jetski's toolbox - today: the most simple DIY wheel anti-theft nut

Hi,

here's a new idea to prevent wheel theft, this time it's a full DIY idea and probably the most simple and effective of them all. Forget all Pitlocks, Pinheads, security nuts etc, and save the money (they don't offer a M9 track axle solution anyway).

Let me know if you find an error in thinking.

Idea is as follows: put your wheels in, tighten them nicely with a normal nut.
Now, you go and drill a (for example) 4.1mm hole through that tightened nut AND axle, right from the top downwards, but not completely through. Stop about 3mm before you would break through, so you end up with a blind hole. In this blind hole you simply put a short offcut of a 4mm non-magnetic stainless steel rod (see image, dimensions are for a slightly larger nut). Done.

The point is, if you ever want to remove the wheel, you need to turn your bike upside down - impossible when properly locked. Gravity is your anti theft protection.

jetski

http://www.lfgss.com/picture.php?albumid=1592&pictureid=9139

kinda like those seatpost clamp ideas but cheaper?

surely tho, when you tighten again the holes won't line up?

Not sure... I mean if you clean everything very well before tightening and drilling, it should align again? You could also have a bit more tolerance in the blind hole diameter, and you could adjust the alignment with washers if needed?

For* me* the biggest problem is that I don't think I could drill through both the nut and axle with the wheel on the bike. My drill just wouldn't get close enough.

I guess you could measure, with the wheel on, and then drill after, but I just doubt my ability to do it acuarately enough.

Nice idea tho - very simple in theory. I esp like the fact that if say you got a puncture you just take the pin out and then line it all up properly later.

Altho.... I guess you could turn the bike upsidedown and drill from the bottom, then rotate after... that would prolly work.

You can drill from whatever side or angle you like actually, you just have to rotate the axle back into the right position before tightening.

Drilling separately is not recommendable. An easier way is to take an old fork/frame and put them in a vice. If you actually choose a 3mm pin in a 4mm hole that should be well enough tolerance especially when you consider you can fine-adjust with washers as much as you like.

Couldn't somebody just rotate the wheel and let it fall out?

Couldn't somebody just rotate the wheel and let it fall out?

Think again

Nice idea tho - very simple in theory. I esp like the fact that if say you got a puncture you just take the pin out and then line it all up properly later.

yep... and, one is enough to lock a whole wheel

Sounds like good thinking. In practice I'm not convinced you could drill the hole accurately enough, especially given that the axle will be hardened.

good lateral thinking, but wouldn't wanna see this bunch going at their bikes with drills!

One thing though, if you go through wheel and frame with a good lock, is there much point? part of the appeal of pitlocks is carrying a smaller lock and not worrying about locking both wheels...

Oh - just realised you turn the bike not the wheel - Doh!

Good idea :-)

Sounds like good thinking. In practice I'm not convinced you could drill the hole accurately enough, especially given that the axle will be hardened.

No clue if they are hardened. If you have a good set of drills it does not matter that much, but I admit it costs quite an effort to drill your axles. I will do it :-)

EDIT: for example, Miche Primato axles are not hardened, I found this in a different thread: "the axle itself is just a threaded bar (...) The axle is only mild steel...".

So it's easy to drill and also easy to replace if f*cked up.

A nice Idea, but not convinced it would work as is.
However:
If you drilled the nut before you put it on, you could do a neat job with a bench drill, which you could then use as a pilot for the axle drilling.

If you tapped the hole, you could pop in a M2.5 or M3 grub screw (http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/stainless_grub_screws.htm)
I think if a bit of rod was thick enough not to bounce out, it would be thick enough to be properly stuck in after a ride on a London road in some rain. With a grub screw this wouldn't be a problem. Put it underneath, rather than on top, so no one can see it, and use some threadlocker so it won't fall out.

Then it's just a matter of whether the would be thief could just sheer the screw. I have no idea of the sheer strength of 3mm stainless, but it is probably up to the job.

It might just work.

If you tapped the hole, you could pop in a M2.5 or M3 grub screw

A grub screw would torpedo the whole gravity idea as a thief then could simply screw out the grew screw...
The rod needs to be flat at the top. But, if you are actually worried about the pin/rod bouncing out due to rough roads: just put in some sticky grease before you put in the pin.
The only thing that gets it out then is a gentle knocking when the bike is upside down (or some seconds with a lighter, as the grease will become liquid).

But, your pre-drillling the nut idea really makes sense to do a perfect pilot hole.

jetski

pliers? tweezers?

http://downloadwap.com/mp3tones/tones/new/tv-movie/Family_Fortunes_-_Wrong_Answer_Buzzer-4980.mp3

pliers? tweezers?

not really.
if you want to be really mean you could even file the rod to a conical shape at the top, and if the whole thing is retracted in the hole anyway and then again a bit grease on top = un-tweezable.

for example, Miche Primato axles are not hardened,

However, they are fucking impossible to come by. They are especially difficult to replace because of them being italian threaded, proprietary to the hubs due to the bearings and because the distributors will not sell you replacements. And they are made of shit.

Has anybody got one I can have for a rear miche primato hub please?
[/thread derail]

the problem is, the thief will probably not see this little trick, and will end up smashing up your axle by trying to undo it..

I've had non-drilled tracknuts split in half. This is going to weaken a nut even further, so I'd worry about that. I'd also worry about the pin getting gunked up and gravity no longer being enough to get it out when I want to.

If it was viable it would already be in production.

the problem is, the thief will probably not see this little trick, and will end up smashing up your axle by trying to undo it..

of course you should mark the nut with a colour or whatever to show that is not a normal one.

I've had non-drilled tracknuts split in half. This is going to weaken a nut even further, so I'd worry about that. I'd also worry about the pin getting gunked up and gravity no longer being enough to get it out when I want to.

well if that's what worries you then just double it up, take a second nut as the antitheft and keep your first nut. you need this thing on one side only anyway.

If it was viable it would already be in production.

it's a DIY solution, not a product

It
Is
A
BAD
IDEA.

It
Is
A
BAD
IDEA.

Yeah sure, you know this without trying.

I tell you something, it is a better idea than all pitlock and security nuts together.

It
Is
A
BAD
IDEA.

I agree.
Nobody has mentioned so far that, if you have adjustable cones, you wont be able to.