Standard BMW locking nuts.

[leeparkes]

The later splined type i mean, mainly found on e36 onwards.

Would we say these are a decent locking nut? ie hard to get off by the local theives?

Like these...




I do like the E30 key type nuts for the OEM look but there so easy to get off,
one shot of slide hammer and your done.

So, are the E36 ones up to the job?

[leeparkes]

What im really asking is, has anyone had the missfortune to remove one without the key?

[Rav335uk]

Thing is most coonts who know about the locks will keep the spline bit with them.

[retroboyo]

Just buy a copper pipe T joint, tap it in with a hammer and put a screw driver through the other 2 ends, then turn. Because the copper is softer it forms a nice key

[irish320i]

there fairly easy to remove , simple as sligghtly oversized multi spline hammered in or reverse thread wheel bolt remover over the outside

[jmc330i]

My old E34 had these, but no key. I just hammered in an oversized hex/torx bit to undo them.

Got them on my touring as well, but have the key for that set

[leeparkes]

Ok, so there a bite shite then.

Any recommendations on decent aftermarket locking nuts?

[jmc330i]

Tbf, no shitter than any other locking nuts if you know how to remove them.... as most pikeys do.
I wouldn't be using them to secure a mint set of BBS RS wheels, but for anything else, they'll slow the pikey down for a minute or so.

[retroboyo]

Best idea I heard was to use 4 different types as a deterrent. Not fool proof or un-nickable but more likely to turn people away.

[DanThe]

Ive removed loads of them in the past due to lost/missing key, they are a nice locking bolt though, if you get them tight they are obviously more difficult to remove with hammers/torx bits/sockets etc, the most difficult bolts ive had to remove are the type with three pins in the key, and a rotating collar around the bolt, took lots of hammering of different sized sockets to get them off

Like these



Similar to the mcguard



Only problem with these is they are more likely to break during normal use than the BMW bolts, you cant tighten them as much, which also means they are not as secure

[magpie]

i've had to get the top ones off with a long reach socket before,it took some effort with a lump hammer to get the socket on.The noise would wake the street up if attempted in the middle of the night .

[andyp]

you can get any locking nuts off if you have the time, the idea is to make them walk away to another car that does not have any.

[leeparkes]

Watching a few sets on ebay now, thanks lads.

What ive found is later oem bolts have a little lug inside i suppose to stop you forcing a tool in to undo it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Genuine-L ... 0704685857

[DanThe]

They look better

[FinalD]

I've got a full set sat on my desk. If you ever lose the locking key, pop into BMW and it is about £8. They have a full set of locking keys, about 10 in total, various different sizes. I have a spare key because I managed to lose my old one....which turned out to be in the boot of the car.

E: I even have two caps (I think I lost the other two ).