Owners and operators of Ford, Chrysler and GM vehicles can be left stranded when they can’t find the key to unlock their wheel locks or wheel cover locks. The same can be said for technicians dealing with locks, particularly when the customer might not even know their vehicle is equipped with a lock.
A new 13-piece deluxe removal kit from Ken-Tool is designed to address this issue. The kit, which joins the 9-piece kit already sold, covers standard and oversized OEM and aftermarket wheel locks for domestic and imported cars and light trucks.
The kits feature a red blow-molded plastic case and are used with a ½ in.-drive ratchet wrench. The technician matches the correct socket for the application, and then gently taps the socket over the lock with a soft-face hammer, said Ken-Tool. The tapered internal surface of the socket grips the lock’s surface, and when the turning force is applied to the ratchet wrench handle, the lock is loosened and removed.
The 13-piece kit includes ¾ in./19 mm and 7/8 in. twist sockets for removal of damaged lug nuts or oversized locks. An extractor punch is included to remove the lock from the socket.
Each tool is hardened for durability and black-oxide-coated for rust and corrosion protection, noted Ken-Tool. Wheel cover and lock-removal tools are also available individually, as well as with the kits.