Security & Theft Best way to protect Tractor from Theft?

Jujube · Jun 8, 2015

I also am looking to protect my newish JD X495 mower among other tools, and not sure yet the best way to do so. Barns just are not that burglar proof and I can torch/grind any chain off if no one is watching at 3 in the morning. Kind of like the idea of fuel/ignition shutoffs that let them get it on the trailer ramps and shuts down. Talk about panic. Should include a mercury tilt switch, while sounding a silent alarm so I can get my gun and run before they can get the winch operating. On the other hand you better check your laws. In N.C. I know for sure silent alarms are ILLEGAL! You have to give the thief a fair chance to run I suppose, don't know what that means. Insurance sounds good too as a backup, as does a great recording security camera setup to capture their tag and their faces in case they live. Would I be able to claim their trailer and pickup as booty?

Jujube · Jun 8, 2015

Giddyup: Good suggestion about taking out the battery. I have an F70 Ford truck with no security on the battery and had it stolen, now I put it in the cab if I have to leave it unguarded overnight.
One more idea I might want to use is to post some targets inside and outside the barn showing 3" groups at unknown ranges with different calibers. Hint hint.

Gafn · Jun 8, 2015

Barn/storage building with a fenced in area ad a Guard dog still works well as a deterrent.
After all you just need to make your stuff harder to steal than the other guy on your street.
Dogs bark - thieves don't want their work to be announced.
Other than that - motion activated lights, recording devices and alarms.
I got lucky on my new property - to get to the shop - the terrain requires you go very close to the house, where there are cameras to record everything about your person, and the night vision that is now available is great.
The Shop has cameras, and doors have magnetic alarms on them - if opened they make a **** of a racket.
Not really much more we can legally do...

Extraterrestre Ermitano · Oct 25, 2016

I had the same concern, now is inside a shipping container, hope it helps

mcj115 · Oct 25, 2016

Locks only keep out the honest folks. My simple recommendation for added "no start" security would be remove the ignition fuse and replace it with a similar one that is burnt out. It won't keep some from winching it on a trailer but it would make it more difficult and take time. If they want to trouble shoot the no start issue, again it is more difficult and takes more time.

Lastly while not a preventative measure you could buy on of those "trackr" tags, hide it on the tractor and if stolen so you could try to trace it down.

davx · Oct 25, 2016

Gotta put another vote in for insurance. Our home owner's policy let us add ours. Another benefit is that insurance helps in a number of other situations as well. I thought this was odd but our dairy farmer neighbors had a story about an implement part breaking on a plow they borrowed from someone and the insurance covered it.

. But also what if it's damaged in a fire, flood, road accident, tornado, building collapse...etc. Just look over the policy real well, most aren't that difficult to understand.

adventure bob · Oct 25, 2016

You could use a garmin chirp to track it when its stolen and thats cheap and its cell. An even cheaper way would be to get a cheap burner phone, connect it to one of the many free tracking apps and throw it in the tractor when you go home at night. Cell would only be on when your not at the property so it shouldn't run down your minutes at all. The data transmission for the location is a ping every now and then so its not streaming data, just occasionally pinging. When the tractor gets hijacked you can track that cell and even call the bad guys if you want. Many of the apps are google earth based so you can actually watch it in near real time. Some have pretty fancy front end applications where you can set movement alerts.

Extraterrestre Ermitano · Oct 25, 2016

Like many mentioned here before best protection is insurance, do what you can but insure all your toys and sleep well :laughing:

roadhunter · Oct 25, 2016

Interesting problem. I guess I am fortunate not to live someplace where that is an issue. I've never taken the keys out of my tractor or locked it and it stays outside. My old farmall doesn't even have a key, lol.