Keeping Tractor and Equipment Safe

[cartod]

What is the best way to prevent my tractor, mower and Implements safe from theft if they are sitting under a big Carolina carport? Im putting the carport down below my house and closer to the main road. I cant afford to enclose the carport at this time but want to keep stuff from getting stolen. Any help much apprecitated. I thought about setting some big logs in front of the carport with the tractor forks.

 

[MIKE R]

I would chain them all together. A heavy good grade chain takes a fair bit to cut. A few men could lift a tractor implement fairly easily into the back of a truck so your log idea probably wouldn't do much good.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Double Post.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

A good grade of chain, in my opinion, is Grade 80 or above. This discourages bolt cutters and hacksaws. Note that the shackle on your lock and the post around which the chain is wrapped must also be strong enough to discourage bolt cutters and hack saws.

As an added measure of security, you might want to add an inexpensive trail camera, knowing it might well be damaged or stolen.

As many have said before, you can't keep thieves from stealing, you can only discourage the laziest of the bunch. So good insurance is the best source of peace of mind.

 

[mikehaugen]

I heard (but never saw for myself) that they used to have a security system for cars in which the body of the car was electrically charged and would electricute anyone that touched it. Not sure how 12 VDC was capable of this (perhaps some sort of coil or transformer) but it would be a cool idea, though I heard they have been outlawed.

 

[9973720wb19]

in addition to the ideas from other posts, you could do a few things that utilize those safty features...for example, if you engage the PTO switch "ON" I'm not certain but I don't think the tractor will start. take out the battery or install a quick disconnect. things that would make it hard for them to start - these things would be hard to figure out at night and in a rush. good luck.

 

[Bob77064]

If you make it harder for the theives, it will help to discourage them.

 

[Soundguy]

What is the best way to prevent my tractor, mower and Implements safe from theft if they are sitting under a big Carolina carport? Im putting the carport down below my house and closer to the main road. I cant afford to enclose the carport at this time but want to keep stuff from getting stolen. Any help much apprecitated. I thought about setting some big logs in front of the carport with the tractor forks.

i've seen this question asked dozens of times over the last few years.

2 good answers.

24 hour armed guard. with heavy gear, nigh vision, and a concealed sniper tower

AND

good insurance policy.


Or... just the insurance.


out of site / out of mind is a good start.


other tricks like battery switches and stuff like locks and chains just keep the honest people away. same with gates.

a guy that really wants it when you aren't there will bring a rollback and a OA torch.

I've yet to ever see a chain or lock withstand an OA gas axe... and the rollback with winch means the tractor don't even have to run.

what complicates it is many tractors are all keyed alike among a brand.

my 1968 ford tractor key starts all my fords from 65 thru 2002 new hollands.

not to helpfull eh?

not that a 1' piece of wire won't bypass a key anyway...

 

[aczlan]

I've yet to ever see a chain or lock withstand an OA gas axe... and the rollback with winch means the tractor don't even have to run.

Or a 18v angle grinder: Amazon.com: DEWALT Bare-Tool DC411B 4-1/2-Inch 18-Volt Cordless Cut-Off Tool (Tool Only, No Battery): Home Improvement

Aaron Z

 

[swick1]

Out of sight out of mind. Keep them tarped and batteries disconnected. Put motion activated lights along your driveway turn in. Pray. Consider taking out a loan to enclose the carport.

Harbor freight sells a motion activated security alarm for under the carport that could be put in a locked box.

 

[aczlan]

If nothing else, I would mount a tarp on the road side(s) of the carport to make your tractor less visible from the road.

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

Or a 18v angle grinder: Amazon.com: DEWALT Bare-Tool DC411B 4-1/2-Inch 18-Volt Cordless Cut-Off Tool (Tool Only, No Battery): Home Improvement

Aaron Z

yep.. an abrasive saw comes in very ear the capabilities of a OA in a theft situation. the fact that you can get just about any tool in 18v cordless now just means that thieves only have more theft tools now.

large bolt cutters.. pony oa rig and an 18v abrasive saw.

not much they can't get to in time..

give them 5m and I'll bet a genny and compact plasma cutter would not be out of the question.. just have it on the rollback. genny wouldnt be heard over the diesel on the rollback.... look official.. wear a vest and hard hat. act like you know what you are doing.. chain up and drag on and don't even tie down till you get a mile down the road.

just like a recovery 'specialist' would do.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

a guy that really wants it when you aren't there will bring a rollback and a OA torch. I've yet to ever see a chain or lock withstand an OA gas axe... and the rollback with winch means the tractor don't even have to run.

A bank safe with 2" steel plate on 6" concrete wall won't stop a burning bar either. But if you are talking practicalities and numbers (in my limited experience), more thieves have bolt cutters than the ones who use an OA gas axe... and the rollback.

Teeth marks on the Grade 100 chain, and hammer marks on the lock, indicate quality materials prevented unauthorized intrusions on two different occasions. So far, they haven't come back with more effective tools.

 

[aczlan]

A bank safe with 2" steel plate on 6" concrete wall won't stop a burning bar either. But if you are talking practicalities and numbers (in my limited experience), more thieves have bolt cutters than the ones who use an OA gas axe... and the rollback.

True, what will stop a theif will depend on who is targeting you, Sam Smalltime down the road, or Ben Big who is in a theft ring with a client in <3RD_WORLD_COUNTRY> that is looking for your size tractors by the containerload.

Teeth marks on the Grade 100 chain, and hammer marks on the lock, indicate quality materials prevented unauthorized intrusions on two different occasions. So far, they haven't come back with more effective tools.

Keeps the (mostly) honest people honest.

Aaron Z

 

[Soundguy]

the co I work for has on 2 occasions had equipment trailered off. at least one of those times we suspect a rollback was involved.

those are the prepaired crooks.

the average honest one carries the bolt cutters.



it's bad times. but then.. even in good times there are people that want your stuff. sad...

anything is better than notheing.
a good lock and good chain is still a good investment.

the more time you delay a crook.. the better your chances.

where it gets bad is when they have time like a weekend.. and are out of site... then you are up the creek...

 

[boggen]

get your serial number on tractor, quick connect battery disconnect, turn off fuel. turn the wheels and put some sort of steering wheel lock device on.

implements about all you can do is chain them up.

but above will not deal with vandalism, putting stuff in fuel tank or into the engine oil or hyd oil.

===================
cameras can work, but your better off with nice good lighting high outdoor lighting. and then cameras correctly placed, just putting it on the house or barn and pointing it. doesn't mean it is going to give worth while video.

DVR (digital video recorders) and camera system, can be expensive setup, getting a low budget setup or trying to get something cheap off ebay, will not hold up, been there done that.

grass, weeds trees can be a killer on DVR's with motion detection. and needing to keep things cut low, and trees cut back. needs to be kept up on.

===================
out of sight, out of mind, is a good statement someone else said.

 

[Ken]

A rancher in New mexico was loseing the V4 Wisconsin engines on his water wells for his cattle.
Seems the Sherriff was not able to find any engines.
The rancher one day walked into the County Coart house and saw the Sheriff at other end of the long hallway so he yelled to the Sheriff that not to worry himself about his losing the V4 Wisconsin engines any longer. He had put several sticks of dynomite under each engine with a pressure switch. Any lifting would let him know who was doing it. never lost another engine.


ken

 

[The kid]

I heard (but never saw for myself) that they used to have a security system for cars in which the body of the car was electrically charged and would electricute anyone that touched it. Not sure how 12 VDC was capable of this (perhaps some sort of coil or transformer) but it would be a cool idea, though I heard they have been outlawed.

Many years ago, I had problems with dogs getting in my garbage cans while living in Nashville. I took some rubber mats (obsolete) and placed on the ground and wires a 110v to the cans. I think I lit up a few dogs and one or two cats. They never came back. Only did it at night. After a few days I disconnected it. They never came back. This day and time, I'd probably go to jail over something like that. :laughing:

 

[The kid]

What is the best way to prevent my tractor, mower and Implements safe from theft if they are sitting under a big Carolina carport? Im putting the carport down below my house and closer to the main road. I cant afford to enclose the carport at this time but want to keep stuff from getting stolen. Any help much apprecitated. I thought about setting some big logs in front of the carport with the tractor forks.

Security sighs (ADT) ( a neighbor who has that sercice can get an extra sign) displayed in plain view might help if the thieves can read english. Cover with tarps.. (out of site out of mind). As mentioned above a grade 8 chain running the the pieces chained together will slow them down, but a battery operated cut off wheel will make quick work of that. Motion sensor flood lights are a good investment. Check with the local sherriff's office and see what they suggest.