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My wheel lock key socket has broken and I am no longer able to remove the lug nuts from my wheel. I tried looking up the model and size of my wheel, but I am having no luck identifying the replacement key.

Here is some information about the key:

1) The wheel was installed on a 2000 Nissan Sentra, 1.8 2) It was installed at the same time I had new "Vtec monoblock" wheels installed. I believe they are 16". I want to say that the wheel locks came with the wheel, but since I had a tire shop install them, I am not sure. 3) The wheel lock key has 7 bumps, and 7 grooves on the inside 4) The wheel lock key has the number "10" as the only identifying mark.

I am sorry if this is sounding like a shopping question, but I am out of ideas. Can anyone help me find a replacement?

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  • That looks like any of the splined wheel keys you can buy at an auto parts store you might want to take a look.
    – Ben
    Commented Nov 10, 2017 at 23:38
  • @Ben - I just bought a used Civic which has exactly what you're talking about. I was wondering if the spline on them was anything special, as it didn't appear to me to be so.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Commented Nov 11, 2017 at 0:49
  • @Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 I think there may be different styles/number of splines, but i’m guessing if they’re not fancy anodized ones it’s one of those kits from parts stores.
    – Ben
    Commented Nov 11, 2017 at 0:52

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Here's what I do with these infernal things:

GET RID OF THEM!

The way I go about that? Go to sears and buy a couple 3/4" shallow 12 point sockets with 1/2 drive. Should cost all of $6 each. (There may be a few variations, but I've found the 3/4" to be almost universal...)

Carefully hammer this socket onto the offending "security" lug. Then, with a nice long 1/2" breaker bar, break this thing loose and throw it away.

(If you're cheap like me, you can chisel out the lug, take the socket back to Sears, and demand a new one...)

Repeat until all those "security" lug nuts are gone. Throw away your key(s). Never look back. Buy new "actual" non-security lugnuts to match the rest.

Now, one might say "But what about my expensive rims? Won't they get stolen now??"

And the answer is possibly "yes". HOWEVER, theives don't carry a universal set of security lug keys. They use the SAME METHOD I just told you. They buy a dozen cheapo 3/4" sockets and hammer their way to theif profit.

Those security key lugs are less than useless. The only people they slow down is the owner and the poor mechanic that has to do legitimate work.

[/rant]

(yes I'm old, onery, and shadetree ... but I've perfected it...)

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  • Actually, the answer to "Won't they get stolen now?" may well be "No." Alloys (and motion-sensing alarms!) are so common now that their desirability has diminished, at least in the UK. My MG has alloys which are quite sought-after in the right market, and they've not disappeared.
    – Andrew Leach
    Commented Nov 11, 2017 at 10:27
  • @AndrewLeach Where do you live? Give me your address...
    – SteveRacer
    Commented Nov 12, 2017 at 5:06

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