Club 80-90 Forums

Has anyone fitted dead locks to the cab doors, tailgate and sider?

I wondered what people have used and if anyone has experience of certain types, such as the Thule sliding door loack or those offered by Fiamma and Milenco?

There are companies offering deadlocks with Yale type keys etc that fit to cab doors etc, but has anyone fitted them themselves?

I went through this train of thought some years ago but when you consider that smashing glass is relatively straightforward, you wonder what point there is in spending cash on deadlocks that will also need extra holes drilling in doors etc.

That is very true. I am thinking as much about making stealing it more trouble than it's worth.

Also security film on the windows etc. True it's simply a case of stripping out the seals to remove the window, but if you're travelling globally and end up somewhere you might not have intended to be, it might stop windows getting smashed etc.

There is a guy on YouTube who added heavy jail bars to every window and removeable ones to the cab. That's probably over kill but maybe not? A single horizontal bar welded across the windows would stop someone adult sized climbing in.

A German couple we met have added hardwood "latches" inside the b pillar that rotated through the air vent ducts into the doors to limit opening.

I've considered a ratchet strap between the cab doors and shed type bolts for inside the tailgate. Sliding door is more challenging without being a pain to live inside with.

And I guess an alarm is a good move, especially one with a panic button.

Just putting ideas out there.

I have long come to the conclusion that even alarms don't deter much. People hear them all the time and ignore them. Best way is to keep it empty when not in use (even leave cupboard doors open) and fit an interrupt to coil via hidden switch.

That's a good idea. A kill switch does stop everything happening.

I may be wrong, but I think Shaun is thinking about foreign travel, and keeping the van secure whilst abroad, rather than worrying about it when its parked up outside his house. I'm no expert, but I would say that a kill switch and door locks were almost a necessity. You don't see many vans with window bars though - at least, not in any of the videos I've watched. Guess a lot depends on where you're planning to go.

Shaun,
a couple of ideas I have toyed with. Firstly, one I installed. This used rack bolts rather like the type sold for adding to wooden domestic doors where you poke in a spline key and rotate it several turns to drive out a rod type latch between the door and pillar. The ones I got used a tubular key with part circles machined out of its leading edge. These pushed in a ruing of pins to varying depths to unlock the key mechanism and allow rotation. I think (memory from 25 years ago) that the company was called Safeway but a quick search does not reveal anything like that.

The second, untested, idea, is to use similar rod bolts but driven by central locking motors, so no external key points to attack. You might nee to think about a hidden switch somewhere that could overcome the 'lost transmitter' situation.

The sliding door is always going to be the most difficult since it needs to be at the back of the door where the gap between door and pillar is much larger than anywhere else. Although I suppose it could drive down into the floor edge?

Some good ideas thanks Gary. I'm still looking at options and open to food for thought. At present the front doors will be simply ratchet strapped shut, but that's probably easily overcome.

If they want your van, simple ist gone, I can load up a van onto a low loader in about 5 mins max. Ive been and got cars loaded them with alarms blaring away and no one questioned me! And no it dont matter if there in gear/ Hand brak on, steering all the way to one side etc, dollys under the wheels negate them!

I was thinking more about denying opportunist thefts in car parks or when touring really, rather than organised car crime.

I've got some fitted to mine.... previous owner fitted

They're branded WBH and still seem to be available from a quick google search
Can provide pics if needed....
Cheers

I also used to have electrically operated central locking with integrated deadlocking fitted to my corrado 10 years back.
They were great. Locked & unlocked as you'd expect, but they had a second motor inside that drove a small bolt through the mechanism physically holding the lock plungers down.

A great design and product but in this day & age I guess there isn't a market for them. I've searched & searched but it looks like they're discontinued.

The other 90's option was the 'barrier deadlock' which was a welder on lock on the transmission tunnel which locked the gear selector in position. Again a great soulution.... unless the thief has the means to lift away!

Disklok, immobiliser, and mechanical deadlocks on mine..... but Clearly the best deterrent on a 25 is copious amounts of rust!

Shaun

Fabzzz has some nice locks on the inside of his door for when your in the van, may be worth dropping him a message

Another option is to have a visible extra steering lock and little alarm warning signs on door windows should deter most thieves. Whatever you do, don't leave passports, credit cards and cash in your van when travelling.
After having 3 door locks damaged in Barcelona some years back, when thieves broke in, I smiled because we had our valuables with us. Yes it was a pain to return to a van strewn with dirty washing but it did not stop us having a great holiday.

Thanks guys. We have a pedal lock, steering lock, tracker etc. But I am thinking about someone prying the door open or popping the locks.

I'll have a look thanks Keith and Slider, cheers all.