Questions and Answers

Ford Thunderbird Wheel Locks Q. Hi Vincent, My son purchased a 1992 Ford Thunderbird and later discovered at least one tire, now flat, had a wheel lock on it. The seller never came up with the key and we can't change the tire. Do you know how to go about locating a key? Thank you for any help you can offer.

A. This can be a problem. If they are factory wheel locks, the dealer will have a master wheel lock key set. There are only about 14 different wheel lock keys. Once they know which key it is, they can order another one, or two, for you.

If they are aftermarket wheel locks, and you don't know the brand, you are up the creek without a paddle. In this case all you can do is get a hammer and chisel and chisel it in a counter-clockwise direction. This is how I do it.

The good thing is that wheel locks are usually not very tight. They are case hardened so it will be tough, but with some work they will come off.