Ford Invents Center-Lock Wheel That Doesn't Need Special Tools To Undo

Jun 24, 2025

Name the automaker most synonymous with putting center-locking wheels on street cars... You probably said Porsche, right? That's the brand we almost all think of when it comes to center-lock wheels, and why wouldn't we? Center-locking wheels are a tangible connection to the world of motorsport, so when we see them on a road car, it instantly makes us feel like we're driving a race car. But Ford wants in on the action, so it's set about reinventing the wheel... nut. The center-locking wheel nut, that is.

Ford has very big plans for the most powerful Mustang ever built.

A new patent unearthed by CarBuzz and filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office reveals an innovative design for a center-locking wheel that would require no special tools to remove or fasten, getting rid of the need to have a special socket - often sold separately in the case of BMW - that's easily misplaced. In the case of Ford's design, it's something that would be perfect for a production car like the Mustang GTD, which will effectively be a roadgoing version of the Mustang GT3 race car with no limits.

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Ford's idea is genius in its simplicity, as it leverages existing parts of the wheel design to create an integrated lug wrench. Instead of the wheel nut being a separate item from the socket one typically mounts to a torque wrench, Ford has envisioned a lever arm connected to the locking mechanism of the wheel, that, when tightened appropriately, folds into a slot in the face of one of the wheel spokes.

Various methods are presented for ensuring this lever arm remains in place once folded into the spoke, such as a latch mechanism or even a magnetic fixation. Ford even prescribes times when lighting elements could be integrated into this lever to ensure appropriate visibility of the wheel while tightening or loosening it.

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But one feature Ford notes could be particularly useful in preventing accidental loosening of a center-lock wheel, as it prescribes a ratchet mechanism that could be built into the lug wrench/lug nut to allow rotation only in one direction.

It's a remarkably simple design on Ford's part and one that provides a number of benefits:

With no need for separate tools, you don't need a place to store them and you don't need to worry about losing them. From a simplicity standpoint, it's great, as it means track days are simpler to prep for and you don't risk forgetting a tool at home. But there are a few potential downsides. Complexity for the sake of complexity is never a good thing, but in this case, a few problems could arise. On the one hand, wheels act as a heat sink during hard track use, so the arm being affixed to the wheel spoke could make it too hot to handle.

Another potential failure point is that of the final bullet listed above. A predetermined rotation amount to achieve a desired torque spec is great, but what happens if the tolerances aren't 100%, or if metal fatigue means you need an extra two degrees of lock to achieve the desired torque spec for a wheel? If the lever arm rotated two degrees beyond the spoke of the wheel, how would it affix itself in place when you'd secured the wheel?

Ford previously said the GTD produces "over 800 horsepower." Here's the final figure.

Naturally, we don't expect a wheel like this to be machined out of weak metal - it's likely to be reserved for the highest-end models in Ford's lineup and will come at some cost. Expect these wheels and lugs to be made from titanium and carbon fiber, with micrometric precision. There's also the fact that center-lock wheels are considered maintenance items. Porsche, for example, specifies the replacement of the lock nut, wheel hub, and wheel bearing on cars equipped with center-lock wheels after every 4,200 miles of track use.

As for Ford's potential use cases, the GTD is the natural candidate for these to appear on, but a next-gen Ford GT, Mustang Dark Horse, or maybe even one of the Raptor models could just as easily utilize this design as could Ford's Dakar racers.

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Patent filings do not guarantee the use of such technology in future vehicles and are often used exclusively as a means of protecting intellectual property. Such a filing cannot be construed as confirmation of production intent.

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Literally reinventing the wheel seems silly, the locking center hub was invented in 1908 and it doesn't take any special tools to remove unless you consider a hammer a special tool, plus they look cool AF

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