Protecting the Rear Hatch Key-Hole - Diesel Forum

EBX · 04-28-2005, 02:13 PM

What ideas have some of you had to protect the rear hatch key-hole? My driver side door key-hole got screw drivered the other day. I want to elliminate that key hole and somehow protect the rear hatch key-hole.

clamgulch · 04-28-2005, 10:21 PM

Make a round flat button out of stainless steel that fits into the recess and covers the key hole. Glue it in place with a very small dab of silicone. Comes time to remove it, use some superglue on a screw head and glue that to the button and yank it out.

babacraig · 04-29-2005, 12:38 AM

That's what I did to Rachel's Ex when it got broken into. Replaced her front door handles with rear handles and got rid of the locks. Have the hatch as a fail-safe if the battery dies.

I'm not worried about the hatch lock however. It's easier for them to pry the actual handle off the door than go through the lock on the hatch. I would not worry about it. If they want to get in, they will.

JMO

Barrett

EBX · 04-29-2005, 11:06 AM

[ QUOTE ]
That's what I did to Rachel's Ex when it got broken into. Replaced her front door handles with rear handles and got rid of the locks. Have the hatch as a fail-safe if the battery dies.

I'm not worried about the hatch lock however. It's easier for them to pry the actual handle off the door than go through the lock on the hatch. I would not worry about it. If they want to get in, they will.

JMO

Barrett

[/ QUOTE ]

If they can't get in through the door handles, I was thinking they would probably move around to the back hatch keyhole and stick a screwdriver in that before they busted a window.

If the punk kids can't get in through the doors or the hatch, I don't think they would bust a window out (too noisy) in a busy walmart parking lot just to rumage through the truck. I am just trying to prevent the punk juvenile kids from getting in. I know that a professional will get in. Just trying to make the target harder.

EBX · 04-29-2005, 11:25 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Make a round flat button out of stainless steel that fits into the recess and covers the key hole. Glue it in place with a very small dab of silicone. Comes time to remove it, use some superglue on a screw head and glue that to the button and yank it out.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a pretty good idea. Any other suggestions?

Snowman269 · 04-29-2005, 03:50 PM

This is the first I've seen anyone discuss the rear hatch lock. I found a guy making stainless or billet REPLACEMENT handles on Ebay awhile back. I think they would be much more difficult to pry into. They are not plastic.

Dennis

EBX · 04-29-2005, 05:04 PM

Thanks. I feel like I've started a first.

lauraandtom · 04-29-2005, 06:23 PM

I thought I was the only one having this problem. I was broken into last October in Memphis and then again this last Thursday in Memphis again. I thought it was just Memphis (It might be). I would be scared to change the handles out because of them breaking out a window instead. I only paid 250 to fix the handle and I know the glass would be more. The bad part is they got $6000 worth of my stuff out of my X. I have decide to put an alarm in and a remote start, any ideas whats best? I would really like to catch these no good *&^%ers. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

EBX · 04-30-2005, 09:40 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I thought I was the only one having this problem. I was broken into last October in Memphis and then again this last Thursday in Memphis again. I thought it was just Memphis (It might be). I would be scared to change the handles out because of them breaking out a window instead. I only paid 250 to fix the handle and I know the glass would be more. The bad part is they got $6000 worth of my stuff out of my X. I have decide to put an alarm in and a remote start, any ideas whats best? I would really like to catch these no good *&^%ers. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

There are some internet sites that sell custom lockable metal storage campartments for inbetween the front seats. They even make huge floor mounted boxes for the back. The punks aren't getting into those.

clamgulch · 05-02-2005, 10:50 PM

A loud obnoxious alarm is effective after the fact, so what do you use for deterrence? May I suggest a brown and tan doberman picher? They are almost twice the size of the black and tans. My mom has one that when he has his ribs showing still weighs in the neighborhood of 125#. With the windows down an inch, NOBODY is going to mess with mom's car. Nobody. They are wonderful dogs that make great companions (especially the female dobys), are well behaved, very intelligent, have lots of amusing personality, are easily trained, have short hair and are great in the house...and terrifying to anyone trying to get into your vehicle without you being there.

Everything we own is just a commodity that someone somewhere is willing to steal for their own reasons. That is a fact that we just hope we don't cross paths with, but we occasionally do.

A prick punch (spring loaded punch) is all that is required in a busy parking lot to remove a window. A bunch of quick punches right along the gasket line and one thump with a palm of the hand and the window can come out in one piece without making a sound. Thats faster and quieter than beating a screw driver into a lock or breaking a window.

Amatures break windows. Many years ago, I left a car in a park and ride lot overnight and the idiot thieves that wanted my cheap stereo busted out BOTH front door windows before ripping my dash all to hell with a crowbar. Pros will back up their flat bed and load you out before you get through the dairy aisle.

Best policy is never leave anything in your car that you can't replace, period. If you have to leave it in the car unwatched, limit the time to as short as possible. Park on the end of the row closest to the store entrance where everyone walks past. Hide everything out of sight. Pay the neighbor kid to sit in your car and listen to the radio. Lock everything in a strong box as was suggested. Nobody steals stock stereos, so refrain from spending money on a monster aftermarket stereo. They're easy money in the stolen market...a couple hundred bucks quick cash for what you spent 5 grand on.

Sooner or later what you leave in your car will be stolen and you aren't going to get it back and the cops don't care, and your insurance agent will be p.o'ed, and you will miss a day or two of work screwing around with the aftermath and will probably hate the human race for the grief that some lone jerk kid caused you. Hide everything as best as you can and visit the local humane society. Best dogs I've ever seen have come from there, including the sweetest female doberman on the planet.

DR.billZ · 05-03-2005, 10:20 AM

I'd say shooting the MFers would pretty much end it.................