How do you all hide keys?

About a year after installing it, my HitchSafe stopped working. Not sure why. Reached out to ask if they might have any applicable warranty.
I'd feel odd trying to do an Amazon return and swap; for one, being about a year old, it does not look new.

How do you all hide keys?
The idea of this is awesome; if it works. I'm not sure if it got smacked into or what.
Tried lube, clean, inspect; looks fine just stays jammed closed.

Thinking of maybe trying something else, like a cabled padlock hidden wrapped around somewhere.
For those occasional times you can't carry gear and need to hide it.

I know some people simply toss their keys somewhere like behind a tire but that sounds sketch

 

Usually toss mine behind a wiper blade but I'm also a very trusting person... My first Tacoma the rear glass didn't lock so my truck just stayed unlocked all the time and I learned to put nothing valuable in there.

 

I rarely lock my Tacoma - small rural mid west town - but, I keep a spare (non chip) key behind the gas tank filler door.

 

On a different note, when we lived in southern Illinois, I always left my truck running when I went into Circle K. My wife asked why I did that. I said, "It's a manual transmission, no one is going to steal it." She said, "All these farm kids know how to drive a stick".
I said, "These farm kids aren't the ones who would steal it."

......I think that's the only time she's ever conceded......

 

I have a metal non chipped key ziptied out of view to the frame that I have used once (so far) when I locked my keys in the truck.

 

I have a regular key that I carry in a zipped pocket of my shorts when I kayak or wade fish.

No chips or PTS on my truck. I even have a low count on lug nuts.

 

If I were going to put a lock box on the outside of my truck, I definitely wouldn't put it somewhere so visible. It's basically advertising that you having something worth stealing in there. The lock would deter most people, but I'm willing to bet they are easy to break into (as are most consumer locks).

 

does it no longer spin? I've had one for over 10 years now and never had an issue. My only problem is I can barely see the letters It usually just sits inside the truck b/c it would sometimes get jammed in the hitch while wheeling coming down on rocks. But the locking mechanism has always worked fine,. I use it when I am surfing and camping on the coast. I've bought a few for friends over the years as gifts and never heard of an issue. I'd give them a call - I bet they make it right.

 

I carry the spare "valet" key on a lanyard around my neck. Simple trick, but works fine. I also have a Lock'er Down console safe in the truck. I keep my wallet, ID, and key & fob inside when hiking/fishing/etc. It "could" be drilled out, or maybe bashed with a sledge, but you just have to accept that you can only do so much.

 

I have a spare key hidden on the frame but don’t remember where I hid it.

 

So just to get in the truck, and hopefully leave actual key inside?
Which would make sense as I believe 2g Taco has immobilizer, therefore would need a chipped key to start/drive

odd part about mine is, any manual unlock triggers alarm. I think PO installed aftermarket alarm system.
Say I go for a run, unchain my keyblade to bring with me (no electric fob), then unlock manually with keyblade in door
yes it unlocks door to open, but triggers alarm at the same time; which ideally it would not. Other vehicles don't do this
Kind of makes it look like you're trying to break into a car in a parking lot even though it's yours

 

the hitchsafe? The dial spins. I know I put in the right code for a fact. It only opens with the right code.
Problem is how it opens. So much resistance, almost jammed shut. Even though I don't see anything out of the ordinary in terms of any rust, corrosion, pieces looking out of shape, etc.

Basically it takes pliers on the handle to pull it out. It used to slide just fine. Installed it per instructions.
I'll unlock the truck, grab my cheap multi-tool from inside (pliers) then pull it out which is still hard.

Which is exactly the problem because if you leave the truck, keys in safe, you're not running around with a pair of pliers outside to come back and open it

Worst case might try buying another one or something

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The thing is, I kept it on the truck. Why not? There's a pin, foam spacer; I don't think it's really designed to keep in glovebox out of use, and install for use.
And I had the cover on. Which one day I walked out, and the cover was missing, so I bought a replacement for cheap.
But it clips on tight. I don't think they just fall off.

This tells me somebody probably tried to fuck with it. Why? I don't know.
Like why somebody tried fucking with a hitchsafe on a parked truck with literally nothing inside the hitchsafe, that opens with a code that they don't know.

But then again, why do people walk around outside rambling wrapped in a blanket with their pants falling off? (depending which state you're in)

One time, I walked out to my ditch lights turned backwards.
I try to park properly every time, so I can't think of what might have triggered that. Perhaps an attempted thief in the night.
Did I have tamper-proof hardware? No. Were the ditch lights good? No, they were shitty, cheap, and not even connected. I actually got them for free, so market value technically $0.
Which tells me this possible attempted "thief", trying to "make money", failed at even obtaining something worth $0. He probably flunked out of Thief School.

Since then I've been on the fence about upgrading ditch lights to expensive Diode Dynamics; THOSE I would not like to have stolen

 

Yes I was asking if the locking code spins? It sounds like it ... and your problem is actually getting it open once you have the code set. Strange. Like I said I've used it for many years and never had an issue. And I've jammed the entire box into my hitch many times on the rocks ... that took some prying to get the box out, but it always opened. I'm in the rocks more than on the beach lately ... which is why I keep it mostly in the truck. I haven't had a cover for years and years. Sorry I can't be of help. Good luck.

 

Where I live (Los Angeles) if something is t locked or bolted to the ground, someone is going to take it.

I was shocked when I visited my wife’s family in rural Wisconsin and found out they don’t lock their front doors, have beautiful gun cases (not gun safes) in the living room and leave their car keys in the ignition!

 

I have a console safe and a touchpad entry, for the times I lock my keys in the truck.
I had the hitch safe and it was pretty terrible for me. Stuck closed a lot.

 

glad to know I’m not the only one

 

I had a chip-less duplicate key made at HD, and hid it somewhere on the truck in a magnetic holder. I check on it periodically for corrosion.

 

Try reaching out to Amazon. Maybe this item has a lifetime warranty? No harm in trying. Or reach out to the manufacturer. I find most sellers on Amazon are very receptive.

 

I did the exact same, non-chipped duplicate. Put the magnetic box about as far as I could with a little buffer room into the section of the frame adjacent to and hidden by the gas tank. Totally forgot I left it there when I sold that truck lmao. Maybe current owner has found it by now.

 

This is exactly the comment someone from Indiana would make.

You earned my like on this one!