Buy Some Wheel Locks (ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS)

[Alfa]

I wonder what a thief does with a spare tire and rim?

There are at least 10 used tire shops within 2 miles from my home. I am 100% sure that my tire is sitting at one of them. I thought about spending the afternoon visiting them and trying to ransom my tire back...

The DV8 tire guard looks interesting, but it would be almost another $1000.

It has been a bad car month at the house. First hail damage that still needs repair, then somebody scraped the front bumper of one of my other cars, now this. All in all several $1000s even with insurance.

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[Alfa]

Food for thought. Living in a "nice neighborhood" or "good part of town" means nothing. Those are the target areas of thieves. They don't like to steal from their area because there isn't anything worth stealing. Feeling secure because you live in a "nice" area is a false sense of security. Thieves don't want to "shop" at the Dollar Store, they want Nieman Marcus.

Exactly. That is why the thieves like my neighborhood. Lots of trusting people that leave expensive things inside their expensive cars. My favorites are the thieves that use a repeater to unlock, locked cars. This is why I try to leave nothing inside since a lock means nothing.

 

[Canoehead26]

Last night, some person decided that they needed the spare tire off my my 4 month old Wildtrak. My Wildtrak did not come with any wheel locks, and I didn't think anything about it.

Now I am needing a new rim, tire, tpms, etc., and some anger management suggestions.

That sucks big time. Yeah I've always bit my tongue at the price when building my order but that way always made sure I didn't procrastinate "getting them later" once the vehicle arrived. Cheap insurance, but certainly not foolproof either.

 

[JerryC]

I wonder what a thief does with a spare tire and rim?

If you want a set of Bronco wheels what is easier....
Jacking up the Bronco and taking the wheels, for which you need a jack and blocks and time.
Or
Taking the spare off 5 Broncos. No jack required, just grab and go.

Keep in mind the spare only has three lug nuts and they are torqued to only about 45 ft/lbs instead of about 100 ft/lbs. With a 4-way you will have the wheel off in less than 20 seconds with no noise. You also have a 95% chance of getting a tire with zero tread wear.

 

[Imonamoose]

I wonder what a thief does with a spare tire and rim?

The last 3 years the major city closest to me has become #1 in auto thefts nationally due to extremist soft on crime policies.

I was speaking to the county sheriff recently and he was explaining how catalitic converter/tire/auto theft feeds the drug use issue. Essebtially he was explaining how the drug dealers are trading the tweaker and vagrants drugs for stolen catalytic converters and stolen vehicles/parts instead of accepting money. The meth, Crack, and fentynal have become so pervasive that the organized crime groups have transitioned to making money off the stolen items and just use the drug addicts to source the stolen goods for them.

It's a feedback loop essentially....

 

[Alfa]

If you want a set of Bronco wheels what is easier....
Jacking up the Bronco and taking the wheels, for which you need a jack and blocks and time.
Or
Taking the spare off 5 Broncos. No jack required, just grab and go.

Keep in mind the spare only has three lug nuts and they are torqued to only about 45 ft/lbs instead of about 100 ft/lbs. With a 4-way you will have the wheel off in less than 20 seconds with no noise. You also have a 95% chance of getting a tire with zero tread wear.

I literally just told my wife that somebody with a 4 way to take the tire in 30 seconds without making a sound. At least a locking lug nut might slow them down or make them make noise which would certainly gotten my dogs excited.

 

[MyDogGoldie]

Yeah, the spare tire location just kinda screams "take me"
These wheels and tires cost about $800 a piece too. FFFFF

I have keyed lug nuts - but I am sure that will not stop a pro.

I should probably add a cable lock around the spare as a further deterrent.

This thread is definitely a great wake up call to everybody driving around a Bronco with that fancy spare just waiting for somebody to come and take it. LOCK IT UP!

 

[Alfa]

The last 3 years the major city closest to me has become #1 in auto thefts nationally due to extremist soft on crime policies.

I was speaking to the county sheriff recently and he was explaining how catalitic converter/tire/auto theft feeds the drug use issue. Essebtially he was explaining how the drug dealers are trading the tweaker and vagrants drugs for stolen catalytic converters and stolen vehicles/parts instead of accepting money. The meth, Crack, and fentynal have become so pervasive that the organized crime groups have transitioned to making money off the stolen items and just use the drug addicts to source the stolen goods for them.

It's a feedback loop essentially....

If the scrap yards didn't buy obviously stolen catalytic converters, then there would be no money to feed the machine. Also, scrapping new car wheels seems suspicious...

 

[Alfa]

Yeah, the spare tire location just kinda screams "take me"
These wheels and tires cost about $800 a piece too. FFFFF

I have keyed lug nuts - but I am sure that will not stop a pro.

I should probably add a cable lock around the spare as a further deterrent.

This thread is definitely a great wake up call to everybody driving around a Bronco with that fancy spare just waiting for somebody to come and take it. LOCK IT UP!

I occasionally have seen a jeep with a cable lock on the spare. Not sure what I will do, but I certainly will not do nothing.

 

[fresnobrianb]

I would check EBAY sometimes they have a single rim for sale. I purchased the McGard and yes it looks like there are hacks to remove them but requires hammering/a lot of noise so maybe that will slow them or the noise will alarm someone. I live in Seattle so you just do your best and hope.

Or move…

 

[EDS]

Advanced Wheel Lock Systems.

I concur. Pricey but they seem to be a great deterrent. I found them to require a little finesse when tightening them, but surmise the same would exascerbate the difficulty stealing them! A great product IMO. -ed

 

[Lak34ers]

Or move…

Wish

 

[Raptor Guy]

All three lugs on my spare are locks because I like the pretty pattern.

 

[TSGibbs]

Should have just gotten steelies with your Broke-O (yes I spelled that right after a new seat cover, rear window, and new transmission, after a rebuild, it is correct). No perp wants to steal steelies.

 

[Imonamoose]

If the scrap yards didn't buy obviously stolen catalytic converters, then there would be no money to feed the machine. Also, scrapping new car wheels seems suspicious...

LoL, or the more practical reality that these organized gangs and cartels control the scrap yards and some aspect of the supply chain for the used parts market.

These people are engaged in highly complex drug and human trafficking operations internationally. I'm sure they can figure out how to hawk a spare tire.

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