How to Remove a Wheel Lock Without a Key

Written By: Hesham Annamer
  • Comments: 3
How to Remove a Wheel Lock Without a Key

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

30 minutes

Introduction

If you have a wheel lock (wheel nut lock) on your car or truck wheel and do not have a wheel lock key, use this guide to remove the wheel lock.

A wheel lock is used to fasten the wheel on your vehicle, as a regular wheel nut would, but uses a part-specific key to unlock it. It is common to lose a wheel lock key. The wheel lock key can be removed manually.

Before beginning, make sure your vehicle is on a flat surface and all wheels are level. Make sure to have your emergency brake (parking brake) on as well.

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    • Clean the wheel lock to make sure there is no debris on the surface of the lock.

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    • Find a 12-point socket that barely fits over the wheel lock.

    • The socket should not be loose enough to revolve around the wheel lock.

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    • Hold the socket in place.

    • Use a hammer to hit the socket until it is tight around the lock.

    • Gloves are recommended to prevent hand injury.

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    • Unscrew the socket using the socket wrench.

    • Turn left to loosen. If you cannot turn the wrench easily, get a longer wrench for more torque.

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    • Now that the wheel lock is off, it will be stuck to the socket.

    • Insert the screwdriver into the square-opening on top of the socket.

    • Hit the top of the screwdriver with the hammer a few times until the lock falls out of the socket.

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    • Grab a regular wheel nut.

    • Screw on the wheel nut by hand.

    • Use the tire iron to tighten the wheel nut.

Author

Hesham Annamer

Member since: 17/09/20

217 Reputation

3 comments

Hi, I have a 05 dodge dakota that has 4- 8 spline thin wall deep socket lug nuts on them. I have went to every tire/mechanic shop and tool store. I really need to get these off so I can change my breaks!!

If there's anything or any advice you can give on how to get these suckers off, I would greatly appreciate it 🙏🏽

As my husband has been trying for over a week now!!

SK Seid -

Those are really tricky to get out, i remember welding on a 17mm nut properly and then using impact to get that out son years ago, last option in usually drilling out the whole stud and socket, both options are really frustrating especially if you have expensive rims. If u can hammer on a socket a impact gun will get that out.

Nirap Singh -

I was skeptical, but this did in fact work on my 2005 Honda CRV spare tire wheel lock. I used a 3/4 inch 12 point socket. Hammered it on and it came off easily. Can't get the wheel lock nut out of the socket, but well worth losing a socket to get off the nut.

Atomic Night Light -