Stock wheels with a different finish.

 

Id get Gorilla's or McGard SplineDrive Lugs and Locks.

I personally have a set of McGard's

 

i have a set of cheapo mcgards from pepboys or something

 

They have this socket that will turn anything (doesnt matter what type of lug nuts) even the locking one.

 

^^ Those sockets will usually break if you try to get something off with upwards of 80 lbs of torque on it. But they do have tools that will work. And someone will get them off if they really want your wheels. But they deter most of them I think.

I brought this back to life to post a pic. When my Avons arrived I did something I HATE to do (let someone else work on my car ) and took it to a tire shop to have them mounted. Well, a little over 1000 miles later and I was doing a brake job and found that they torqued the lugs to WELL over 150lbs.. so much for using torque sticks with the impact like they claim I shattered my key and lock from the Mcgard set trying to get them off. Took all my weight on a bar a bit longer than a foot.. so around 170lbs to get the lugs off.

The manager at TiresPlus is being cool about it though, he even said the guys are supposed to torque everything with a torque wrench or torque sticks, but someone must have decided an impact wide open was the way this time . He is buying me a new set of locks and removing the others on mine for me.. so if the rim gets damaged in the process, it is thier baby to replace. :D

Anyway, here is what happens when you apply around 170 lbs of torque to a McGard lock:

 

... WOW....

 

Whoa!! man i would have been ____ed..... but glad to hear they are replacing them.. My Kics Racing r40 lugs and locks will be going on my set of Advans. Better safe than sorry...

 

McGard wheel locks were one of the first things purchased for my tC. It's better to be safe then sorry. One problem I still need to find a good hiding spot for the key.

____

 

A thief who knows what they are doing will still get them if they have locks. Luckily in my area most of the thieves are crack heads or tweakers so they don't know ____.
They tried to steal my fiancee's wheels and they had all of the lugs off except the locks.
I used to work at a tire shop years ago so I know how easy they are to get off, luckily a lot of the thieves don't.

_____

 

there's also the issue of having a rims finish destroyed by the moron who doesn't know how to remove things and is sloppy

 

can someone link me to locks that will look nice with my TSW Vortex's?

 

Here you go....

http://www.mcgard.com/

 

A knowledgeable thief can get hold of a Special Removal Tool to take off the conventional McGard Wheel Locks.

Fortunately, there is now a New Type of 'Spinner Type of Wheel Locks like on my New Pacifica Limited Van that Spins and Rotates.
It cannot be grab or twisted off. You will need the owner's Special Wheel Lock Key for remove it.

MR LUV