just curious to how paranoid ppl are about their rangers and the lengths ppl have gone to make sure noone steals/(drives without permission) their precious vehicle. Im not talking about putting a boot on the tires everytime you park, but along the lines of alarms/antitheftdevices/simple tricks ppl have done in order to thwart even the proffesional.

Currently ive put in a small "touch" switch in my cab. Its really just a screw, well placed in the cab, and looks like it belongs there. Just a touch, and you got five seconds to turn over the key, and the starter engages. If you dont touch the screw, or if time runs out and the key is turned, the horn goes off.

After i implemented this, i never said a word to a good friend of mine, who has access to my keys. Sometimes he has to move my vehicle for snow removal or otherwise. There was nothing funnier than hearing my horn go off over and over and hearing my friend curse words i dare not type on this forum... heheheheh

 

Ha, I live in Iowa. I have NEVER even taken the keys out of my truck. Sometimes I hope I come out and she's gone, but I know I'd regret that dealing with the insurance companies.

 

Clifford Remote start/alarm, with shock sensors on hood, windows, and doors.

 

I have left the rust holes in the fenders and a good 2-3 layers of dirt on it. I could probably leave the windows down and a sign on it saying "FREE" and noone would take the ugly thing.

 

I have installed and made over thirty (yes, 30!) anti-theft devices and mods into my Ranger. These include a well-installed alarm (starter kill relay, hidden brain, camouflaged wiring, false switches and wires, battery backup for siren, interior piezo siren), The Club (with metal "Shield"), VIN etched windows, and of course, the ultimate anti-theft device: a hidden fuel pump kill switch. I also have locks on the wheels and gas cap. I even use tamper resistant license plate bolts. All the components of my expensive stereo are either chained or bolted down.

You all should keep in mind that pre-1999 Rangers that don't have PATS (chipped keys) could easily be stolen in a matter of seconds using only a couple of basic hand tools. I'm certainly not going to reveal how this can be done, but the methods have actually been described over at rangerpowersports. In fact, all cars that don't have some sort of chipped key are also very vulnerable in the same way.

Taking all these precautions gives me the piece of mind that in the (unlikely) event that some thieves were to steal my truck, they would have had to be experienced and determined pros. They would have had to have the right tools and know how and a fair amount of time in order to disable all my anti-theft devices. Likely, they would have used a tow truck. The amateur punks walking around with basic tools would fail miserably.

I look at it this way...I spend several thousand $$$ modding my truck. I also spent several hundred hours putting in the mods myself. If some thieves decided they want to steal my truck, they are going to have to put in some work to get it!

 

I'm not too worried about theft here. I'll let the PATS system take care of things and if for some very strange reason it get's stolen, I have insurance for that. If you look around at what vehicles get stolen, Rangers are nowhere near the top of the list.

 

Not worried about the Ranger. I use a nice 2nd vehicle, (h is silent), as a decoy.

 

I bought my '99 as a used vehicle about 2 years ago.

It already had this miserable alarm installed. It was constantly being activated whenever the door was closed.

Before opening any of the doors, you had to constantly have that remote control switch around your neck ready to stop it from firing.

It would try to go off anytime when trying to get back into the truck!

I took a pair of metal cutting pliers to the alarm’s leads one day after it decided to go off in the driveway and my remote was not in hand.

All I did was open the door to get my sunglasses!

That was it!

It was the best thing I did since I replaced the oil-sending unit and fixed that switch in the door for the door ajar/dome light.

 

Your alarm was set to "passive" arming mode where it automatically activates after the last door is closed. Most alarms can be programmed to "active" arming mode where you have to press a button on the remote to arm/disarm the system.

The alarm system was doing its job. It has no way of "knowing" that it was YOU that was getting inside your armed truck and not a THIEF. There is no auto security system available that has a face/voice recognition feature.