Wheel locks for track day?

[GTP]

No, not for on track, silly.
They're for the hotel stay the night before.

Imagine

• Driving a few hours away the day before a track day
• Not sure of the security of the area with the hotel
• Wake up to find your car on blocks and your track wheels missing
• Out the value of your wheels, your track time, and track day insurance
• And no way to get home

Would you want wheel locks, and then switch them out at the track? And yeah, I'd be sure to keep that lock tool in the track kit!

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[stannypack]

just sleep in the car with a glock in each hand, problem solved

 

[Ewheels]

It's cheap and easy peace of mind. I see nothing wrong with it. You could swap out the nuts in the hotel parking lot in 5 minutes.

Unless you have extended studs....My street-driving set of wheels I use without spacers so the studs sticking out would prevent the use of locking nuts.

 

[GTP]

Oh gosh, I forgot about the extended stud aspect! I have those, too.

I have these Gorilla splined open-ended lugs that I run for DD. I suppose I could put one on each wheel, but I'd think thieves might likely carry the matching tool.

 

[Ewheels]

Oh gosh, I forgot about the extended stud aspect! I have those, too.

I have these Gorilla splined open-ended lugs that I run for DD. I suppose I could put one on each wheel, but I'd think thieves might likely carry the matching tool.

Do they make locking, open lug nuts? I've seen spline nuts with unique patterns....that could be an option.

You could always pack a tent and sleep at the track. Not as comfortable as a hotel and doesn't completely rid the threat of thieves but likely more secure than a public hotel.

 

[kz]

I think you're unnecessarily worried - my car often used to stay at hotel lots (still does but on the trailer) and nothing happened. I think wheel theft at reasonable hotels is very rare.

Also, those wheel locks that have like 5 different patterns - I would risk a guess that thieves are more likely to have tools for these than for a splined lug.

 

[Jstang23]

You also have to keep in mind how easy it is to beat a locking nut. I have friends who live in Atlanta and they've had wheels stolen even with the locking nuts. I don't see how it would hurt to put one on each wheel but they really only serve as a deterrent. Honestly I forgot to take my locking nut off on my last track day, lol!

 

[illadvised]

The key broke for my locking nuts once. It is super quick and easy to take them off, you literally just hammer a socket over the whole locking nut and use a breaker bar. It was absurdly quick and easy.

There is nothing to stop someone from taking your wheels if they really want to, I think you are overthinking it

 

[mustanghammer]

I have to admit to having the same concerns of late. That said, over many years of out of town travel driving my car to events and trailering my race to club races, I have had no issues.

In addtion to wheel locks, I was considering one of these:

Just like wheel locks they can be defeated. But the deal with theft deterrents is they just need to encourage the bad guy to steal the wheels off of a different car.

 

[1 old racer]

in the past I have run a steel cable thru the wheels under the car and thru the other side then locked it back to itself. one cable for the front and one for the rear. I have used this method on the trailer wheels as well as locking down the dirt toys in the trailer. They could always cut the lock. My goal was just to get them to move to an easier target.

 

[Traffic22]

I get wanting the piece of mind, but as others have said, if the crooks want the wheels bad enough they’ll get them, locks or not.

I’m not saying it couldn’t happen, but we’ve open trailered our Lemons car all over theft happy California, and even made a trip to CO and back. Car and trailer have spent a ton of time in hotel parking lots with no issue so far. Park close to the hotel in a well lighted area and most importantly lock the car and don’t keep anything of value in sight, or remove altogether. You’re much more likely to have a window broken and items stolen from inside.

If you haven’t seen this, it’s interesting…..

 

[RagmopInKona]

One of my Cars have HRE wheels, they are not cheap. I had plastic hub caps 3d printed, and added magnets that touch the lug nuts to hold them on, Makes the car look like it has steel wheels, and go on and off as easy as putting a magnet on a fridge.
I put them on around the corner from where it park and they will stay on up to 25mph as long as you don't hit any large bumps/potholes.

 

[WItoTX]

Stay at a nicer hotel.

But honestly you are worrying about something you can't stop. It's so easy to take off a locking nut. If the criminals want your wheels, there is nothing you will do that can stop them. Get an enclosed trailer, pull it to the track, and make sure you don't drive a 2020 or newer GM truck. The only truck easier to steal than a F250...

 

[Roadsign]

West Coast Wheel(LMR sells these) has sets with each lug nut being a splined lock. They offer both standard length and 2" which can work with extended studs(depends on stud length of course). The 2" works for my setup.

 

[RagmopInKona]

Stay at a nicer hotel.

But honestly you are worrying about something you can't stop. It's so easy to take off a locking nut. If the criminals want your wheels, there is nothing you will do that can stop them. Get an enclosed trailer, pull it to the track, and make sure you don't drive a 2020 or newer GM truck. The only truck easier to steal than a F250...

Thugs don't go looking for nice shyt in da hood, they goto nicer areas to jack shyt.
You have a higher chance of getting jacked at a "nicer hotel" than the run of the mill motel 6. Most that get jacked at places like that got followed there from the event/track.

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