Protecting Your Tyres and Wheels
It is common to spend a lot of time concerned with car security and protecting your vehicle from being stolen. What is less commonly thought about is the threat of a criminal, or team of criminals, ripping off your wheels and leaving your car on blocks. If you run expensive rims or tyres for either aesthetic or performance reasons, this places you at a greater risk of theft. The thieves will then sell these items onto another collector or onto a scrap dealer, and you are left with a car that is going nowhere and an expensive bill to front up to. In this article, we will discuss a few options for preventing theft and ensuring the longevity of your expensive components.It is common to spend a lot of time concerned with car security and protecting your vehicle from being stolen. What is less commonly thought about is the threat of a criminal, or team of criminals, ripping off your wheels and leaving your car on blocks. If you run expensive rims or tyres for either aesthetic or performance reasons, this places you at a greater risk of theft. The thieves will then sell these items onto another collector or onto a scrap dealer, and you are left with a car that is going nowhere and an expensive bill to front up to. In this article, we will discuss a few options for preventing theft and ensuring the longevity of your expensive components.
Barriers to Theft
Thieves are more often than not opportunistic criminals. They will take the easiest job that will provide the highest rate of return with the lowest chance of getting caught. The more difficult it is to get at your wheels, the lower the possibility of anyone trying to steal them. Cars stored in garages are harder to access than cars on the street, and cars in clear sight of video cameras are also less likely to be interfered with. Turning your wheels when you park in public can also make it significantly harder to steal your wheels, because they are stuck in the wheel well.
Use Wheel Locks or Lugnut Locks
These are locks that attach to the wheel and make it extremely difficult to remove the lug nuts without the right key. Of course, you must also make sure you never lose this key in case you get a flat tyre and need to replace it. These locks can make it much more difficult to have your wheels stolen. Lugnut Locks require a specially sized wrench to be removed, and can therefore be barriers to theft. However, a persistent criminal will either track down the relevant wrench or use a blowtorch to melt the lug nuts into a shape more suited to an ordinary wrench.
Preserve the Longevity of Your Wheels
If you have taken the time and money to invest in expensive rims and/or tyres, it is important that you can take care of them to ensure your investment survives. Pay special attention to your wheels, clean them regularly and make sure you rotate your tyres regularly to get the best mileage out of them.
For the Best Advice and Security, Talk to Tyrepower
Tyrepower are one of Australia’s most respected tyre retailers, and stock all the best brands of tyres and accessories, including wheel protection devices. We pride ourselves on giving you the best possible experience with your vehicle and that includes security. If you’re worried about your car or wheels, come and talk to us. Click here to find your nearest store, or call 13 21 91 to speak to a customer service representative today.
