Kill switch ideas?

[79dentside]

Hey all, I’d like to put a kill switch in the old rig and wanted to see/hear your ideas. I guess my biggest concerns; and reasons for wanting a hidden kill switch, are because of theft, but also in the back of my mind are potential electrical fires. Any of you running kill switches?

 

[C10MixMaster]

I have one in mine it's a momentary switch that has to be held down to start or it disables the starter. these trucks are far too easy to steal and i have way too much money and time to lose mine. I might add a second one to kill the ignition. In the past on my gmt400 the lowlifes popped the steering column and basically had it, but I had a kill switch on the electric fuel pump that saved my truck.

 

[austinado16]

It's an excellent idea, and highly recommended. I've shared this story before, but will again....

My brother and I were in Long Beach, CA showing our vintage cars at a car show, at a nice hotel on the waterfront. He'd trailered his, using is "as-new" '89 Blazer. I'd driven mine. His K5 was in the hotel parking lot, about 100yds from where we were showing our cars. We were using the K5 as storage during the show, so we were going back and forth to it as needed. One minute it was there, the next minute, there was just an empty parking space. We could not get through any phone system to either the CHP or LBPD, because...well, it's LA. The Blazer was "found" in a neighborhood in Compton 3 days later, as just a hollow shell sitting on different wheels, missing the entire front end and engine, and a trail of transmission fluid leading up the street into the driveway of the local thiefs. All of my family's belongings and my brother and his wife's belongings were inside the residence. When I saw the photos of what remained of the truck, once it was taken to the wrecking yard, I nearly cried. There was nothing left. Literally just the metal shell of the cab, the frame, and a different set of wheels.

So do your diligence to keep your rig from being driven away, and consider something visible in addition, so that they won't even consider breaking in (and no, not a club, which they cut off in under a minute). The big GM steering column locks are a good option. But I'd still suggest a hidden something. https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-GM-Cad...394146?hash=item342a80f662:g:nt8AAOSwgslbCFG5

The point being of course, is to keep them from wrecking your truck, only to discover that they can't get it started. IMO, you want them looking through the window and thinking, "Screw it, I'll go look for something that's gonna take 2 seconds to steal."

 

[79dentside]

Great information guys. I am sorry to hear about the K5, that really stinks... I had sold my el Camino to a fella who lived in the city. Unfortunately, 4 days later it was stolen from him. It ended up on an insurance auction which is how I found it. It was stripped. The column was broken and was just a shell. Motor and trans were pulled as well as anything else of value.

The column is what scares me, I really don’t want to do a column lock just because I actually use the thing a fair bit. It’s not a show car by any means. But I also don’t want it stolen because someone knows how to Hotwire it.

 

[82sbshortbed]

This seems simple enough for me and I'm no electrtion. Lol


https://images.app.goo.gl/zi4PDmPJ2Uj6dpkHA

That's the starter fuse they used in first pic.

 

[82sbshortbed]

You don't know how many dreams I've had of going outside and my vehicles have been stolen. I'm even telling myself in the dream that it's not really stolen but, it doesn't work until I wake up and find out it's a dream. Lol

 

[TX87R10]

Does anyone have a GPS tracker that doesn't have a monthly fee?

I was thinking one thing you could do is use Gimbal-like Bluetooth devices. I bet you could find a way to put one on your keychain and one in the vehicle in a manner that, if your keys are not within ~50ft it would enable a kill switch (or disable when you are near whichever)

Potentially you could even use it to alert you on your phone if your truck is moving while your keys are not near but that would probably take a little more expensive hardware. Those Gimbals are only like $5 a piece.

 

[austinado16]

IMO, you want to prevent them even looking at it more than a couple seconds. Once they have it running and driving, think about it. How long will it take you to get through to a police agency, and once you do, what do you think your chances are of having a LEO within seconds of the current location of the vehicle...while it travels 1mi, every minute (or faster). My brother's K5 was on an LA freeway within 2 minutes of being stolen, and just became 1 of 1,000,000 vehicles on the road at that time.

Regarding the column lock, they are a clam shell, and pop right off using the key to their lock. You could choose to only install it when you're going to be away from the truck for extended periods of time. Either way, I'm just thinking in terms of; what's highly noticeable and keeps them from breaking in, in the first place.

 

[79dentside]

Good point, I like the ‘instant deterrent’ affect if you will. I do like that. Maybe I do one of those and an electric kill switch.

Being 41 years old, The electronics also worry me. I won’t park it inside without unhooking the battery but maybe I’m just over cautious. Someone had the cab off the frame and did a lot of work floor/firewall work that would indicate the wiring has all been out. I’m just cautious.

 

[austinado16]

You can purchase a battery ground cable disconnect that would make that task as simple as spinning the large green knob.

That's too bad someone's been in there messing with so much of the "core" of the truck. You're probably fine though, because if there was an issue, you would have come across it by now (probably).

 

[austinado16]

BTW, if you're looking for a signature photo, this might work a little better.....

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[1979k10]

I have a kill switch wired to the fuel pump. It’ll crank but won’t start. Thief hopefully thinks it’s just a POS and won’t take time looking into it.

 

[Madhorn]

I have been thinking about a kill switch as well. Disabling the fuel pump may work best for me. I do have a built in deterrent. 5 speed manual.

 

[WamboJambo]

I do have a built in deterrent. 5 speed manual.

I don't know how true it is, but I like to think the same about my truck; three speed column shifted, I even have friends who already know how to drive manual that can't seem to figure this thing out

 

[79dentside]

You can purchase a battery ground cable disconnect that would make that task as simple as spinning the large green knob.

That's too bad someone's been in there messing with so much of the "core" of the truck. You're probably fine though, because if there was an issue, you would have come across it by now (probably).

Well I’ve unfortunately had a few electrical issues, one was solved by removing the fuse box, getting frustrated and giving up and then installing it back again... then boom problem gone.

I like the idea of the disconnect for the battery. I’ll invest in one of those. I’ve never run a car with one, so I want sure what the best idea was. I like that one.

The kill switch won’t be too bad to wire in, I don’t have the slightest idea where to run it though... under the dash or in the glovebox would be the first place a thief would look.

I do kind of like the column lock too, that isn’t a bad idea either.

BTW, if you're looking for a signature photo, this might work a little better.....

You must be registered for see images attach

I never see my signature photo on my phone. I should probably change that. It doesn’t look the same anymore lol.

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