Security & Theft Theft prevention for tractor?

keeney · Feb 18, 2005

Hard enough heat-treated chain (with a good hardened, shielded padlock) will foil most smaller bolt cutters. It won't stop a torch or an abrasive cut-off-wheel, though.

Chaining any two wheels together will stop the tractor from being driven, but any dedicated tractor thief probably is bringing a trailer with them and may have a winch.

Think like a bank. Combine these three things:

1. Physical barrier rated to delay the theft attempt for some amount of time.

2. An alarm system that detects the start of such an attempt.

3. Armed response (or law enforcement response) to such alarm within such minimum time.

In other words, if the tractor is chained in your yard, and your dog barks at the intruder right away, and you go investigate with a 10-gauge within a minute or so, you will likely deter the theft.

frank_f15 · Feb 18, 2005

all these ideas are great, EXCEPT we don't go tho all this to protect our cars, homes, etc. so why worry about the tractor? if a thief wants it he will get it. thats what insurance is for. thats just my MHO /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Cactus · Feb 19, 2005

When I was a teenager and had to stay at my sisters place in town,I had a trail bike I had to leave outside under an overhang and there was bicycles etc getting stolen in the neighboorhood . I tied my German Shepherd up to the motorcycle and I never had any problems.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

DirtHauler · Feb 19, 2005

Well, I hate to be the messenger of bad news for all us Kioti owners and I know this will possibly be "interesting" news for thiefs but I recently had to move our Takeuchi "mini excavator" and didn't have a key for it, so I took out my keys hoping that a cat or simular key might work and surprise!, my Kioti key worked! not only in the door lock but the ignition switch also! So out of curiousity I tried it on some of our other eqiuptment, worked on our "old" cat 235 excavator and our JCB back hoe but won't work on newer cats (different style key). So the Takeuchi and the JCB keys will also work on Kiotis. Just to WARN Kioti owners.

keeney · Feb 19, 2005

The ignition key on a lot of power equipment is not so much for theft prevention as for safety - to prevent kids from easily starting the equipment. I think its required by regulation.

A lot of tractors, especially any one brand will have the same key for every unit. I would imagine that it would be fairly likely that any given tractor key would start another unit of the same brand of similar vintage.

- Rick

DirtHauler · Feb 20, 2005

Kioti = Korea

Takeuchi = Japan

JCB = England

/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Lazy · Feb 20, 2005

Hi
the club is easy to remove, you just cut the steering wheel with a bolt cutter, gone in 60 seconds or less.

Charlie

gsxr1100 · Feb 21, 2005

you can add this or add that, but if someone really wants a tractor or anything they will get it.

A flat bed goes a long way.....

RobertN · Feb 21, 2005

I needed a spare key for my Kubota. My local shop told me they have two keys used in the compact to mid sized units. The key for my '85 B8200 will start a B2710, ect. The same keys will start a number of JD and Massey tractors. There is no security to a key that will start three major brands and dozens of models.

The best these keys are is something to keep the kids from driving the tractor...

RobertN · Feb 21, 2005

I have only left my tractor a few times. Most of those times, it was still behind a lockable gate.

Still, I took my key, and also removed the main fuses. Still easy to hotwire though.

One time I removed the battery. I did not want to leave the tractor, but I needed to use a second trailer for materials too, so I had to leave my flatbed at home.

You could go to a parts store and get a better key switch. But, there is no steering lock or anything... It is still easy to hot wire it.

tncruzin · Feb 21, 2005

Believe it or not, the keys that came with my tractor are Toyota car keys that someone has filed down to work. So like you said, a key is just for convenience but it's absence does little towards security.

Soundguy · Feb 21, 2005

( Anyway, if you screwed them into the ground and put a hefty chain or steel cable through your rear tractor wheel (one wheel would do) and lock it with a heavy duty lock. It would be rather hard for any theif to take )

That's still only good for the lazy, dumb, or honest theifs.

An 18v sawsall and a metal cutting blad would practically be a 'spare' key for that setup.. as with most 'tie' down setups. Not to mention a gas axe..

We had an air compressor stolen from out of a service truck overnight. The compressor was bolted thru the truck bed.. they simply blew the bolt tops off and stole the compressor. I'll bet it didn't take them 5 minutes.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Soundguy

Soundguy · Feb 21, 2005

( Believe it or not, the keys that came with my tractor are Toyota car keys that someone has filed down to work. So like you said, a key is just for convenience but it's absence does little towards security. )
My yanmar 1700 came with a generic 'echlin' key/switch from napa.. I wanted a spare key.. but you can't buy a 'spare' without buying a switch.. as they are just generic stamped out units. I found an old cabinet key with nearly the same size groove on the correct side. I cut it with a small file set... in about 10 minutes...worked great.. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Lawnmower keys are like this too. At work, we take a few pices of sheet metal.. lay them together and cut dupe keys out on the metal bandsaw for the lawnmower.. works for cat battery keys too... Takes about 5 minutes to cut 6 keys at once.. As a side benifit on the cat key, is you can grind the ear off on the prongs.. and then retract the key after turning the battery switch on...

Soundguy

Cliff_Johns · Feb 21, 2005

OK, I think we've established that if someone want's your tractor, they can take it with minimum tools. Thus the only solution must involve them not wanting to take your tractor which leads us back to making them think the tractor you have is not worth having. So buy your new tractor, but paint it to look like a piece of crap (or a cow)

Or alternatively, you really just need a less interesting or harder to steal tractor than your neighbor. Perhaps you could add a sign saying "Easier to steal and better looking tractor that way" with an arrow pointing to your neighbors farm.

Cliff

Soundguy · Feb 21, 2005

( OK, I think we've established that if someone want's your tractor, they can take it with minimum tools )

Unfortunately that's the way physics works.. a 5$ hacksaw from harbor freight will cut a 90$ chain and warded lock /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Out of site out of mind is probably the next best thing ( assuming you don't have an armed guard! or lojack! )

Remember the days when you didn't lock your front door? (sigh) I still do...

Soundguy

slowrev · Feb 21, 2005

Remember the days when you didn't lock your front door? (sigh) I still do...
//
Don't lock my doors unless I am going to be gone for some time. Still a good country neighborhood here....for now at least. I do lock my workshop though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Ben

Mith · Feb 22, 2005

( paint it to look like a piece of crap )
PAINT IT??
no need, it alredy looks like a peice of crap, if anyone stole it the jokes on them /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
would be sad to see it go though /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

cmkh3 · Feb 26, 2005

HMMMM, perhaps if you have an electrical source you could run a hot lead to the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Chris /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

PS I was thinking of 480 3 phase not just 110 using buried welding cables so their hidden until they touch it and then whamo, either dead or sitting in the neighbors yard with one **** of a story.

GerardC · Feb 27, 2005

( Perhaps you could add a sign saying "Easier to steal and better looking tractor that way" with an arrow pointing to your neighbors farm. Cliff )

LMAO! Gerard

KiotiJohn · Feb 27, 2005

( HMMMM, perhaps if you have an electrical source you could run a hot lead to the tractor. )
You may remember the man who put electrical "avoidance" in the ceiling of his business. A burgler came through the roof, was shocked to death, and the proprieter was charged with, and found guilty of murder. Sure would be fun though. John