Makita cordless grinder.

 

Well yeah, that's why I'll try to improvise some shackle protection that fits the truck.

And that's why I'm trying to make the lock inconspicuous. So any lowlifes with power tools won't give it the time of day.

 

Moving trucks aren't secure; they merely give the illusion of being secure. Even a weak padlock is the strongest part of the whole structure.

A cordless angle grinder will have a man-size whole cut in the side of the truck pretty damn quick. Locks only keep the honest thieves out. :thumb:

Drove 1,000 miles in 26 hours, 21 of them were on the road.

I had a car that went that slow once, too.

 

Spray paint the lock to match the color of the doors that you are locking, it will not be as noticeable to someone just walking by.

If the truck is yours, add a lock hasp at the very top of the doors--harder to reach / defeat.

try and park the truck were it is in plain view at all times, sometimes you can back up the truck to a wall at a hotel

 

The only way to ensure you won't get ripped off is to keep the truck moving. Any time you stop, you run a risk. Drive as far as you can... switch drivers often. While the wheels are turning your stuff is safe. My best advice (I've moved 15 times in the last 28 years) is to stay in nicer hotels, OFF of the highway. Park in lighted areas with the BACK or your truck visible. Try to get a hotel room with a view of the parking area where your truck is. We've been worried a time or two when moving. We took shifts watching and sleeping in the hotel room. We've slept in the truck a time or two. I've also double parked and put one truck directly behind the moving truck and as close as possible (touching almost). We've never had anything stolen yet thank God.

Your profile says you're 24. I assume it's truthful and your wife is young too. 1000 miles is easily doable in one long trip without an overnight stop. Plenty of sleep prior, sleep as much as possible while riding. Trade about every 4 hours...

NGH

 

No, we're renting.

But those are good ideas. I'll have to see if anyone carries "Penske Yellow" spray paint

I really like the idea of backing up to a wall. I'll watch out for opportunities to do stuff like that.

 

To my considerable consternation, my wife doesn't have her driver's license. We will have her brother and father coming out to help pack the truck and to drive my car - but the brother also doesn't have a license. So basically the FIL and I will be swapping back and forth from the car and truck, but we don't have enough people to stay rolling the whole time. Otherwise I like that idea. Heck, when we moved out here I almost did it on my own. Just the wife and I, we were towing the car. Drove 1,000 miles in 26 hours, 21 of them were on the road.

 

Personally,I'd leave it as is.If I was a criminal,a big shiny lock tells me its new,modern design and materials,and harder to pick,break,cut or defeat.I'd look for something easier.

 

Locks keep honest people honest. I wouldn't camouflage a lock but rather let people see it is secured.

No guns nailed it and parking in nicer motels, lighted areas, backed against something solid. Again, mimimimizing time spent parked is the best advice. If you can't drive straight through then at least reduce it to one night on the road. Recommend the two non-drivers take turns watching if you're that concerned.

 

Be sure and take the coil wire, cause they will still the whole truck.

Park where the truck can be seen easily and often. 1 overnight stop is enough. I have often driven 1000 miles straight threw stopping only for fuel/potty breaks and leg stretches every hour or so just to inspect the tires.

 

Look into a black box that will fit around the lock the idea is to make it so inconvenient , noisy and take so long that the risk isn't worth the reward.

Backing up to a vertcal surface so close that a person can't get between them. Ocassinally you will see two semis backed up to each other, same thing

Anything that is truly valuable and irreplaceable for you bury at the front of the load and get an insurance rider for the trip so anything else is replaceable.

 

In addition to the other ideas, I particularly like and have used the one about backing up to a wall/fence/dumpster enclosure/etc., there is one more thing that may be of use. Wireless 'driveway alarms'.

You can buy them for $20 or so on eBay and other online retailers. They are basically a motion detector (same ones used for home security systems) and a small alarm box; both are battery operated. You can put the motion detector in the rear of your truck, and keep the alarm in your hotel room with you (or with you when you stop to eat, etc.). The alam boxes can even be paired with 3-4 motion sensors, so you could even put one in the cab of the truck, too, if you wanted. They have a several hundred foot range, so as long as you park somewhat close to your room it'll work. That way, if someone does get into your truck, you'll immediately know and can respond accordingly.

 

Isnt there a padlock that has a small transmitter - cell phone thingy in it - to call if its opened against it's will ?

You could always tack weld the top & bottom -- then with your own Makita cordless grinder open it then touch up the paint ?

 

Leave the pitbul in the back of the truck?

 

Probably the smartest response so far.

 

Get a battery operated baby monitor and put it in the truck.

Also, disabling the ignition is a good idea as stealing the whole truck would probably be the best bet for thieves.

Az

 

If your wife or BIL knows how to drive, get him/her/both his/her/their DL, so he/she/they can at least drive the car.

Or, get a tow trailer and tow the car behind the truck, so you only need one driver at a time. Then you can leave BIL behind and the three of you ride in the cab of the truck, switching drivers every few hours. That means no need for an overnight. If you do overnight, your wife can stay up and watch the truck while you and FIL sleep since she can sleep while you guys are driving. Make sure she has lots of caffeine and some activities to keep her awake (but not oblivious to the truck). If you do overnight, if you can back the truck so one side and the back are against flat walls, and then park the car in front of the truck, that will at least slow thieves down until your wife wakes you and you can get out there.

Bonus: Leaving BIL behind means one less person to have to pay for the return airfare/train fare/bus fare to get him home. :

 

No reason a 1000 mile trip should take 2 or 3 days.. Shoot I drove straight from Arizona to Georgia once.

 

Yukon Territory to Texas. Nonstop.

You can also do mini-stops. 4 Hours in a rest stop. You sleep. They sit in the park and watch the truck.

 

1000 mile drive is a long summer day at 65. I've gone from Phoenix to Sacramento in one day during the daylight. Not 1000 miles, but it can be done in a bonzai run

 

If your worried about it being broken into while stopped for the night in a motel why not sleep in shifts with your wife so there is always a set of eyes on the truck.

 

I want to do the drive over the course of 2 days, so we sleep only one night. My wife was so traumatized by the stress of our last move, she's determined to make this one a stroll in a field of daisies, and that includes only 8 hours of driving a day. I'm working on it, but really our time here has only made her anxiety worse, so it's tough going.

I realize the lock is the strongest point in the security system, but that was the point of making it inconspicuous - I can't have a Master on the truck, because it's worthless, but a nicer lock ATTRACTS criminals. The lock doesn't need to make them want to get through the lock, it just needs to tell them there's something nice inside. That's why I was asking for suggestions on making it low profile.

I'll be able to sell the nicer motel, and I'll surely do what I can to park in a good spot.

I really like the idea of the motion detecting alarm. I'll be getting one of those.

 

Geez,
I'm 60 years old and just made a solo non-stop of 1400 miles with a truck and 18' trailer last week. I'll be doing it again in a few days.
Forget schedules. Pack-up EVERYTHING and have the rig gassed up and ready to go.
Go to sleep, wake up, jump in truck and GO!!!

 

You could always put a remote motion sensor alarm (something like a Dakota MURS) on the back of the truck to alert you if anyone is poking around?

 

The backing up to something to block even the doors opening without a lock seems to make a lot of sense, if you can find a place to do it. Only thing is - and I don't know you so maybe you're an expert driver - is to not bash into anything getting that close. Most folks aren't used to backing larger vehicles via mirrors. Helpful to have someone helping back you to get that close.

Of course, the only other thing then is to make sure no one just ups and takes the whole truck.

 

A cordless grinder will cut through that, or any padlock in a matter of seconds. It doesn't take any skill, either.

 

Sorry,but thats not true.Plus they are loud and throw a shower of sparks.