How to lock up / secure a M35 A3 ?

[338ken]

Welcome aboard!

You'll probably find a section of chain bolted or welded somewhere around the drivers seat, this is for the simple method of chaining your steering wheel with a padlock.
I've heard good things about locking door handles, but haven't tried them myself. On M35s and M813s, I can swing around the mirror, lean on the fender and reach inside through the unsecured front windshield to flip the drivers door handle down. That is, of course, a short term way of keeping idle coonfingerers out of your vehicle, not real security. But most folk don't know the front windshields open.

What part of Texas?

Cheers

PS - the quicker folks posted while I was hunt-n-peck typing!

Georgetown Texas

 

[338ken]

A hidden disconect switch View attachment 914043

Yep got one of those coming too but with the Cat two prong disconnect key which is readily avsilable but most folks font have a Cat equipment key in their pocket but like others mentioned if you lock up the battery compartment that is likely to really draw attention.

 

[chucky]

Yep got one of those coming too but with the Cat two prong disconnect key which is readily avsilable but most folks font have a Cat equipment key in their pocket but like others mentioned if you lock up the battery compartment that is likely to really draw attention.

If you grind the fat off each fork for on the old cat keys you can flip the switch on and pull the key out so you dont have to leave the key in the machine ! The main thing is to hide the switch to where they wouldnt have time to find it !

 

[ToddJK]

Like others have stated, I also use the chain that's welded to the driver seat wrapped around the wheel with a hd padlock along with not one but two battery disconnects. I have one on the dash that I have a little red led connected too so it's lit when the power is on for the truck before the accessory switch and the other is hidden out of view. If anything, most likely no one is going to steal the truck as they are to scavenge through your truck and take any kind of tools or parts they find of value.

 

[HDN]

How about hiding the battery disconnect in plain sight by making turning on the truck like a video game cheat code?

Turn signal left, turn signal right, turn on panel lights, turn off panel lights, press brake pedal, release brake pedal, turn four-ways on, turn four-ways off, then rotate the accessory switch to get power to start the truck

 

[canadacountry]

hehe @HDN and if we want to complicate it a bit more make it that if you do it in the wrong order (eg turn-right signal first instead of left first) it would simply reset the mechanisms back to the start point? I only thought of that because of the similar relationship to the special briefcase in 'From Russia With Love' james Bond movie where if you open it the right way the briefcase just simply works but if you open it the wrong way you don't get it

 

[chucky]

How about hiding the battery disconnect in plain sight by making turning on the truck like a video game cheat code?

Turn signal left, turn signal right, turn on panel lights, turn off panel lights, press brake pedal, release brake pedal, turn four-ways on, turn four-ways off, then rotate the accessory switch to get power to start the truck

Sounds like you a have a smuggler background lol thats how some of the dope haulers do it !

 

[Jbulach]

If I go through that much trouble, I’m going to make it self destruct with the wrong sequence. Hopefully it will take the thief out with it, or put me out of my misery for having to try and keep track of another “password”…

 

[canadacountry]

@Jbulach when you said that I immediately thought of this (only seen parts of this particular 007 movie online, never yet actually watched the physical full movie yet mind you) scene:

 

[swbradley1]

How about hiding the battery disconnect in plain sight by making turning on the truck like a video game cheat code?

Turn signal left, turn signal right, turn on panel lights, turn off panel lights, press brake pedal, release brake pedal, turn four-ways on, turn four-ways off, then rotate the accessory switch to get power to start the truck

You mean like the fuel hauling truck from Mad Max: Fury Road where Charlize Theron has a sequence to start the truck?

All of my trucks had the chain welded to the seat base (except the 915). In all the years of having the other trucks I never used the chain except maybe once.

I had soft tops on all of them. I just locked the handle then closed the door. To open I would just reach in under the top. Brute force simple and that's the way I roll.

 

[HDN]

@Jbulach when you said that I immediately thought of this (only seen parts of this particular 007 movie online, never yet actually watched the physical full movie yet mind you) scene:

That reminds me of how I thought putting ERA on a mailbox was a good idea in an area prone to teenager-caused mailbox beatings!

EDIT: Oh right, the topic... I don't want my truck to blow up when someone takes it. I prefer it intact when I get it back!

 

[Jbulach]

You mean like the fuel hauling truck from Mad Max: Fury Road where Charlize Theron has a sequence to start the truck?...

I cant find anything but video game stuff when searching Mad Max, but thinking this was a series of hidden toggle switches, maybe even Max’s original interceptor set up similar?

This could actually be easily be done fairly practical, a mix of N/O, N/C and or three position switches in series. Could even throw some extra wires on the other side of 3-position to the horn, lights, siren, mortars or parachute flares are always fun…and depends on your definition of practical I guess.

 

[swbradley1]

Mad Max: Fury Road - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[canadacountry]

nice to see I perhaps got @HDN and @Mullaney falling over laughing? even I won't really want my own vehicle to self-destruct..umm unless of course it had some very privy military hardware that absolutely shouldn't end up on someone else's hand tho

 

[338ken]

If you grind the fat off each fork for on the old cat keys you can flip the switch on and pull the key out so you dont have to leave the key in the machine ! The main thing is to hide the switch to where they wouldnt have time to find it !

Yes sir but I think I have up with some really cool that costs $15 and if it works on mine I’ll post it

 

[TechnoWeenie]

Multiple things. Think of layers of defense. Keep people out, keep truck there if people get in.

1. I use a piece of angle iron welded to door and cab that cross the gap that can be padlocked. Kinda like the puck locks you see on work vans that go on the doors, but not. Hard to see in the below pic, but you can see it (kinda).



2. Chain on steering wheel. Secured with disc lock. Use high grade chain that's resistant to cutting or shearing with bolt cutters.

3. Shutoff (battery) switch. I think a battery switch should be on there anyway, as it prevents any parasitic loads from draining the battery - These trucks often sit for months so what easier way to make sure nothing is coming off the battery than to make sure it's shut off?

I put mine quasi-hidden on the battery box next to the driver seat. You won't really know it's there unless you reach for it.




Gotta think like your average thief/tweaker.

They're looking for something fun they can steal, something they can use RIGHT NOW.

The exterior heavy duty hasps and padlock are first way of saying 'This ain't worth your time'...

So, they either bust a window and crawl in, or spend 15 mins with a grinder dismantling the sheathed lock on the door.


So, now they're in the cab, but they have a chain to deal with - So, they can either grind the chain down, or cut the steering wheel..... agian, they're gonna need tools, not exactly a quick thing.

THEN they have to FIND the switch, make sure it's in the right position, and THEN find out the correct switches to get things working.


So, odds are, even if they did get in, they'll start flipping switches, and everything will be dead... they'll realize they're gonna get caught, they're already juiced up with adrenaline, and they're going to GTFO after realizing it's not gonna work.



If you're super paranoid, you can move the starter switch to a hidden switch somewhere else, or have a shutoff switch for the starter switch....


Layers.

 

[338ken]

Multiple things. Think of layers of defense. Keep people out, keep truck there if people get in.

1. I use a piece of angle iron welded to door and cab that cross the gap that can be padlocked. Kinda like the puck locks you see on work vans that go on the doors, but not. Hard to see in the below pic, but you can see it (kinda).

View attachment 914432

2. Chain on steering wheel. Secured with disc lock. Use high grade chain that's resistant to cutting or shearing with bolt cutters.

3. Shutoff (battery) switch. I think a battery switch should be on there anyway, as it prevents any parasitic loads from draining the battery - These trucks often sit for months so what easier way to make sure nothing is coming off the battery than to make sure it's shut off?

I put mine quasi-hidden on the battery box next to the driver seat. You won't really know it's there unless you reach for it.

View attachment 914433


Gotta think like your average thief/tweaker.

They're looking for something fun they can steal, something they can use RIGHT NOW.

The exterior heavy duty hasps and padlock are first way of saying 'This ain't worth your time'...

So, they either bust a window and crawl in, or spend 15 mins with a grinder dismantling the sheathed lock on the door.


So, now they're in the cab, but they have a chain to deal with - So, they can either grind the chain down, or cut the steering wheel..... agian, they're gonna need tools, not exactly a quick thing.

THEN they have to FIND the switch, make sure it's in the right position, and THEN find out the correct switches to get things working.


So, odds are, even if they did get in, they'll start flipping switches, and everything will be dead... they'll realize they're gonna get caught, they're already juiced up with adrenaline, and they're going to GTFO after realizing it's not gonna work.



If you're super paranoid, you can move the starter switch to a hidden switch somewhere else, or have a shutoff switch for the starter switch....


Layers.

Am putting in a High Security electric switch to run starter relay wire through there is already a hole in dash on passenger side when they converted A2’s to A3’s I think it was where the vacuum wiper switch was. And a locking Battery disconnect

 

[ToddJK]

Don't forget, could just get the trunk monkey and all security issues are solved

 

[HDN]

Don't forget, could just get the trunk monkey and all security issues are solved

My dad told me about a friend of his who brought his boa constrictor everywhere with him. While he was driving, the snake would wrap around his clutch pedal leg for the ride. When parked, the snake would get off his leg and rest under the seat.

One day he parked his Corvette at a bar to meet some friends. He came out, the car was gone! But they didn't have to go more than a mile up the road to find it abandoned in the ditch with the motor still running and the snake happily coiled up on the floor

I kinda want to get a truck snake, but my wife hates snakes...

 

[Lothar]

I wired in a keyed ignition and usually pull the wires to it off when on public display.