A mechanic says a customer recently brought in a Ford F-150. According to the customer, he could not get the back wheel off of the truck.
In a video with over 51,000 views, mechanic and TikTok user @gjones49 shows the Ford F-150. When the mechanic looked at the wheel, it did not seem like it had any lug nuts in it whatsoever.
“I'm trying to figure out what the heck is going on,” he states.
Soon, the mechanic figures out the issue with the car. It appears that it’s a “multi-lug”—and the lug nuts are hidden behind a cover.
“There they are,” he says, twisting the cover to expose the nuts.
What Are These Wheels On This Ford F-150?
The tires shown in this video are not standard for the F-150. While the Ford F-150’s wheels do typically have hub covers, they do not look like this, nor do they have this twisting design.
So, what are these wheels?
The wheels shown in the video appear to be Evok Evolution EV601 Gloss Black / Machine Face wheels. The EVOK website does not give any direct information about what this rotating design is for. However, looking more closely at the website, one can get an idea of the cover's original intention—and it has little to do with theft.
Instead, the website advertises the wheel as a “rugged off-road wheel designed for aggressive terrain and maximum durability.” The site further states that it’s “ideal for rock crawling, mudding, and other demanding off-road activities.”
Given all of this, it’s likely that the covers are not to deter theft. Rather, they’re to prevent mud and debris from getting into the lug nuts while still allowing them to be accessed with ease.
A Good Anti-Theft Measure
Even if it wasn’t designed that way, some commenters under the video claimed that something like this may confuse a potential thief enough to deter them.
“That’s a good safety feature against a tire thief,” wrote a user.
“Yeah, I cover up the lugs with those covers so it looks better and to deter the idiot car thieves,” echoed another.
Still, others noted that, given the look of the tire, it could be easy to forget that the true lug nuts are hidden—leaving them in a situation like the one experienced by the car owner.
“I’m getting those,” said a user. “That'll be hilarious when I forget, too.”
“I wonder how hard he was kicking that tire,” joked another.
Car Parts Theft
No matter how strong your security system is, thieves can always find a way to steal from your vehicle.
Often, car-related theft doesn’t involve stealing the car itself, but something inside of it. For example, there are many places where leaving your car parked in the wrong area can mean someone smashing your window and stealing whatever’s inside.
That said, there are other types of theft that involve stealing not something inside of the car, but something attached to it. Recently, some drivers have complained about airbag and radar theft. Others are noting that wheels seem to be a target for thieves.
While you can try your best to always use protected parking, there will always be instances where you need to park your car in a vulnerable area.
How To Prevent Wheel Theft
If you’re concerned about someone stealing your tires, you don’t need to get specialty off-road wheels. Instead, there are some practical steps you can take to make sure your wheels stay on your car where they belong.
To start, you can install locking lugs, or lug nut locks. While these aren’t perfect—a skilled thief can override them—they can be enough of a barrier that a thief may determine the work involved isn’t worth the time or risk.
Next, you can park in a manner that deters wheel theft. For example, rotating your tires to a 45-degree angle when parking makes it more difficult for a thief to steal your wheels. You can also park close to a curb, which makes tire removal difficult.
Finally, you can simply be careful about where you park. Parking in well-lit, monitored areas makes wheel theft less likely. The presence of other people and security cameras may also deter this sort of theft.
While there’s nothing you can do to fully stop wheel theft, there are steps you can take to prevent it—and you don’t need to buy confusing off-road tires to do so.
Motor1 reached out to EVOK via email and @gjones49 via TikTok direct message and comment.
