DrFox1969

After a brief interaction with a high sided kerb, I needed a new front tyre.

Whilst at the garage, I discovered that my brand new ML does not come with locking wheel bolts. This may be a minor thing to some, but I am absolutely amazed. Every car I have bought for the last 10 years or so has come with them as standard (including 2008 ML280!!).

Now my car is not normally parked in unsecured areas and is garaged at night, however if someone takes a fancy to your alloys there is no protection. After paying a substantial sum of money for optional 21" AMG alloys (part of AMG Sport pack), I am amazed MB would skimp on such an essential item as standard.

Is this just my vehicle or are all cars the same? I'm in Australia by the way, so it may just be a regional thing?

fabbrisd1

Locking lugs here in the US are a $140 option - installed at the dealer - nice little plastic box holds the lock and the lugs that were taken off...

Here in the US the locks are made by McGuard - .

iankayem

Try these from Ebay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ALLOY-WHE...item4abb0199c8

I bought some bolts from this mob in the UK for my winter tyres. Only problem is they are nice shiny chrome whereas your other bolts are black, and probably about to turn brown.

So perhaps you could consider the full set.
There are many others available, so search Ebay for "Mercedes ML wheel bolts" and they will all come up. I expect you will require the 45mm bolts, but check before you order.

cookstar

$30 locking bolts will do the exact thing $140 ones do, if someone wants to get them off they will get it off in less than 2 mins per wheel. There was a good you-tube video which I cant find now, showing a BMW X5 with $240 lock nuts vs the same car with $15 ones, both were snapped off quickly.

If someone is an expert that steals for a living than they know how to snap it off, the good thing about locking bolts is that it deters the 99% that are not pros.

P.S those exact bolts that they are charging $140 for sells at my local auto supply store for $29.00

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

xxGenericSNxx

Might be a regional thing but wheel locks aren't standard here in the US (and have never been for MBs)- it's a dealer sold accessory.

Some other dealers in my area put wheel locks on the car and force you to pay for them as some sort of accessory package (I'm looking at you Lexus and Honda dealers).

iankayem

Those bolts on the Canadian Tyre site are cone seat. Definitely not suitable for Mercedes, where ball seats are required.

DrFox1969

Thanks for your help guys, much appreciated.

At least I know i'm not the odd one out. I'll look into some ebay ones.

MLee

Just pay your insurance premium and forget it. The 21's would stick out like dogs ***** on anything else if stolen and I doubt there are many MB owners in Adelaide that would pinch your wheels. Worst case scenario....you get new wheels and tyres from insurance.....

iankayem

There is a time when lock bolts would have been handy.
This photo comes from a sleepy hollow called New Zealand.

Cyber GS

A friend of mine used to feel the same way. He owned a 2011 G37 convert and had his wheels stolen. Here is the problem.

When the a-holes jacked up his car to take the wheels, on the passenger side they placed a cinder block to hold up the car. On the drivers side they used a plastic milk crate, yes a milk crate to hold up the car long enough to remove the jack. Guess what happened when the milk crate collapsed.

The left side of the car hit the pavement damaging the both rotors, the front fender got knocked out of alignment. The left rocker panel cracked and pushed up into the door damaging it.

When all was said and done both rotors, the rocker panel, front splitter and a couple of suspension pieces needed to be replaced. The fender, door and splitter needed to be repainted. In total insurance took close to $6,300 hit in repairs including approx $3,000 for the rims and tires not to mention the aggravation my friend went through.

Now I am not saying that wheel locks would have prevented this, if someone wants your wheels they're going to get them.

But as we all know a lot of times a thief would rather pass on a car with wheel locks and move on to an easier target.

sparc

One thing when mentioning insurance. At least in the USA, insurance really isn't a free once someone removes a couple grand in wheels and you pay for the deductable.

If there's a way to slow down a thief, i'd do it. Although I don't know if wheel locks slow down anyone since they're relatively easy to bypass in most situations. Are the mercedes versions some sort of special wheel locks?

Cyber GS

That's my thinking also, just slow them down.

There is nothing special about the MB wheel locks.

The thing I like about them is that the fitment of the wheel locks on the 2012 (standard 19" wheels) is very snug. It doesn't allow for some a-hole to try to force an over-sized socket onto the lock and pry it lose.

The locks fit the same way on my previous 2011 ML also.

cookstar

5 seconds to break it off............

Cyber GS

I mentioned this method in my previous post, it has been around a long time and yes in most cases this can be done.

However, the wheel locks on the ML fit so snug into the recess on the rim that it doesn't allow for a socket to be hammered onto the lock. There is simply no room for the socket to fit around the lock.

I am sure there is way to remove the lock, but it will delay the thief and they don't like to be slowed down or make too much noise.

nomoremustang

or you can pay $60 and put them on yourself....I put them on my C350 coupe and the ML...not sure why I did the ML.......stock wheels

DrFox1969

I agree with sparc and Cyber GS below. The risk is all the asscociated damage that can be caused, the insuance excess cost and the hassle that goes with it all.

If I can deter some idiot from having a go in the first place it will be money well spent.