The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk LoJack, wheel locks, or armed security

Every now and then we hear of someone who has had his stovebolt stolen. Now that I'm almost finished with mine I worry that I'll come out of the grocery store or the movies and find my ride gone.
What ideas are out there for security? I thought of the wheel locks but that is a lot of trouble to put on and take off every time one goes to the store. The LoJack sounds more owner friendly however the truck will be gone and perhaps stripped down before the police can locate it.

i just leave the keys in the ignition,so they don't have to mess up the paint to get the wires. oh yea i also leave my 80lbs dog on back. though i live in a smallish town and people know the truck. but it would be funny to have the cops chase down a truck that top out at about 68mph, with loose original steering.
just me.

daren

the dog that I leave chained to the truck and its a chain used by tow trucks... and the dogs chew toy is a 3 inch pipe and its all chewed like a leather chew toy.... truck never gone missing yet... I have seen honda civic bumper, S-10 wheel and tire, and a shoping cart still full of goods... all I can figure is they came to close....

thats funny,,, my top speed is 50, and we only have US-1 or US-1A in northern maine... there is over 100 border patrol cars for 20 miles of this road... it wont take much to find a fire truck red. 1941..

I had a truck like that once. I always said, "if anyone steals it they'll drive it around the block and bring it back." lol

If you decide to go the Lojack route,check into it.The Lojack service is only available in certain areas.


Tim

I have an ignition disabler.A numeric code needs to be entered before it will start.I also put a club on the steering wheel.Neither are all that secure,but will slow the thief down or possibly discourage them.

There isn't a huge market in the chop shop world for old trucks the only people who would try and steal one are joy riders and they probably couldn't even figure out how to start it.
Kinda like my MG no one has had to deal with a manual choke and transmission for for over 20 years don't even bother locking the doors.
Small market low value thieves leave them alone.

yea i also leave out the manual choke, it'll start but not run for long if you don't know about it.

my main concern is someone "keying" it or damaging it out of spite or "fun". many nowadays don't respect or appreciate others property.

daren

"I've got a shotgun, a shovel, and 100 acres- - - - -any questions?" Sign on the dash says it all!
Jerry

BC what is a disabler and where did you get it?

Google "The SilverCloud GPS tracker", it uses real time tracking.

I have a steering lock, when a friend saw me putting it on, he started laughing - said you would have to pay a thief to take that thing :-)If the bad guy takes off in 1st I will just run up to the truck and tell em to stop :-)

I had a 63 C20 that the previous owner had put a switch up under the dash near the corner of the glass. It was well hidden, and a PITA to get to. I don't remember what he turned on/off. The wires were well hidden.

Larry

It is a fancy toggle switch ,lol.A keypad,relay and wiring harness.Mine is ALA990K.I bought it up here in B.C.at an Automotive Electronic store.I suppose a hidden switch in the starter curcuit would work too.

That is also my biggest worry. If someone wants to take it for a drive, I could deal with that but if someone keyed it or damaged it just for kicks I think I would go POSTAL if I found them.......

I have battery disconnects hidden on both trucks. It takes a key to engage it. The studs are in a hard place to try to jumper so hopefully they'll just give up.

I'm not the sharpest tool in the box, but I leave the key in ignition and leave it unlocked. 95% of the folks out there who would be inclined to steal a vehicle would turn the key and figure that the battery is dead in this old rust bucket and leave it alone. Not many folks under 25 have ever seen a foot starter.

had an 18 yr old know it all working for me and i told him to move the '47 chevy dump truck, b/f i could tell him how to do it, he said "i know" and left. 10 mins later he was back and told me the thing was dead. so i went over there and used the foot starter but made it look like i turned the key. his eyes were big in disbelief. next day, same thing, told me it was dead. asked him if he knew how to start it - he said "yes". i asked him to show me. he did show me he was in idiot, it was funny. i still don't think he learned to listen. was PO'd when i showed him the foot starter. he said "that's dumb". but then again he knows it all.

daren

When I take my truck for a state inspection, they've learned to let me bring it into the garage. They tried to start it once, but couldn't figure it out.

The "inspection" consists of them having the truck in the garage, where they scan the last inspection sticker and put on a new one. I asked why they don't check things. They said it's because if they find something wrong, they don't know how to fix it, and they don't need the hassle.

I think I'll get the gps tracker that can be hardwired, not needing batteries. That way if some inconsiderate yahoo steals my pride and joy I'll be able to personally track the jerk and explain how my Chance and Son double barrel works.

Interesting thread. The Gears TV show just had a segment on theft protection. Couple of suggestions they had was put a switch under the dash on the wire that goes to your coil or also your fuel pump if it is electric. Also a shut-off valve in your fuel line. Won't stop the idiots from keying it but maybe my Life member NRA sticker will.

I would use the switch solution however I would need a switch that would loose connection with the loss of power. That way I wouldn't need to switch it off when I parked it. I'm sure if I had to switch off each time, I would rarely remember to do it.

That's easy to do with one of the square Bosch-type relays. Hide a momentary-contact push button somewhere under the dash. Use it to energize the relay in the circuit from ignition switch to coil that needs to be made to make the engine start and self-holds until the key is switched off. Once the engine is stopped, you'll need to push the switch after turning the ignition on. It's a simple self-holding circuit we used to use on industrial machinery.
Jerry

Jerry,
I would go PM on this but I suspect others might want to know. Can you give more details on this Bosch-type relay, perhaps a diagram?
Thanks

Let me draw up a circuit diagram and get back with a link shortly. It's the same relay that's used for fog lights, etc. Hundreds of 'em are available on ebay, cheap, but most of them are 12 volt, however. The same thing could be done with a 6 volt overdrive relay, however.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry,
Mine is 12 volt but I can translate.

We're getting into stuff that should be in the electrical bay but, here's a good write-up on relays and how they work, with some sample circuits. The number of uses is endless.

I use the "Club" on the wheel and a disconnect on the battery - So they'll have to figure out where the battery is and then reconnect it. But most times just running into the store, I only use the Club.

It would unless they have a jumper wire to bypass everything.

This one will work even if the coil is hotwired directly from the battery. It takes TWO relays- - - -my bad!

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/self_hold_001.jpg

Lots of these relays on Ebay, cheap! Just search "Bosch Relay"
Jerry

Great Jerry, that will be easy to follow. I hate not having anything to do in the garage. My truck is over at the upholstery shop having headliner and carpet installed; this will give me something to do.
Questions:
1) you show two leads on the ign switch. How are they identified?

2)Your picture shows a coil, I have an HEI.

The ignition switch leads are usually labeled. If not, find the one that supplies power to the coil when the switch is turned to the "run" position. It's going to supply the 12 volts to the pushbutton, relays, etc. If there's a ballast resistor in the system, the power to the pushbutton needs to be connected upstream of the resistor, not at the coil (+) terminal.

Is your HEI system an original-equipment GM or one of the Mickey Mouse aftermarket units? The GM HEI's have a "tach" terminal in the distributor cap right beside the big power input wire. That's the one you would use that would be grounded by the relay in place of the (-) coil terminal. I'd need to see a schematic of a Pertronix circuit to figure out where to ground the trigger signal without burning something out.
Jerry

No it's an original, came with the crate engine. I have the tach terminal in use but will make the connect inside the cab.

As long as the tach terminal is grounded by the normally-closed contacts on the relay, the engine won't have any spark. When the button is pushed, the first relay self-holds, and the second one opens the ground circuit, and keeps it open until the ignition switch is turned off again. The starting procedure is simple- - - -turn the ignition to the "on" position, hold the push button in, and engage the starter. Stomp switch or solenoid, the procdeure is the same. as soon as the engine starts, release the push button and drive on. If you forget to push the button, it's very obvious- - - -the engine cranks, but it won't start.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry,
I just ordered the relays and should have it all set next week.

I have a remote battery shutoff with a key, so when I leave the truck I shut off the key and take it out, and there's no power to the truck.

You should be able to do this with one relay by modifying the circuit slightly. Just connect 87A to coil (-), 30 to ground, 85 to 12 volt hot with ignition on, and jumper 86 to 87. Use the momentary pushbutton to connect between the 86/87 jumper and ground. With the ignition switch on, press and release the pushbutton will actuate the relay which opens the circuit between coil(-) and ground and at the same time connects the relay coil to ground. The relay will stay actuated until the ignition switch is turned off.