Truck Theft Prevention?

[RedneckCowboy]

So with my truck, 1966 F100, closer to being finished I was wondering what anyone else has done for preventative measures to make sure their truck doesn't get stolen. I was thinking about a tractor style cut off switch on the negative battery wire but can't come up with a non-noticeable (but accessible) place to put the switch. So any suggestions or what have yall done?

[rickairmedic]

3 on the tree nobody under 35 will be able to figure out why theres a clutch pedal in an automatic truck .



Rick

[Rusty 63]

Put a 2nd heater switch in one of the blanked-off dash holes & wire it inline to the coil.

Shut off in plain sight…

Engine will crank but not fire.

I've also heard of guys wiring a cigarette lighter to act as an interrupter to the solonoid - push & hold, then turn key. Pull it out = no start.

[RedneckCowboy]

3 on the tree nobody under 35 will be able to figure out why theres a clutch pedal in an automatic truck .



Rick

Haha yea that true but I have a factory automatic truck.

Put a 2nd heater switch in one of the blanked-off dash holes & wire it inline to the coil.

Shut off in plain sight…

Engine will crank but not fire.

I've also heard of guys wiring a cigarette lighter to act as an interrupter to the solonoid - push & hold, then turn key. Pull it out = no start.

I like the cigarette lighter idea never thought of that! And if I take it out and loose it I can allways borrow someone else's to start the truck!

[Hunter's 64]

You have to make the lighter element inoperable, the coil is a resistor , Fill the coil part with silver solder, then run you starter relay wire thru the lighter body, put lighter in pocket when not in truck. Another is to swap coil wire with a plug wire on distributor, won't start either.

Danny

[Rusted64]

I have always wanted to get about 4 to 6, two or three way toggle switches and create a sort of combination lock effect. Maybe mount it downwards under the dash and make it kill either the ignition, starter, power or all three.

Just something I have thought about.





J

[62galxe]

I have always wanted to get about 4 to 6, two or three way toggle switches and create a sort of combination lock effect. Maybe mount it downwards under the dash and make it kill either the ignition, starter, power or all three.

Just something I have thought about.





J

probally work against you if you had 1 to many.

[Rusted64]

probally work against you if you had 1 to many.

That is definitely true.

I guess I could market it as a DWI detourent.







J

[ras4434]

I ran a toggle switch from the electric fuel pump and wired it under the dash just above the ignition switch. Cant see it unless really work at it. The truck will start and go about 50 feet and then stop. Works great, but need to remember that it is on. Almost started tearing things apart until I remembered I turned it on last week....guess I better start writing things down.

[rryan5429]

Painless wiring makes or made a remote cut off switch. I used it on a different car that I built. It runs off a toggle switch that you can wire anywhere. It was a very nice clean set up. My car had the battery in the trunk and I mounted the switch behind the license plate. It could easily be mounted in the cab or anywhere for that matter.

Rick

[charliemccraney]

The problem with aftermarket harnesses is that they tend to use the GM scheme. Anyone then who can hotwire a GM car can hotwire your truck with an aftermarket harness. If you do incorporate some remote switch, you need to make sure that there is no way to hotwire the vehicle until the switch is activated. Otherwise, it's really quite silly. Well, I guess a switch will save it from the guy who's just going to try to jam a screw driver in there.
Stock wiring may make it a hair more difficult.

I'm going to incorporate retina scanners which ID the individual before he even reaches for the door handle. If the individual is not "approved" Electric Six's "Danger! High Voltage" will blast through the stereo and the door handle is made hot with a 50kv charge. The song may catch them off guard and creep them out and end it right there.
If that doesn't work, a warning "flame" will erupt from a nozzle just below the door when the lyrics "Don't you want to know how we keep starting fires" play.
If that doesn't work, a compact laser aimed machine gun will emerge from a compartment in the roof and a smoke machine will help to provide the cool laser beam effect for more dramatic impact. First it will fire warning shots, missing intentionally. Then it will shoot to kill if the thief doesn't get the point. Then I'll probably be in prison because somehow the criminal was right and I don't have a right to defend my property.

Seriously, though, an electric fuel pump can offer great security. If you hide a switch to turn it on, the thief isn't getting far and it's not at all expected on these so the average want-to-steel-a-car-to-show-my-friends-I'm-cool kid won't have a clue. A pro might figure it out, but seriously, how many of us have a truck that a pro would want to steel? He has much more profitable vehicles to go after.

[kstones63]

I had a boat that I wanted the batteries disconnected when I wasn't using it. I bought a continuous duty solenoid, ran the battery cable and that starter cable to it and then put a small switch on the dash to turn the solenoid on. This switch could be hidden anywhere in the vehicle so it is out of sight and nothing will run until it is turned on. I used this boat for several years and never had a problem with the solenoid.
This would work great for anti-theft. The clock or any other item that needs keep alive power can still be connected to the battery side and still have power.

Kevin

[charliemccraney]

...This would work great for anti-theft. The clock or any other item that needs keep alive power can still be connected to the battery side and still have power.
Kevin

And there's the problem with that idea. Anyone who's serious can use the hot wire from those devices that need to keep live power to start the truck.

Another thought, the hood must be secured. These are easy to get started if you have access to the engine, a jumper wire and a screw driver.

And actually, after thinking about it, a switch in the ignition circuit should work well as long as the wire between the switch and coil does is not also under the dash. If it goes under the dash, then it is easy to hotwire if the thief figures it out. If for some reason it must go under the dash, make it blend in with the other wires or have it as far away from the other wires as possible so it is difficult to notice. If someone is hot wiring one of these, he probably knows what the right wires look like and where they go. If it's not starting, this out of place and/or incorrect looking wire might have something to do with it.

[Greg D]

I remember telling Darrell I had bought a "Truck Club" for mine.
He asked "Why"
I said "Theft protection"
He said "but nobody but us knows how drive them anymore"

[kstones63]

...This would work great for anti-theft. The clock or any other item that needs keep alive power can still be connected to the battery side and still have power.
Kevin

And there's the problem with that idea. Anyone who's serious can use the hot wire from those devices that need to keep live power to start the truck.

Another thought, the hood must be secured. These are easy to get started if you have access to the engine, a jumper wire and a screw driver.

You are correct on that part. I was thinking more about putting the solenoid under the frame where it isn't seen as easy but it could still be bypassed if it's wanted bad enough. I was also thinking like my truck is where the battery is in the bed of the truck with a locked cover over it.
Nothing is perfect.
The bottom line on theft is, if someone wants your vehicle bad enough, they will get it one way or another.
We just need to detour them as much as possible.

Kevin

[Kid]

it is kinda like my Dad used to say, Locks only keep the honest people out,if they want in bad enough they will get in. This also applies to anything else, no matter how theft proof we try to make them if somebody wants our toys bad enough they will get them. We just need to keep the joy riders and the guys who just want some parts off them away.

I have a switch under the dash and am going to put a valve in the fuel line and mount it under the seat so unless they bring fuel line they won't get far, unless they find the valve. Might see if I can leave the handle loose and when I shut the fuel off I can take the handle with me. I always wondered about using a bladed fuse holder under the dash and just let it hang in the loom with the wires and when you get out pull the fuse and if someone is trying to hot wire it without the fuse it would go nowhere and a thief probably would not look twice at a empty fuse holder under tha dash.

I usually don't worry to much as the short shifter in my truck is so loose if you don't go from 1st to 2nd right it locks up the linkage and I figure whoever steals it won't get to far to fast in 1st gear.

I think there is a pic somewhere of Gregs truck with the club on the steering wheel...........Kid

[RedneckCowboy]

...This would work great for anti-theft. The clock or any other item that needs keep alive power can still be connected to the battery side and still have power.
Kevin

And there's the problem with that idea. Anyone who's serious can use the hot wire from those devices that need to keep live power to start the truck.

Another thought, the hood must be secured. These are easy to get started if you have access to the engine, a jumper wire and a screw driver.

And actually, after thinking about it, a switch in the ignition circuit should work well as long as the wire between the switch and coil does is not also under the dash. If it goes under the dash, then it is easy to hotwire if the thief figures it out. If for some reason it must go under the dash, make it blend in with the other wires or have it as far away from the other wires as possible so it is difficult to notice. If someone is hot wiring one of these, he probably knows what the right wires look like and where they go. If it's not starting, this out of place and/or incorrect looking wire might have something to do with it.

I see your point of if its a switch under the dash it can be cut and still hotwired, so im back to the idea of a main power shutoff on the neg side (what theif would look there) before it goes to the engine/frame. CAT tractors have a keyed main power shutoff switch that if i can find a place to hide would work quite well because unless a heavy equipment mechanic/operator was stealing it they wouldnt have a key. The terminals on the back would have to be inacessable for it to not be bipassable and the hood would need to be locked. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions!

[RedneckCowboy]

...This would work great for anti-theft. The clock or any other item that needs keep alive power can still be connected to the battery side and still have power.
Kevin

And there's the problem with that idea. Anyone who's serious can use the hot wire from those devices that need to keep live power to start the truck.

Another thought, the hood must be secured. These are easy to get started if you have access to the engine, a jumper wire and a screw driver.

And actually, after thinking about it, a switch in the ignition circuit should work well as long as the wire between the switch and coil does is not also under the dash. If it goes under the dash, then it is easy to hotwire if the thief figures it out. If for some reason it must go under the dash, make it blend in with the other wires or have it as far away from the other wires as possible so it is difficult to notice. If someone is hot wiring one of these, he probably knows what the right wires look like and where they go. If it's not starting, this out of place and/or incorrect looking wire might have something to do with it.

I see your point of if its a switch under the dash it can be cut and still hotwired, so im back to the idea of a main power shutoff on the neg side (what theif would look there) before it goes to the engine/frame. CAT tractors have a keyed main power shutoff switch that if i can find a place to hide would work quite well because unless a heavy equipment mechanic/operator was stealing it they wouldnt have a key. The terminals on the back would have to be inacessable for it to not be bipassable and the hood would need to be locked. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions!

[FordChild]

My 66 has a batt. disconnect switch mounted on the rad. support, under the batt. tray, and I can activate it by reaching through the header. (The handle is flat black, and you can't see it unless you really try.) And under the hood, you just see the batt. cable disappear under the tray, then come back out - same color, and no one knows that the switch is there.
I also have a small toggle up under the dash bracket that breaks the circuit from the "Automatic PRNDL Selector switch" (on the column 67-77) I think it's red w/a blue tracer. This is the wire that allows power to the starter solenoid from the key switch only when your shift lever is in P or N. If you have a standard, I think you still have the wire, w/a factory bypass connector. It's simple to wire in, and unless the toggle is flipped, truck will not turn over. If attempting to start it yourself after a few at the pub, you quickly realize that you forgot and set it, because the lights work, but not the starter. This also stops any of your buddies from driving it who just happen to "borrow" your key

*Tonight in 1988 was the maiden voyage of my restored 66. I drove it home from the shop, then was in a 2 hour parade on friday. First time anyone had seen it since I had put it back together. Man, that was a blast!

[Toyz]

[quote="Kid"]it is kinda like my Dad used to say, Locks only keep the honest people out,if they want in bad enough they will get in. This also applies to anything else, no matter how theft proof we try to make them if somebody wants our toys bad enough they will get them. We just need to keep the joy riders and the guys who just want some parts off them away.


I usually don't worry to much as the short shifter in my truck is so loose if you don't go from 1st to 2nd right it locks up the linkage and I figure whoever steals it won't get to far to fast in 1st gear.


X2 on the shifter! Mine is so loose, I just pull it out and toss it behind the seat! They might start it if they wanted it for some oddball reason, but they ain't goin' far in granny unless they have a rollback handy, and I'd bet I'm safe against that
Another low-budget solution is just don't fix the cab mounts! The thief will gain an audience watching the theatrics, and will probably quickly bail!
Paul