maybe what you call it... I need to 'dimple' a piece of metal just like a rim is dimpled where it fits over the wheel studs... for the same reason... I'm making this (see links) and can't figure how to deform the metal into the right shape... hyd press with a rounded rod ?? I've got a hyd press (bench top 20 ton) I use for bending metal...

it will be 1/16 or 1/8" plate and I need to do this pretty accurately so it will fit the rim... I'm trying to copy a wheel lock gizmo I saw on the net...







bolt pattern is 5 x 4.5...stock ford pattern

suggestions...

 

John,
I've seen several threads over on the HAMB where guys have made dimpling die doo-hikey thingies. It seems like it involves machining out the dies with a mill or a lathe.

If you are only making a few holes I think I'd experiment with what you mentioned; a bit of round stock with a shaped end and some sort of receptacle die (piece of pipe, flat stock with the appropriate sized drilled hole, etc). For accuracy you could lay out your pattern and drill the pilot holes that could then be used as guides for lining the whole mess up in your press.

Interesting lock. How does it work?
Bobby

 

Carry the Big Stick || Products & Applications

I know I can make something similar cheaper... they do sell this particular peice for mounting the contraption to the trailer for storage... but they are out of stock.... I'm so cheap

watch the imbedded video they also have a facebook page

 

Interesting.
do you have a source for the lock mechanism? Maybe a spare tire lock off of the late model Ford trucks. It fits into a keyhole shaped hole in the rear bumper and blocks the hole to the spare tire hoist.

But, back to the dimpling. Due to how it mounts the dumples will need to match pretty closely to the existing wheels? Do you by chance have some old wheels laying around? you could cut the center section out of an old wheel and fabricate the rest of it around that.

Bobby

Wouldn't it be easier to fabricate a coupler lock? There are several on the market but I've seen several home made ones that are similar to these;

 

I've got a wheel lock and a tongue lock on it now.l.. but this seemed a better alternative to the bar over the springs thing



I might just wait till they restock the wheel piece and make the hat with the bar...

I'm sourcing the lock now from abloy locks... it's a modified vending machine lock

j

 

It's a little pricey, but this is from a local startup company that might work

The Equipment Lock Company, Heavy Duty Wheel Lock

 

I'd bet that locking device and/or the lock would yield to a couple sledge hammer blows. I used 2 10' long 1/2" aircraft grade steel security cables with 2 high security shielded hardened shackle and body locks. The holes in my wheels were just large enough to feed the cable end loop through. I'd put one end of the cable through one wheel from the outside in, and the other end through the other wheel. I looped the cable around the spring and around the axle before bringing the two loops together and locking them over the part outside the wheels in a figure 8 pattern. Depending on the location I might put the other cable on the other side the same way, Or I might use the second cable to lock the first one to a fixed object like a light post, tree, shopping cart return rack or any other secured object I could park close enough to and get the cable around. I figured out several different configurations of the cables. In addition I used a hardened hitch tongue lock from a trailer supply house. In addition I also carried a 20' 3/8" cable and lock for real sketchy parking places, that I might wrap around the A part of the frame or use in the bed of the pickup to lock up extra wheels, generator, gas cans, rental golf cart, anything that I couldn't secure inside the trailer. Anyone attempting to steal the trailer would require a long concerted effort with some very heavy tools.
My final protection was carrying insurance on the trailer.

 

My way of making those dimples would be to drill an appropriate hole in a steel plate for the bottom die. It does not need to be the negative of the dimple, just a straight sided hole will work. For the punch use an appropriate sized ball bearing.. Drill a hole in the center of the end of a steel rod so when the ball is placed in the hole it is held at the depth of the depression you want. Drill the holes in the plate that you will be dimpling. center the hole over the bottom die, place the ball bearing in it's holder over the hole, it will self center. Press the ball bearing into the plate until the face of the holder is tight to the plate to flatten any distortion around the dimple. You should have formed a perfect dimple if not adjust the tooling and retest.

 

after reading the replies on this and another forum, I think my best bet would be to buy the piece when they're back in stock and build up from there... why reinvent the wheel... or the wheel plate as it were ??

I can do the rest easy enough... it's just easy bends and a little welding... I'm not set up for the precision dimpling. Besides I go back to work on Wednesday and the free time aspect is going away...

thanks for the suggestions, all

j

 

I still think that thing is a bad investment. If I wanted to steal your trailer, I'd hook it up, give the lock a couple wacks with a sledge and I's be gone. Just think how easy it is to bend a piece of 1/8" steel, and the tab on the lock isn't even that strong. On a coin op machine the strength of the lock is dependent on the machine case to protect the lock. If the plate isn't well balanced it's going to cause the wheel to vibrate, and I'm not confident that the wheel would be securely attached or centered with something between the lugs and the wheel, I wouldn't use it on a long distance, high speed, or heavy valuable load. Snake oil device IMHO, more for impressing the trailer owner that doesn't think like a thief than deterring a determined thief.
My cables are far more theft proof and less than 1/2 the price, easy to store and use (it was easy for my wife to secure the trailer) and had additional uses (hooking two together with the locks and it was a tow cable for example)

 

you might have a very good point Ax... and I've considered cables... but aren't you concerned that a very lazy thug with a battery operated grinder couldn't zip thru your cables and be gone shortly ??

Insurance ??? that is a joke... when my other one got stolen they gave me 800 for a trailer with a detailed material list of a little over 2100.. they 'depreciated' it. but I still got insurance on both trailers now.

j

 

I always get replacement cost insurance. That grinder would work better on the bars on your lock ever try to cut a loose cable with your grinder? Just leave the center on it until later, the downfall of a grinder is the noise and sparks would attract a lot of attention. With my cables he'd have to cut at least two. You really can't stop a determined crook with enough time and equipment. Simpler answer: put the trailer on blocks and take off the wheels.

 

A jack and wheel dollies and it's gone

 

about the best you can do it remove the wheels... but on a tandem trailer it's a chore everytime you want to use it... and I'd have to call the law on someone towing a trailer on wheel dollies .

Right now I have a tongue type lock with the safety chains looped thru the lock... a padlock through the hitch latch and a wheel lock on one wheel...it's gonna be a chore to take it and that's what you're trying to create...I've seen a video where the thugs broke into a garage ...hooked to a wheel locked trailer and just drove off with the wheel dragging ... till they got to a secluded or secure spot to work on it... like Ax said it's hard to stop a determined thief...worst case they could use a skyhook and just ****** it up I guess !

j

 

And every hour in this country a 55" semi is stolen fifth wheel lock. oh yea
Every minute somebodys bank acc get stolen by a computor (way past me).
The best creative theifs (finnally caught) with a couple in a common van,
at a convenience/pump it your self store. The two inside were undecieded
with a purchase (buying time) what do you think was in the van, conveniently
parked over the little manhole cover for underground tank with two hoods
with a transfer pump. Thats clever, strickly from the trap door boot leggin days.
that was on tv news