our lugs are not aluminum since their magnetic.

I've been using this on wheel studs and applying a coat to the hubs for decades. Never lost a wheel, never had a wheel stuck to the hub, just giving a little advice gained through experience

 

[wireman]

So I was doing some stuff on my suspension and had to take off the front tires and when I tightened on the front driver side tire the wheel locks that came with the car (they were just already on there I didn't buy them myself) broke.

I was able to buy these locking lug nut removers that are on Amazon and at AutoZone and other places and they immediately took the other three locking lug nuts off but the one that broke the key would not work. they just wouldn't bite into the metal like the other ones did. The other ones came off in seconds on the first try but this one I've been trying to get off since Tuesday.

I even bought another set of locking lug nut removers which are basically like a socket but they have cutting blades so that as you turn the socket to remove it, they kind of bite into it and I even bought a second set because I thought that the blades on the tool had dulled from removing the first three and that's why they weren't biting into this one. I also tried different sizes of them but nothing.

I also found a different type of Locking lug nut remover that basically has threads in it and you're supposed to be able to use an impact and screw it on and as it screws on the threads cut threads into the lug nut and so when it goes all the way down it has no choice but to keep turning and unscrew well. But the morons who made this great idea forgot to make sure that the threads in that tool were strong enough to cut thru the metal or the lug nut because when I tried it on my lug nut it just immediately flattened the threads And my tap and die kit doesn't have a die big enough to cut threads into it.

So I found what I think is the right key. Of course someone threw away the plastic case that Ford left in there with the regular lug nuts and also code of what key I had on the back of the case so you know which key you get, which I put away in case I ever needed the code off of it to get a replacement key but of course it's missing. So without that code I have no idea what key I have.

So Amazon has pictures of replacement keys you can buy but you just got to kind of eyeball it. Of course that won't be here till Tuesday. I've tried everything online too like putting a 3/4-in nut on there or any other 12 point socket that fits right and pounding it on with a hammer But all it does is flatten the splines and some of the sockets I used are good like decades, old real steel, brand name sockets.

I've tried the locking lug nut remover tools. I've tried heat. Basically they're all slipping on it. It's just not working so I'm waiting for the key to come in to try it first. But if that doesn't work, basically what I'm going to have to do is get my angle grinder out draw an outline of a 17 mm hex bolt. I think that's the biggest size I'll be able to cut into it and just it grind down. So the outside of it is the shape of a 15 mm nut and use a regular socket and hopefully that'll get it off. The good thing is that about the first 3/4 of those locking lug nuts are just metal. They don't have anything to do with the thread and they're kind of thick. You can see from the inside so I'm hoping they're thick enough for this to work. Actually what I'll probably do is just grind two sides flat and use a crescent wrench first to see if I can get it off. Or maybe use my big 24-in pipe wrench if I can get it on there and then if that doesn't work I can grind it down so I can put a socket on it

So I just wanted to post a warning that especially if you have these mcgard ones I would get them off and not use them. But I personally wouldn't use any after this but I park in the garage at work and at home and I don't go to shady places or at least places where I think this would happen but its up to y'all but this is my experience. It seems like a lot of people have had this problem also either by using an impact or tightening them too much which I really didn't think i was. I was literally tightening it with one arm and I'm not that strong. Although I was using a breaker bar that was like 2 and 1/2 ft but I was not even pushing that hard. But the fact that they make tools for this should tell you that this s*** happens way too often.

I'll put some pictures to kind of show how screwed up it is and I'll try to remember to put a post when I get it off what I ended up having to do

If you don't want-need locking lug nuts, buy a quality set of 1 piece. made for the sport.

I prefer having one locking nut on each wheel. When I take my BS in for oil change, tire rotation, I remove the locking lug nut off each wheel and put on the regular nut.

I don't want the "tech" getting his meat hooks on the key and screwing it or the lug nut up.

Torque spec is 100 ft./lbs. No reason to deviate from it.