Disklok- do they actually work?

[terzo]

5LDC said:

TBH it didn't even cross my mind, it was middle of winter after watching a night game at Stoke with my then 7yr old lad. I was not in the most patient of moods to worry about it not coming off. I'll stick a picture up on here of it when i clear all the crap out of the garage

Ah well that explains everything - the desire to get out of stoke could drive anyone to superhuman strength.

[redgriff500]

Its a bit like the old -

Why are you putting your running shoes on

There's a lion over there

You can't outrun a lion

I only have to outrun you



Your car only has to have enough deterrent to make them choose another.

I have a soft top car which is immobilized but I don't want the idiots to damage it before realising they can't steal it.

I've used DisKloks for probably 10yrs - never had a problem

[magnus911]

terzo said:

5LDC said:

TBH it didn't even cross my mind, it was middle of winter after watching a night game at Stoke with my then 7yr old lad. I was not in the most patient of moods to worry about it not coming off. I'll stick a picture up on here of it when i clear all the crap out of the garage

Ah well that explains everything - the desire to get out of stoke could drive anyone to superhuman strength.

[Motorrad]

You must be bloody strong to have bent that bar, I can see the lock or mechanism giving up but it's a solid piece of steel.

Again wonder why Thatcham didn't do that when testing it.

Maybe you had a superhuman-save loved one from under car wreck by lifting it- get out of Stoke moment.

[Arif110]

My penny's-worth...

I had a Landrover Defender (MY02) for nearly 8 years - notoriously easy to steal, and highly sought-after, as worth a lot broken up. There were even police campaigns in my area warning that Landrovers on driveways were being targetted by some gang.

Security was clearly an issue - & I've only ever used the original Disklok.

1) Never had any of the steering wheel damage issues on any of the cars I've used it on (some posh ones, too)

2) Obviously - only the impossible counterfactual analysis would be able to reveal whether or not it prevented a theft

What led me to the Disklok was when I was working in a pizza delivery outlet near South Ruislip, and was over the years friendly with the bouncers next door at the pub. One of them used to be a 'professional' car thief - mainly mid-range cars stolen to order, kept under a bridge for a fixed amount of time until safe transport arrived (those who know will know why), then into a shipping container within 24 hours or less, headed for the Middle East and Pakistan. Even Merc 190s, surprisingly for me. He did also mention how some of his colleagues just went instead for the armed burglary method - mainly for Imprezas (was a real spate of this, at the time).

This character informed me that the Disklok was known in his trade as 'The Cap' - and in every case meant either moving on to the next car, or flagging it up as due for placement on to a flatbed. This was mainly reserved for the higher-end vehicles. Message - the random, opportunist or semi-professional thief will not bother trying to get past a Disklok - and the only reasonable way past one, is with the key.

This whole conversation began when he saw my new shiny Landrover (yes, in which I was now delivering pizzas!), and warned me that'd be gone in a jiffy, around that area.

[Cotty]

AndyLB said:

jon- said:

Get a snap off boss for your steering wheel. Disklocks can be removed, but it's not every day criminals walk around with steering wheels (and a matching boss which are keyed)

Succesfully knackering the airbag/requiring a reset in the process, and having to carry your steering wheel around the supermarket with you...

I don't belive you can use them with the original wheel and aftermarket wheels do not come with airbags as far as I know.

[Matt_N]

I use a disklok as a deterrant more than anything, I take the view that it's another obstacle an opportunist would have to overcome to steal my car.

I will say though that they can damage the steering wheel, the bars that go through the lock and rest on the steering wheel can leave an imprint, I line mine up carefully with a seam on the leather wheel so that it rests in a notch.

[SEE YA]

Either way its a good deterrant to save your car. I have just got a a tracker as well they are coming down in price.

CCTV house alarm, diskloks, police clamp's they all help.
A car thief wants a easy target, break in and go less chance of getting caught then.

They see a car with security items on Disklok etc. they may move on to another car.

It all depends on how far you want to go. Its funny how many people buy a house alarm after the event of a break in ?????. Why not buy one before it happens?.

Edited by SEE YA on Thursday 6th January 08:20

[Gwagon111]

I found my old yellow disklock, from a few years back, in my garage last night. I tried a little experiment, where I locked it, then tried to break it open by pulling the bar. I'm a large bloke, all I succeeded in doing was nearly giving myself a fking hernia. It's a tough old piece of kit, that's for sure.

[was8v]

I have one as I've had a few Mk2 Golf GTIs and Corrado VR6s. All you need to steal those is an everyday tool and a bit of wire to bypass any aftermarket immobiliser, so any scrote could take them for a joyride.

I still have it in my 350z (glove box is the ideal size for it) and use it occasionally when I'm feeling paranoid. Used as a visual deterrent more than anything - hopefully make the thief move onto the next car without a disklok.

Modern cars aren't much harder to steal than old ones - tools are out there to defeat deadlocks and a laptop plugged into the diagnostics port will see plenty of factory immobilisers defeated. I'm well aware that if someone wants my car they will have it (by hiab if they have to).

As an aside I had an old yellow one and then bought a shiny silver one when Netto had them on offer a few years back. The older one was heavier and had more soft wheel protection. The new one was a slightly revised around the lock with more metal work.

Edited by was8v on Thursday 6th January 10:52

[NiceCupOfTea]

5LDC said:

I had one on my Z3M and after loosing the disklock key whilst out (60 miles from home) i called a friend to go round my house, pick up the spare off the missus and bring it up to me.
I didnt fancy the wait, so with both feet on the lever part of the lock, i forced it open and snapped the lock in around 20 seconds!! my feet did slip off when the fooking thing broke though causing me to kick the rear view mirror and crack the b**tard windscreen!!
IMO they are a Total waste of time, i was amazed how easy it was to remove.

I'm surprised it was that easy - maybe yours had a manufacturing defect. I would contact Disklok about it - I think you might get your money back so well worth a shot. They used to have a lifetime guarantee.

[Rich_W]

terzo said:

Sounds like BS to me.

Not sure which seat you reckon you were in, but if it was the passenger seat, your feet wouldnt have hit the rear view mirror. If you were in the drivers seat, only a contortionist could get their feet onto the disklok. Besides which, as it freely rotates around the steering wheel even with your feet bracing it, it would slip enough that you wouldn't be able to exert enough force. Lastly if it could be removed so simply, no way would it be accredited by Thatcham.

Yup. But maybe his was damaged in some way.

Gwagon111 said:

I found my old yellow disklock, from a few years back, in my garage last night. I tried a little experiment, where I locked it, then tried to break it open by pulling the bar. I'm a large bloke, all I succeeded in doing was nearly giving myself a fking hernia. It's a tough old piece of kit, that's for sure.

This.

HOWEVER!

There are 2 main problems with the Disklok. One is catastrophically bad. The other not really. I won't mention the first. But the second is that if ou are determined enough (and have the time) you can "peel" it off the steering wheel. As the wheel will distort before the DL. The way around this is to weld extra material on the back to close up the gap. Pic below is not mine, but shows the extra material. If you do this, all I'll say is "consider adding some material on another place at the same time" and that will help the first problem



As for damaging steering wheels. I'm not convinced they do this either. If it dows then surely the answer is to add self adhesive foam to pertinent areas.

[Lordbenny]

I have learned the hard way...My little Citroen AX GT was the victim of an attempted break-in 3 weeks ago. I now have 2 motion dectected lights a dummy CCTV camera (With a little flashing red light) a handbrake/gear lever lock AND a stop lock! That should prevent the little pikey scrotes from nicking it....and if it dosn't then so be it!

[5LDC]

NiceCupOfTea said:

5LDC said:

I had one on my Z3M and after loosing the disklock key whilst out (60 miles from home) i called a friend to go round my house, pick up the spare off the missus and bring it up to me.
I didnt fancy the wait, so with both feet on the lever part of the lock, i forced it open and snapped the lock in around 20 seconds!! my feet did slip off when the fooking thing broke though causing me to kick the rear view mirror and crack the b**tard windscreen!!
IMO they are a Total waste of time, i was amazed how easy it was to remove.

I'm surprised it was that easy - maybe yours had a manufacturing defect. I would contact Disklok about it - I think you might get your money back so well worth a shot. They used to have a lifetime guarantee.

This is what i thought once i'd removed it - to contact disklok and inform them, i should be moving house soon so should be able to find it in the garage somewhere, with 3 years worth of other stuff piled on top.

[Lordbenny]

5LDC said:

I had one on my Z3M and after loosing the disklock key whilst out (60 miles from home) i called a friend to go round my house, pick up the spare off the missus and bring it up to me.
I didnt fancy the wait, so with both feet on the lever part of the lock, i forced it open and snapped the lock in around 20 seconds!! my feet did slip off when the fooking thing broke though causing me to kick the rear view mirror and crack the b**tard windscreen!!
IMO they are a Total waste of time, i was amazed how easy it was to remove.

If the little scrotes are prepared to break into the car and do what you had to do (albeit in 20 secs) then they're going to nick it no matter what. These things are a DETERENT and the more you have the better.

[steveo3002]

sounds like half these storys are about cheapie steering locks , the disklok is a hefty bit of kit , like has already been said all it needs to do is make the thief move onto another car

if its a pro that really wants its gona be taken whatever you have fitted

[Motorrad]

Rich_W said:

As for damaging steering wheels. I'm not convinced they do this either. If it dows then surely the answer is to add self adhesive foam to pertinent areas.

This is what I was looking for- deforming the wheel and extra welds ie outside of general experience.

Will feel safe using the disklok with the non-deformable wheel of my next car- cheers!

edit to add: nice mods BTW.

Edited by Motorrad on Friday 7th January 06:03

[5LDC]

Lordbenny said:

5LDC said:

I had one on my Z3M and after loosing the disklock key whilst out (60 miles from home) i called a friend to go round my house, pick up the spare off the missus and bring it up to me.
I didnt fancy the wait, so with both feet on the lever part of the lock, i forced it open and snapped the lock in around 20 seconds!! my feet did slip off when the fooking thing broke though causing me to kick the rear view mirror and crack the b**tard windscreen!!
IMO they are a Total waste of time, i was amazed how easy it was to remove.

If the little scrotes are prepared to break into the car and do what you had to do (albeit in 20 secs) then they're going to nick it no matter what. These things are a DETERENT and the more you have the better.

I agree, and this thread proves that people in general "think" the disklok is very very strong, so would put most scumbags off a car that had one on.

[richyb]

The worry these days is the more secure you make your car the more need the thieves have to come to you for the keys.

[scrumpy]

Now that cars with keyless ignition being easily nicked by criminals with the right equipment it is time to reconsider the Disklok. I have used both the yellow and silver ones on both my cars for the best part of two decades with complete satisfaction. If you are worried about scuffs on your steering wheel, slip an old pillow case over the wheel before you fit the Disklok - it can also be used as a cover for the Disklok when it is not fitted over the wheel. I bought my first one after seeing a police road show and was told it was the only one that could not easily be removed by a thief. You either need some heavy metal cutting kit (not a ordinary hack saw - which is as suspicious thing to be carrying) or a crane / low loader, neither of which is particularly discrete and will attract attention. Just take care of your keys and don't leave them lying around the house.