Gorilla Automotive Products

What Gorilla Automotive Products does

Gorilla Automotive Products is a private, brand-level manufacturer and retailer of aftermarket automotive wheel attachment hardware, organized as a brand within Hoonigan (formerly Wheel Pros, LLC; legal entity Delaware LLC). Founded in 1976, the company designs, sources, and distributes lug nuts, lug bolts, wheel locks, hub rings, wheel spacers, studs, wheel weights, and complementary installation tools (torque wrenches, tire pressure gauges, thread checkers), differentiated by heat-treated construction and triple-nickel chrome plating on key SKUs and a proprietary "Original Gorilla Lock System" key-and-registration architecture. Its product catalog is sold primarily through Hoonigan's wholesale channel to a network of more than 16,500 authorized retailers spanning North America, Australia, and Europe, with a secondary direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at gorilla-auto.com and a small branded-merchandise line (apparel and accessories, $9.95–$69.95). The company also operates a replacement-key service ($10/key, registration-number-gated) that monetizes its installed base of wheel locks, and depends on its parent for centralized manufacturing, fulfillment, and back-office operations as indicated by its 1–10 employee footprint at the brand level. Its customers are split across individual vehicle owners, OEM and aftermarket car dealers, and specialty wheel and tire installers, with marketing concentrated on the brand website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram), email newsletter, and dealer-locator-driven foot traffic.

Name

Gorilla Automotive Products

Legal name

Wheel Pros, LLC

Website

https://gorilla-auto.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gorilla Automotive Products designs, manufactures, and distributes branded aftermarket automotive wheel hardware — including lug nuts, lug bolts, wheel locks, and installation tools — selling through a network of 16,500+ retailers across North America, Australia, and Europe, plus direct-to-consumer e-commerce, as a brand within Hoonigan (formerly Wheel Pros).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Automotive Hardware Product Sales: Gorilla Automotive generates revenue through the sale of automotive wheel attachment hardware including lug nuts, lug bolts, wheel locks, hub rings, wheel weights, studs, and installation tools. Products are sold as one-time purchases with various thread sizes and finishes to accommodate different vehicle applications.
2. Replacement Keys and Components: Sale of replacement keys for wheel locks and individual components. Replacement keys are priced at $10.00 each and require the original registration number for ordering.
3. Branded Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel such as tank tops, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and drawstring bags priced between $9.95 and $69.95.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gorilla Automotive Products designs, manufactures, and sells branded automotive wheel attachment hardware including lug nuts, lug bolts, wheel locks, hub rings, wheel spacers, studs, wheel weights, and installation tools. The company distributes its products through a global network of over 16,500 authorized dealers and via a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at gorilla-auto.com.

Product overview

Gorilla Automotive Products is an automotive aftermarket parts manufacturer and e-commerce retailer specializing in wheel attachment hardware and accessories. The core product portfolio centers on wheel locks and lug nuts (including hex duplex acorn bulge and open end styles), supplemented by related installation hardware (hub rings, wheel spacers, studs, lock keys, wheel weights) and specialized tools (torque wrenches, tire pressure gauges, thread checkers). The company also offers a replacement key service for existing wheel lock customers. Founded in 1976, Gorilla Automotive operates under parent company Hoonigan (formerly Wheel Pros) and serves the automotive enthusiast market through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a dealer network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wheel Locks Anti-theft wheel locking systems designed for factory and aftermarket wheels, featuring heat-treated construction with triple nickel chrome plating and included lock keys.
• Lug Nuts Wheel lug nuts available in various styles including hex duplex acorn bulge and open end configurations, with finishes including chrome, black, and zinc plating.
• Lug Bolts Wheel lug bolts designed to set the industry standard for quality and durability, intended for secure wheel attachment on vehicle applications requiring bolts rather than nuts.
• Hub Rings Hub centric rings that ensure proper fitment between the wheel center bore and the vehicle hub.
• Wheel Spacers Adapters and spacers for adjusting wheel offset and improving vehicle stance.
• Lock Keys Replacement and spare lock keys for Gorilla wheel locks and spline lugs, designed for strength and perfect fit.
• Wheel Weights Wheel balancing weights designed for industry-standard adhesion, aesthetics, and accurate balancing.
• Studs Wheel studs allowing replacement of lug bolts to utilize lug nuts for easier wheel removal and installation.
• Torque & Lug Wrench Torque wrenches and lug wrenches for proper wheel installation with specified torque settings.
• Tire Pressure Gauge Tire pressure measuring tools for proper tire inflation.
• Thread Checker Thread pattern gauge tools (THRG-10) used to verify proper lug nut and bolt thread fitment.
• Installation Tools Lug installation tools designed to make wheel installation easier.
• Replacement Keys Replacement key ordering service for Gorilla wheel lock sets, requiring the wheel lock key registration number from the silver sticker inside the original set. Priced at $10.00 per key.
• Gorilla Merchandise Branded apparel and accessories including tank tops, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and drawstring bags, priced between $9.95 and $69.95.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• McGard: McGard is the historical market leader in automotive wheel locks and lug nuts, with a virtually identical product portfolio (Theft-Deterrent Wheel Locks, UTV Lug Nuts, Custom Cone Seat Lug Nuts). It is the most direct competitor to Gorilla Automotive, competing head-to-head with the Original Gorilla Lock System.
• DP Accessories: DPAccessories is a direct-to-consumer-focused competitor that designs and sells lug nuts, lug bolts, wheel locks, and spline adapters. They overlap with Gorilla's e-commerce and product mix and compete in the same enthusiast aftermarket wheel hardware category.

Broad incumbents

• KMC Wheels: KMC Wheels is a sister brand under the Hoonigan (formerly Wheel Pros) umbrella that designs and distributes aftermarket wheels. While focused on wheels rather than fasteners, it shares Gorilla's distribution, dealer network, and parent-company ecosystem, making it a closely related peer for channel and brand positioning comparisons.
• Dorman Products: Dorman Products is a large publicly traded aftermarket auto parts manufacturer with broad coverage of vehicle repair and replacement components, including wheel hardware. It is a relevant incumbent benchmark for Gorilla's manufacturing and channel model at much greater scale.
• American Racing: American Racing is a heritage aftermarket wheel brand also under Hoonigan. It shares Gorilla's dealer relationships and enthusiast customer base, though its core product is wheels rather than fasteners, making it an adjacent peer within the same parent ecosystem.
• Holley Performance Products: Holley is a diversified aftermarket performance parts platform with a portfolio of enthusiast vehicle brands. It is comparable to Hoonigan's broader portfolio strategy and useful as a benchmark for how Gorilla could be leveraged as a sub-brand within a multi-brand aftermarket platform.
• Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels: Mickey Thompson is a heritage aftermarket wheel and tire brand that serves enthusiasts with high-performance wheel upgrades, generating downstream demand for the lug nuts, wheel locks, and spacers that Gorilla supplies. It represents the OEM-of-the-wheel side of Gorilla's value chain.

Emerging players

• Pilot Automotive: Pilot Automotive sells aftermarket automotive accessories including wheel-related hardware and styling products. It is comparable to Gorilla in serving the same enthusiast customer segment, though with broader product scope and greater emphasis on mass-market retail channels.
• Mr. Lug Nut: Mr. Lug Nut is a small specialist manufacturer and online retailer focused on aftermarket lug nuts, lug bolts, and wheel accessories. It competes directly with Gorilla in the same niche with a narrower, more direct-to-consumer-oriented go-to-market.

Others

• Wheel Pros: Wheel Pros is the retained wholesaler channel name within Hoonigan that distributes aftermarket wheels and accessories to retailers and dealers. While not a competitor, it is the distribution arm that Gorilla leverages for its 16,500-retailer footprint, making it an essential ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gorillanuts
• Instagraminstagram.com/gorilla_auto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gorilla Automotive Products