hidden shackle/puck locks

[pin_pusher]

a friend just purchased a van, and got a great deal, but lives in a not so great neighborhood. he asked me about locks for his rear gate, specifically what to spend on a hidden shackle/hockey puck lock. i told him that the lock itself doesn't have to be particularly high security, and probably not totally "pick resistant" per say because break-ins are more common in his area. so i said, get a "good"/affordable shackle lock, but spend some more cash on the hasps that fit to the door, making sure that they are particularly resistant to destructive entry. he asked about buying a better ignition as well, i suggested that he might consider getting a fabricated steal plate around the ignition instead. now i'm not a locksmith (still working on moving then finding an apprenticeship), so i was wondering if people have had any serious suggestions for these types of locks, or problems surrounding their use. his windows are tinted, and he's putting in a cage between cargo and cab, so i think he should be in pretty good shape otherwise. let me hear the feedback, if this is an appropriate area to enter this conversation in the forum (otherwise, remove this).

[CastleBravo]

For the hockey puck locks, you might be able to find a good deal on a Medeco on Ebay, but that is probably not necessary. Home Depot sells masterlock hockey puck locks that come with a sturdy hasp for around 20 bucks. As for the ignition, I don't know a real lot about those, but you could try something like http://www.mastersentryseries.com/starter/index.shtml, but I don't know how well it works so you might want to get an opinion from someone else on the forum about it.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Master's Starter Sentry is a neat little product that won't break the bank. It's basically a kill switch that utilizes a key fob to know when it should and shouldn't work. That's definitely added security.

As for automotive, there isn't much you can do to the ignition. You can't readily retrofit a new ignition in a high-security setup without a lot of fabrication on your part. If the car utilizes a transponder, great. If not, that's no good because the good criminals know their way around that. Feel free to PM me the year, make, and model and I'll tell you if it has one if you're unsure.

You can always add steering wheel and shifter locks. Take a look around at the local automotive store and you'll find a slew of locks (brake locks, steering sensors, steering wheel, shifter, etc.) to help secure the vehicle more. Most employ a dimple lock which is neat.

Master and American make great pin-tumbler hockey-puck style padlocks that are relatively cheap. If you find comparable prices with a high security flavor, ala Medeco, on eBay then definitely go with that option. You'll get a very destructive-entry resistant product with a high security keyway - which will help resist nearly all attacks.

Mul-T-Lock used to make an awesome locking bar that locked the steering wheel and gas pedal simultaneously and utilized their classic system. They stopped making them but you'll occasionally see them on eBay. That's what I use on my car anytime I have to park it in an area I'm unfamiliar with.

[CastleBravo]

Mul-T-Lock used to make an awesome locking bar that locked the steering wheel and gas pedal simultaneously and utilized their classic system. They stopped making them but you'll occasionally see them on eBay.

I have a similar locking bar (not a Mul-T-Lock though), but it uses a very cheap and easy to pick wafer lock. It will deter physical attacks fairly well, but anyone with a few paperclips could open it in a few seconds. Be careful if you use the locking bar that you get a decent brand that doesn't use wafer locks. Also stay away from the older ones using tubular style keys, as many can be opened with a Bic pen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9bN0zfMFW4

[Rickthepick]

They are a great deterrant against crowbarring crooks! Personally i used a cheap one that i know i can pick...just incase. No need to go mental as you want to get in yourself should you lose the key

[pin_pusher]

thanks guys, i'm thinking the solution can be had relatively cheap. even having the puck lock is a great deterrent. i was supposed to do some of this research for him, as i'll be helping install the badboy. also, the time may rise that he would need to transport my motorcycle for a favor of mine, and i didn't want to risk any of my things on his knowledge of security. utility vans are convenient and nice to have, but kind of a sore thumb for goods and tools if unprotected.

[Ortin468]

a friend just purchased a van, and got a great deal, but lives in a not so great neighborhood. he asked me about locks for his rear gate, specifically what to spend on a hidden shackle/hockey puck lock. i told him that the lock itself doesn't have to be particularly high security, and probably not totally "pick resistant" per say because break-ins are more common in his area. so i said, get a "good"/affordable shackle lock, but spend some more cash on the hasps that fit to the door, making sure that they are particularly resistant to destructive entry. he asked about buying a better ignition as well, i suggested that he might consider getting a fabricated steal plate around the ignition instead.

I haven't done one in years but look into this for the ignition. See if they have one for your application.

http://www.steadfastautosecurity.com/steadfast.htm

[weilawei]

a friend just purchased a van, and got a great deal, but lives in a not so great neighborhood. he asked me about locks for his rear gate, specifically what to spend on a hidden shackle/hockey puck lock. i told him that the lock itself doesn't have to be particularly high security, and probably not totally "pick resistant" per say because break-ins are more common in his area. so i said, get a "good"/affordable shackle lock, but spend some more cash on the hasps that fit to the door, making sure that they are particularly resistant to destructive entry. he asked about buying a better ignition as well, i suggested that he might consider getting a fabricated steal plate around the ignition instead.

I haven't done one in years but look into this for the ignition. See if they have one for your application.

http://www.steadfastautosecurity.com/steadfast.htm

The September 2001 issue of The National Locksmith, on page 21, in an article entitled "Steadfast Armored Ignition Collars, Part 1," by Raymond Moreno, describes how to install the collar (as well as remove it, which I won't describe here). A second part, in the November 2001 issue, also describes the installation process. Plus, they come with instructions.

[pin_pusher]

thanks, i'll see if my friend has any old issues left, pretty much just a stack of locksmith ledger lying around...but worth a look, probably have it online as well. good to know.