Creative Security

You may not stop 'em but can sure give 'em something to remember.

 

You'll be making a shit ton of noise with it though lol

 

I've been thinking about using expanded sheet metal to make bolt on covers for the inside of the extra-cab wing windows. This, in my experience has been a weak point. My back glass is already covered with this on the headache rack.

 

Are you more concerned with the truck getting stolen or someone stealing items from inside?

To avoid getting stolen you can pull a critical relay (starter, EFI) or put a hidden switch on a critical wire.

If someone just wants to break a window and grab stuff, then there's not much you can do other than not keep valuables in the truck.

A booby trap could be illegal in your area even if it was a criminal trying to break in. It would be worse if a child walking through the parking lot innocently stuck their finger in and got hurt. An adult would probably just pull the window hard enough to break it once their hand was caught.

 

All of the above man, I'm tired of people f'n with my sh't. There's no end of creepers out there and they need to be PUNISHED for their transgressions. No, I hear you, can't put the innocents in peril. It would be nice though, to make it hard on the next one who wasn't.

 

No one will be doing a smash and grab on this one:



The only thing innocent people have to watch out for is the decorative saw blades and a possible case of tetanus...

 

That is freak'n awesome. wish I could drive something like that without being pulled over every time I ventured into sovereign territory.

 

I am planning on leaving a Tacoma at the cabin for a play / work truck i would like to know more about what critical wires i could use to install a switch to stop the truck from being started .....

Any suggestions ?

 

I remember seeing a post about using the rear defrost button from a 4runner as a fuel pump shut off ..... of course i cant find it NOW !

 

Break the window? Remember that video of a reporter trying to smash a window with a baseball bat? Lol. It took him like 20 tries. Good luck breaking the window with your bare hand

 

Spring loaded pin punch. One shot window shattered.

 

I had a friend who wired a relay in between his ign switch and starter relay wire. You had to have lights in the park light position to activate relay and start vehicle.

 

Yea thanks to videos like that people now know better ways to break the windows.

 

The Dr's suggestion above about pulling a relay while truck is unattended sounds the easiest and cleanest. The manual shifter is a deterrent and then the fact that it won't start without the relay? Easy Peasy. Could also pull the EFI fuse when you leave the truck, but that will also reset all of the fuel mapping and it is under the hood though.

 

I like my audiovox aa925 it has a relay that connects to the ignition. The truck is unable to be started without it being unlocked, and it has to be unlocked by the key fob, not just the door switch.

 

I have a hidden momentary switch in series with the starter relay coil. I have to hold it down while starting. It isn't perfect, but it's simple, and it's always engaged ( I don't have to remember to set it) I used to have a kill switch, but I wasn't good about always engaging it when I parked. I guess you never plan on having your truck stolen.
First gen tacos are commonly stolen in my area using the shaved key method.

 

Do you think this would be easy for someone to find when they're trying to steal a truck? Obviously you don't think it would be completely easy or you wouldn't have done the mod - I just have no experience with these kinds of things. It seems like something that you could bypass if you needed to if it broke by just cutting out the switch and connecting the wires (if you're out in the desert or something)? Also, I have a manual trans, so someone could just push start it I'm guessing with this mod

 

The switch is well hidden. It would be near impossible to find unless you traced the wires back from the starter relay.

This method doesn't prevent push starting, It doesn't prevent someone from popping the hood and troubleshooting the electrical, then bypassing the switch.

It is simple and cheap though.

In my area, I'm more worried about meth heads using the shaved key method than a professional car thief.

 

You cut through the wheel...

 

Shaved key, hmm... I got a worn out key for my '02 I can pull out of the ignition while running. Just tested it on 2K. It won't unlock the door or turn in the ignition. The problem with old rigs is that they don't have the benefits of modern security features such as chipped keys and such. These trucks hold their value and have been around long enough there are plenty of tricks out there.