Best Car Steering Wheel Security Lock
Have some cars in your neighborhood been broken into? Are keeping your car in an ‘unsafe’ area for a few nights or are you just leaving your campervan out of sight when traveling? If your answer is yes then you never know when you might need a car steering wheel lock, so we’ve tested out 4 of what we think could be the best steering wheel locks on the market.
In the United States there is a car stolen every 45 seconds and each year there have been nearly 3/4 of a million (750,000) cars stolen. Nothing will help more than a car steering wheel lock in preventing someone breaking in to your car. It’s one of the only car security devices which can be seen from the outside and if you have nothing on display in your car, could be the reason that your car is left alone. We went travelling for an extended period of time and put a steering wheel lock on our car after testing a few so that when we returned, we knew we would have a safe car for our return.
All the locks we have reviewed and tested are from reputable dealers online who we trust and although we didn’t refund ours we did see that in some reviews the companies were fine with refunds if they did not fit or work as expected. We mention this as the Stoplocks will only fit certain size and shape steering wheels, so double check yours is compatible if you are after a Stoplock to secure your car. You can check that here http://www.thecarstuff.com/guide/stoplock-car-steering-wheel-lock-fitting-guide-compatability
The Club (Crook Style) steering wheel lock has been chosen as our best car steering wheel lock because as well as fitting the most amount of vehicles (vans and campervans as well as cars), it was a bit cheaper yet we feel offered the same amount of protection that the others offered. It was very bright so can be seen at any time of day and although wasn’t in full view, was still visible like the others. The other three are all steering wheel locks where a section of them clamp around the steering wheel and is locked with a key in place. The Club ‘crook lock’ style lock stops both your steering wheel being turned, your steering wheel being removed and a pedal being used (whichever one you hook it around).
The Stoplocks have come in 2nd and 3rd as they are still great security devices, they are even better as visual deterrents as you can see more of them from outside the car but they are just a bit more pricey than the pedal to steering wheel lock. Double check your cars steering wheel is compatible with them as well before you purchase.
What let the 4th ranked lock down is that it didn’t fit all steering wheels, it did though look the best at being a visual deterrent as it sits between the wheel and the dashboard and was also the cheapest of the four, if you know it fits your steering wheel, this could still be the one for you if you don’t wish to spend too much. It can be stowed away under a seat and wasn’t as heavy as the Stoplocks, so potentially better for older people or those who struggle lifting heavy items.
Best Car Steering Wheel Security Lock
Review of Pretex Pedal to Steering Wheel Crook Lock
An old kroolok “crook lock” style pedal to steering wheel security lock but brand new and made in Germany to fit all cars and vans. Also known as a club lock, this security device comes in bright red or yellow.
If you are after a steering wheel lock and extra security and don’t want your steering wheel to get damaged or have something potentially moving about, which the other steering wheel locks can all do, then this could be the security device you’re after.
This is a large one piece steel rod which has two hooks, one on each end. One end fits on to your brake or clutch pedal and the other fits to the bottom of your steering wheel. It comes in bright yellow or red, so can be seen from outside of the car and is therefore a visible deterrent as well as an actual security device.
Really simple locking mechanism, once you have slid the pole to the right length and the hooks pull on the pedal and car steering wheel, you just lock it in place. If you were to try and move the steering wheel, it will jam and be unusable and if you try to pull the rod off, it won’t budge as it’s jammed between these two parts of your car. it’s a fantastic approach to securing your car as it disables both the steering and the use of the pedal it is attached too.
The rod is heavy and completely solid, not something that could be cut in half unless with heavy machinery. It is very easy to use, you extend, place it around both parts of your car and shorten it and lock. What we love about this car wheel lock is that you can easily hide this under your front seats when not in use.
Pros
- Very simple to use
- Fits all cars, vans, campervans and other vehicles as long as it has a pedal and steering wheel
- Really solid, heavy duty security device
- Bright yellow so is a visible deterrent as well
- Good price compared to the others we have tested
- Comes with two keys
Verdict
An amazing old style design car security device that has been re-invented and works like a charm. Really simple device and really robust, just fix between your pedal and steering wheel of your vehicle and thats it. Not too expensive and cheaper than the Stoplocks.
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Review of Stoplock Professional – Steering Wheel Lock
This is a review of the Stoplock Professional steering wheel lock, we discuss whether your car would benefit from one of these.
The Stoplock professional steering wheel lock has ticked all the right boxes in terms of ensuring you of its ability to deter thieves with its Thatcham Category 3 ‘attack approval’ rating, 10,000 key combinations and 10 year guarantee. That all looks good on paper to me but I wanted to see how well it fit in my car.
The stoplock was tried both on my partners Peugot 307cc and my Fiat Panda. It fit well on both cars if anything a little bit tighter on the Peugot steering wheel as it is smaller. It is quite heavy and fixing it into place does take some effort. Firstly you need to get the steering wheel in its full lock position so that there is very limited movement. You need to place the long section under one arm of the steering wheel and then it will need to clamped at the opposite end of the steering wheel. If you put it in your steering wheel in the wrong position you may trigger your car horn, so be careful with this, it’s quite an obtrusive device and this make take a few attempts until you get it right.
The steering wheel lock is made of a strong steel and coated with a very bright powder coated plastic, potential thieves are not going to miss this large piece of visual deterrent kit in your car when walking by.
The locking mechanism is simple, once it clasps the wheel and clicks in to place, it is locked. Having the key on you will remove it from this position if you haven’t done this correctly. It is basically like two prongs which are both like a bicycle or motorcycle lock and they latch in to the locking mechanism. They are completely solid and will never be able to be removed with hand tools.
It is quite a chunky and cumbersome device therefore it will not fit under your car seat, you are best stowing in the boot or if not carrying passengers in the back foot wells, this is one of it’s negative points.
Pros
- Can be fitted easily and quickly to the steering wheel
- Has a 10 year guarantee with 10,000 key combinations
- It is highly visible to passers by
- The curve does not touch the horn at all
- Thatcham Category 3 ‘attack approval’ rating
Cons
- It is pretty heavy
- As it can only be fitted to the steering wheel when the steering wheel is in its locked position this can add extra fiddllyness to fitting it.
- Too bulky to store under seats, will need to be stored in the boot
Verdict
The Stoplock Professional is a simple but strong steering wheel lock and deterrent with bright visability and a strong locking system. A lock such as this is worth purchasing, however make sure to check this will fit your car. If it doesn’t give the original Stoplock a check as that is slightly smaller.
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Review of Stoplock Original Steering Wheel Lock
This is a review of the Stoplock Original steering wheel lock, a lock that appears to be cheaply priced. Does this means it lacks in quality? Read on for more details.
Guide Stoplock Car Steering Wheel Lock Fitting Guide & Compatability
The Stoplock Original steering wheel lock is a simply designed visual deterrent that has a number of good key stats such as having 10,000 key combinations and a 5 year guarantee.
This steering wheel lock is made of a stainless steel with a plastic coating, not as vibrant as the Stoplock Professional as only part of the handle is yellow however there is a flashing LED light to help provide extra visual deterrent. The flashing LED does run on two small flat watch batteries that will need changing every couple of months.
The Stoplock Original was tried on both my Fiat Panda and my partners Peugot 307cc. For both cars it fits very tightly and I would believe this would be difficult to fit on certain car models steering wheels. I tracked down the Stoplock fitting guide which I have added above as a pdf. Because of it’s design it needs to be slid in through the gap of the steering wheel and then clasped on to the opposite side of the wheel. You need both the space around your wheel to get it in, for it to extend out and then also for the bend and the locking mechanism to line up with the diameter of your steering wheel. If you aren’t sure whether this will fit, check the PDF fitting guide for your cars make and model.
To fit the Stoplock Original requires you to firstly open the lock with the key provided then slide the arm into the lower right gap of the steering wheel and then attach the clamp around the top left of the wheel rim. Once you close the clamp the steering wheel lock is functioning. Be careful if you have a leather or fabric steering wheel it may be worth wrapping the steering wheel rim where the clamp is to be fixed with a cloth before locking to reduce scratches. A microfibre towel or small cloth will help with wear and tear for this if you are using it frequently.
It is also worth thinking about where you will keep this device and whether you have space in your car, as you are best stowing in the boot or if not carrying passengers in the back foot wells as it will only just fit under some cars seats. It fit underneath the Fiat Pandas seats but not the Peugeot 307. If you are looking for something that isn’t too heavy and can be easily added and removed, then maybe this or the Stoplock Pro aren’t for you. If you want more of a visual deterrent then the two Stoplocks are the best choice as they are the biggest and also brightest of the security devices and will be able to seen more clearly from outside your car.
Pros
- Good value for money
- Acts as a good visual deterrent
- Includes a flashing warning LED
- The lock has over 10,000 key combinations
- 5 year guarantee
- Strong and sturdy
- Available on amazon prime for next day delivery
Cons
- Only fits certain car models (See pdf)
- Careful fitting on leather/soft material steering wheel as may scratch
- A little cumbersome
- Can be easy to accidently beep the horn when fitting
- Batteries required for the flashing LED which will only last a few months
Verdict
This is a very reasonably priced steering wheel lock, simple design and clamp mechanism, perfect if looking at getting a quick and easy, cheap lock as a deterrent for your car. Just make sure it will fit your car prior to purchasing.
Stoplock 'Original' Car Steering Wheel Lock W/Keys HG 134-59 - Anti-Theft Security...
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Review of UKB4C Anti Theft Car Steering Wheel Lock
Our review of the anti theft car steering lock by UKB4C. A simple and quick locking steering wheel lock.
This feels like a well made, strong yet lightweight car steering wheel lock. It is the cheapest out of the four we have reviewed by some margin, but is it as well suited to actually protecting your car and stopping it from being stolen?
How it works is you fit the wheel shape part over the top of your steering wheel, the yellow bar then sits on top of your dashboard or against a part of the interior of your car. When you lock it on to your steering wheel it clamps around the wheel and thus holds it in place. So if someone was to break in to your car and steal it, they would try to turn the steering wheel to only find that it is incapable of doing so. The downside to the locking mechanism is that, unlike the others we have reviewed, it actually grabs the steering wheel, so that it can’t even be moved around on it. It doesn’t just wrap the wheel, it holds on, this can leave marks and if you have a leather or soft steering wheel, this could be a problem.
The second problem which we had is that this didn’t actually clamp around on one of our cars, our little fiat panda has a very small and thin steering wheel and it struggled to actually clamp down on it. This steering lock needs a bigger, thicker steering wheel, most newer, bigger cars should be fine, a few older cars may not be suitable with this steering lock.
It is super easy to lock and unlock which is a nice touch and one of the most important things is that because of it’s size, it can be kept under your passenger seat (if it has room), out of sight until you need to use it again.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Fast to lock and unlock on the steering wheel
- Can be hidden away when not using, maybe even under your cars seat
- Very affordable price
- Great visual deterrent as it sits on your dashboard in plain sight
- Bright yellow means its easily seen
Cons
- Not the most heavy duty of steering wheel locks
Verdict
If you want a visual deterrent, it sits in a visible place between your steering wheel and the dashboard. This is a good purchase if you have a thicker steering wheel, but it may leave marks on your nice steering wheel as it clamps on to it to hold it in place. For the price, it’s a good car steering wheel lock.
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