Anti Theft Suggestions????

[roadstar]

I have read some posts that some people had wired a relay on the HEI wire as an anti theft kill switch. I am sure that will work but why not put one on the starter solenoid S wire? Looks to me that would keep a thief from cranking until the battery runs down.

Looking for suggestions for anti theft measures besides the usual guns, dogs, and alarms. Extreme measures are warranted in the lovely Memphis, TN area.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Hooter]

well the good ole hidden toggle switch works well, even a cheap alarm like a crimestopper cs 2000 has a built in relay for starter kill and the whole alarm can be had for less then 50 bucks on ebay. Or you can wire in a relay so that your truck will only start if you like say turn the headlights on or put the hazards on etc....

[70c10]

Last week I was trying to figure out why my dads truck wouldn't start, then I remembered I disconnected the HEI wire going to the fuse block . That's when I first thought about installing a toggle in that line. It would be super easy and cheap. Hide the switch under the dash where it's accessable.

[Stepsides 4Ever]

The relay/HEI trick is too easily bypassed with a hot wire running directly from the battery to the distributor, unless you ground the distributor when the relay is off. Same thing with the starter solenoid (made even easier by jumping it with a screwdriver). I'm thinking in terms of a solenoid in the fuel line where the line from the tank joins the line running along the inside of the frame. Around here, they roll your car out of the driveway and down the street before trying to start it.

I had a friend that had his (dual fuel tank) truck stolen but it was recovered unmolested a few miles away when the thieves ran out of gas in one tank and couldn't figure out how to switch tanks.

Either that, or a Lojack...

[BurnoutNova]

in my nova i put an electric fuel pump on it, and put the togle switch in the ashtray where the cigarette lighter goes.

they could start it, but it will only run for a munite or so.

they might be able to figure it out, but some of the idiots who steal cars are pretty dumb

[1-PU70]

Here is what I use. I think it was $50 at JC whitney

[GreyHoundSteve]

Im more woried about my interior getting jacked than the actual truck being stolen. Ive had two car windows smashed and my dash molested for $99 cd players and i live in a nice neighborhood. Im sure its just stupid kids with nothing better to do but it really pisses me off that i have to replace the window and live with a torn up dash because some dumb kid wanted to steal a used $99 cd player.

Im going high end this time and checking into the most advanced auto alarms available. These trucks are magnets for thiefs because they are old and so theifs figure they are easy to break in to especially if you have a set of rims or custom paint ..... youll get alot of "window watchers". I chased a kid off about 3 months ago. I have a back alley driveway and i open my garage and i see some kid take off running that was in my driveway near my car. I think most of these fools steal just for the thrill of it.

[bucket]

i have a toggle under the dash on my hei supply. a thief would have to do some serious hand exploring or get under there w/ a flashlight. that would give me time to load............

[68speedalert]

I've gone a different direction. I have HEI, yet this will work with any ignition. I wired a toggle switch the TACH side of the coil. The other side of the switch is attached to a good ground. The wire would go unnoticed because my tach is wired there as well. If the TACH side of the coil is grounded, It won't start! For points users, connect it to the NEGATIVE side of the coil.

I like this better than using a switch on the supply side. That's one more place to get a bad connection and lose voltage to the coil. By using my method, the switch only works when the truck is off.

[Stepsides 4Ever]

Now that is a better approach! I was concerned about damaging the HEI by grounding it directly, but our '56 Nomad (with points/coil ignition) is protected the way you describe.

[chickenwing]

Wouldn't that way just be a short to ground? why doesn't the ground wire heat up?

[shortymac83]

I've got a cutoff switch connected to the negative terminal of the battery, but if the guy wants to get under the hood and do some exploring, I also have a toggle switch hooked to the power side of the starter. I'm not worried about losing power to the starter, because if that happens, I can kick start it until I get the switch working again.

[Stepsides 4Ever]

Wouldn't that way just be a short to ground? why doesn't the ground wire heat up?

The ground wire won't heat up because it doesn't carry a significant amount of current. In the case of the standard (points/coil) ignition, the ballast resistor and primary side of the coil acts as a load which "uses up" the current that would ordinarily flow through a direct short to ground. I would expect that, if you leave the ignition on for an extended period of time with the coil grounded out, that the coil will tend to heat up, but it is designed to deal with a certain amount of heat in its normal operation, so it should not become a problem.

I assume the HEI system offers a similar load. It would be interesting to connect an ammeter in the TACH lead to see how much current is being sinked...

[68speedalert]

Remember, ther switch is in the OPEN position when you are running. There is NO current going thru the wire. If you try to start the engine with the switch CLOSED, it will heat up the coil; it isn't designed to have a dead short to ground. It will burn up the coil if you leave the key on for extended period. Trust me, I know. Did it by accident, time for a new coil. Oh well.

However, since YOU know about the switch, you will OPEN the switch before starting and there won't be any short. I have cranked the engine for a couple of seconds (forgetting I have the switch closed) many times, and have not ruined any coils.

[race-n-jason]

I actually chain my hood down. This deters anyone from actually getting into the engine compartment. I also chain my steering wheel to the seat bracket. That way no one could easily steer the truck out of the driveway. I also have a hidden toggle to the main 12volt HEI feed. Of coarse, all of these are just deterents. If someone wants it bad enough, I'm sure they can figure a way. They're gonna have to work for it though......

[Fmspeed]

Put classic car insurance on it, and raise the value high enough to replace it with a better one, and hope they steal it., That's what I do.

[71-longbed]

chainin the wheel to the seat !!!.. thats far out there ... you drive your truck often ...

i'd tell you what i use .. but then i'd have to kill ya ;D

[GreyHoundSteve]

Originally Posted by race-n-jason

I actually chain my hood down. This deters anyone from actually getting into the engine compartment. I also chain my steering wheel to the seat bracket. That way no one could easily steer the truck out of the driveway. I also have a hidden toggle to the main 12volt HEI feed. Of coarse, all of these are just deterents. If someone wants it bad enough, I'm sure they can figure a way. They're gonna have to work for it though......

Im in north Texas too and you cant be too careful around here. When i get my truck back from paint im going to take it down to cartoys and see about one of those new Clifford alarms.

One question i have for all the guys with toggle switches is ...... dont you think that if a thief is crafty enough to get inside your vehicle without you knowing about it that they are cunning enough to figure out that when it doesnt start that you probably have a switch under the dash somewhere?

Its kinda like the guys with the shaved door handles ..... you know they have a manual pop somewhere ..... its just a matter of finding it and there arent too many logical places to look. Thats just my opinion but call me paranoid.

[bucket]

[QUOTE=One question i have for all the guys with toggle switches is ...... dont you think that if a thief is crafty enough to get inside your vehicle without you knowing about it that they are cunning enough to figure out that when it doesnt start that you probably have a switch under the dash somewhere?
QUOTE]

thats assuming that the theif is mechanically inclined. i would bet 90% of them are just kids looking for a joyride. maybe their older brother showed them how to hotwire....but that's where it ends. and for the other 10%......if they want it, they'll get it one way or another.

plus since my truck looks like s@#t....they will probably figure it is a POS hard or no starter.

my logic anyway

[GreyHoundSteve]

[QUOTE=bucket]

Originally Posted by One question i have for all the guys with toggle switches is ...... dont you think that if a thief is crafty enough to get inside your vehicle without you knowing about it that they are cunning enough to figure out that when it doesnt start that you probably have a switch under the dash somewhere?
QUOTE

thats assuming that the theif is mechanically inclined. i would bet 90% of them are just kids looking for a joyride. maybe their older brother showed them how to hotwire....but that's where it ends. and for the other 10%......if they want it, they'll get it one way or another.

plus since my truck looks like s@#t....they will probably figure it is a POS hard or no starter.

my logic anyway

Im not very mechanical myself but i would think that if i have knowledge of hotwiring cars then i am probably smart enough to look for a toggle switch while im under there. I look at car thiefs alot different than you i guess. I dont think they are dumb kids looking for joy rides. If they were dumb kids they would just smash your window and take your stereo. If your truck is WORTH steeling then more than likely the person whose trying to steel it knows ALOT more about anti-theft auto security than you (most likely has worked with auto alarms before) and a simple toggle switch isnt going to stop ANYONE imo. I'll tell you like this. My buddy had a decent stereo setup in his blazer so he went and bought a budget alarm system for about $200 with the keyless entry and all. The guys who stole his truck not only bypassed his cheap alarm to break into the truck but also went around the ignition relay for the alarm and did it right in my friends driveway and didnt make a sound. The cop told my buddy that most of all car thefts of this nature are done by guys who make their living installing alarms and stereo equipment and that the first place he would look was at the company that installed his alarm because they knew where he lived and what type of alarm he had and knew the value of his system. They never caught the guys that stole his truck but it made me look at car thiefs ALOT differantly. Also, i NEVER give anyone that works on my vehicle my address anymore for that very reason.

[chickenwing]

I just re-wired my truck a few months back. I didn;t even think about a kill switch till I was done. Kinda glad I didn't now. This is good reading. I will probably put a switch for the fuel pump relay ground. I'm sure somone could Mcguyver something up to defeat it. Bettin on they will be too nervous and abandon the truck when it dies in the middle of the road.

[Perchjerker]

The "3-on-the-tree" in my truck is my anti-theft device!

[68speedalert]

The cop told my buddy that most of all car thefts of this nature are done by guys who make their living installing alarms and stereo equipment and that the first place he would look was at the company that installed his alarm because they knew where he lived and what type of alarm he had and knew the value of his system.

This is why my mechanical method may work better. These guys still have to find our switch, but they may not look after not finding an anti-theft alarm. They aren't 'trained' to find a 'custom' theft deterent.

I agree also that if someons wants it bad enough, they're still gonna get it.

[shooter]

I use my "Redneck" car alarm. I disconnect the negative battery cable. That isn't to keep it from getting stolen though. It is to keep the battery from going dead.LOL If someone wants my truck, I would rather they take it without destroying it.

[Stepsides 4Ever]

I'm SURE I could design a system, using a PLC or microcontroller, that virtually nobody could figure out except me. I'm just as sure that, for a determined thief, he will still be able to steal my vehicle. Therefore, the only thing that my system would give me would be an additional measure of peace of mind, knowing that I've eliminated a certain percentage of dumb-ass would-be thieves. The downside of this is, 6 months or a year later, if my system gives me trouble, am I going to be able to troubleshoot my overly-complicated system in the middle of a rainy night while I'm stuck on the side of the road, miles away from civilization?

So I guess the moral of the story is to keep it simple, get as much insurance as you can afford, avoid parking your vehicle in places that aren't secure, and if it does get stolen, don't let it make you crazy. Buy another one and start over.

I had my Harley stolen, in the middle of the day at work. The Plant Manager watched them steal it. It was gone in less time than it takes to tell the story. But I was always concerned, whenever I was riding it, that someone would pull up to me at a traffic light, stick a gun in my face, and tell me to get off the bike. Hey, I don't know about you, but I'd give them the bike, my helmet, and my wallet at that point!

So I guess I'm better off, but I still miss it...