Excursion...Easy Target
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Excursion...Easy Target
Hello folks,
My Excursion has been broken into three times in the last year. All three times it was parked in restaurant parking lots. The thugs have stolen my wallet once, my phone twice, and my GPS twice. All items were out of sight in the console between the front seats.
I have heard that the Ford door locks are vulnerable. The theives are apparently using a screwdriver on the lock cylinder and hitting it with a hammer to get some penetration into the cylinder itself. Once that is done I guess the assembly turns as if the key were in it, and the alarm (factory) doesn't activate.
My truck is in the body shop. I have been discussing with the manager the possibility of covering the front lock assemblies with covers like on the rear set of doors. The parts appear identical except the rear doors have no key access in the door handles.
If the battery dies in the truck or the keyfob...I could open the back doors and crawl through to unlock the truck. I was just wondering if deleting the keylock in the front doors would be enough of a deterrent for the bad guys to look for another target.
I would appreciate your input. Thanks, Bubba
My Excursion has been broken into three times in the last year. All three times it was parked in restaurant parking lots. The thugs have stolen my wallet once, my phone twice, and my GPS twice. All items were out of sight in the console between the front seats.
I have heard that the Ford door locks are vulnerable. The theives are apparently using a screwdriver on the lock cylinder and hitting it with a hammer to get some penetration into the cylinder itself. Once that is done I guess the assembly turns as if the key were in it, and the alarm (factory) doesn't activate.
My truck is in the body shop. I have been discussing with the manager the possibility of covering the front lock assemblies with covers like on the rear set of doors. The parts appear identical except the rear doors have no key access in the door handles.
If the battery dies in the truck or the keyfob...I could open the back doors and crawl through to unlock the truck. I was just wondering if deleting the keylock in the front doors would be enough of a deterrent for the bad guys to look for another target.
I would appreciate your input. Thanks, Bubba
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12,237
Likes: 22
From: Florida
I think there is a thread that talks about simply disconnecting the internal connection rod for the lock assembly in the front door...this would seem like a simple way to perform what you are looking to do...I'm sure if you do a search you should find that topic...it seemed like a good idea. If I remember right...it showed up in a post by MarkMoore when he got broken into...
An aftermarket alarm or a trunk monkey does seem fitting for you.
Sorry for your misfortune though...
I see you are from NC...check out our Gatlinburg Ex rally...the info is at the top of the Ex forum or click the link in my sig...a bunch of Ex owners and some Super Duty guys are going to be gathering in Gatlinburg in July...we'd love to have you join us!
joe.
An aftermarket alarm or a trunk monkey does seem fitting for you.
Sorry for your misfortune though...
I see you are from NC...check out our Gatlinburg Ex rally...the info is at the top of the Ex forum or click the link in my sig...a bunch of Ex owners and some Super Duty guys are going to be gathering in Gatlinburg in July...we'd love to have you join us!
joe.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,440
Likes: 1
Hello folks,
My Excursion has been broken into three times in the last year. All three times it was parked in restaurant parking lots. The thugs have stolen my wallet once, my phone twice, and my GPS twice. All items were out of sight in the console between the front seats.
I have heard that the Ford door locks are vulnerable. The theives are apparently using a screwdriver on the lock cylinder and hitting it with a hammer to get some penetration into the cylinder itself. Once that is done I guess the assembly turns as if the key were in it, and the alarm (factory) doesn't activate.
My truck is in the body shop. I have been discussing with the manager the possibility of covering the front lock assemblies with covers like on the rear set of doors. The parts appear identical except the rear doors have no key access in the door handles.
If the battery dies in the truck or the keyfob...I could open the back doors and crawl through to unlock the truck. I was just wondering if deleting the keylock in the front doors would be enough of a deterrent for the bad guys to look for another target.
I would appreciate your input. Thanks, Bubba
My Excursion has been broken into three times in the last year. All three times it was parked in restaurant parking lots. The thugs have stolen my wallet once, my phone twice, and my GPS twice. All items were out of sight in the console between the front seats.
I have heard that the Ford door locks are vulnerable. The theives are apparently using a screwdriver on the lock cylinder and hitting it with a hammer to get some penetration into the cylinder itself. Once that is done I guess the assembly turns as if the key were in it, and the alarm (factory) doesn't activate.
My truck is in the body shop. I have been discussing with the manager the possibility of covering the front lock assemblies with covers like on the rear set of doors. The parts appear identical except the rear doors have no key access in the door handles.
If the battery dies in the truck or the keyfob...I could open the back doors and crawl through to unlock the truck. I was just wondering if deleting the keylock in the front doors would be enough of a deterrent for the bad guys to look for another target.
I would appreciate your input. Thanks, Bubba
You can do away with the front door handles with the lock cylinder and put the door handles from the rear on there like you mentioned, however when they broke into my Excursion the scumbag broke the handle fairly easily since they are made out of plastic.
What I would like to do is put some Jimmi Jammers which I will give the link to shortly and some solid aluminum door handles which I will also give a link to. To add to that it would probably be a good idea to install a good security system since the Excursions do not have a security system unless you got one installed as an accessorie from the dealership.
Heres my thread I statred when I got broken into.Heres the JimmiJammerThe brand thats makes the aluminum handles is T-Bilt, but the website I think is under construction.Once again sorry to hear about that and hope we can help
Andre
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
Sounds like you, if not all of us, need some sort of visual deterent (alarm sticker) or they'll continue trying to get in - doing damage whether or not they're successful.
Anyone know how to fake the look of a Bait Car? :-)
Anyone know how to fake the look of a Bait Car? :-)
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 152
Likes: 1
It sure is an easy target. They were in and out of my wife's Ex is a minute or less. She was not in the grocery store for very long at all. Fortunately there was nothing to steal of value.
Rather than claim on my insurance, I went to the Ford dealer and ordered the part for the rear door with no lock cylinder and installed it myself. There's instructions on the JimmiJammer website on how to do it. I took the locking rod out too, so the easy method is not there for them with my truck.
The only "concern" with doing this is that if your battery dies, the only way into the truck is through the rear hatch since it's the only key lock left.
Doug
Rather than claim on my insurance, I went to the Ford dealer and ordered the part for the rear door with no lock cylinder and installed it myself. There's instructions on the JimmiJammer website on how to do it. I took the locking rod out too, so the easy method is not there for them with my truck.
The only "concern" with doing this is that if your battery dies, the only way into the truck is through the rear hatch since it's the only key lock left.
Doug
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 909
Likes: 0
sorry about the truck.
just replacing the front doors with the rear style ones won't necessarily fix the problem. The handles on these trucks are also very easy to pop off completely, and then the thief can access the door that way. without needing a lock cylinder. The jimmi jammers will help that, but then there are always the windows...
just replacing the front doors with the rear style ones won't necessarily fix the problem. The handles on these trucks are also very easy to pop off completely, and then the thief can access the door that way. without needing a lock cylinder. The jimmi jammers will help that, but then there are always the windows...
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 4
Go to eBaY and search VARAD. They are cheap red LED alarm lights. They don't even have to be connected to an alarm. Just mount it where it can easily be seen from outside the Excursion and the bright flashing light will drive most criminals away.
See this.... eBay Motors: VARAD LL-RE SUPER BRIGHT RED FLASHING LED for ALARM (item 180228315275 end time Apr-05-08 00:45:09 PDT)
See this.... eBay Motors: VARAD LL-RE SUPER BRIGHT RED FLASHING LED for ALARM (item 180228315275 end time Apr-05-08 00:45:09 PDT)
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,199
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From: High Point, NC
I feel your pain... I got broke-in to back in Janurary.
I plan on adding a flashing red LED to the dash as VaSheriff suggested and when $$ becomes avail, adding an after market alarm
But that, unfortunately, will not stop them. My dad always said 'a lock is to keep an honest person, honest - if a thief really wants to get in, there is nothing you can do'. You can do all you want to the locks, they'll either just tear up the doors trying to get in or just start popping the glass.
My resolve is to keep fewer valuable in my truck.
It's a PITA and just burns me up, but in the end insurance will cover it (minus deductables and those are tax write-offs). You still loose in the end - but life goes on...
I plan on adding a flashing red LED to the dash as VaSheriff suggested and when $$ becomes avail, adding an after market alarm
But that, unfortunately, will not stop them. My dad always said 'a lock is to keep an honest person, honest - if a thief really wants to get in, there is nothing you can do'. You can do all you want to the locks, they'll either just tear up the doors trying to get in or just start popping the glass.
My resolve is to keep fewer valuable in my truck.
It's a PITA and just burns me up, but in the end insurance will cover it (minus deductables and those are tax write-offs). You still loose in the end - but life goes on...
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
Man that really sucks! If there is one thing for sure that I can really say I "hate" is a thief. Sounds like you need a trunk monkey....the one with the crowbar...that throws the thief off the bridge....yeah....thats it!!
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 3
JimmiJammer is effective, but you take the risk of a severely fubared up door around teh lock, or them breaking a window or god knows what else to get in. If tehy relaly wnat in they will get in.
I like the removal of the rod for the locks. Short of breakinga window they will not get in. Simple, cheap, effective. They are still gonna jam a screwdriver in your door though.
Get an alarm with a proximity sensor and a warn away, multiple sirens are a godo thing, bright LED warning lights are nice too. Keeps most of the petty thiefs away. You wont stop a true car thief, but really you cant stop them at all if their good.
I like the removal of the rod for the locks. Short of breakinga window they will not get in. Simple, cheap, effective. They are still gonna jam a screwdriver in your door though.
Get an alarm with a proximity sensor and a warn away, multiple sirens are a godo thing, bright LED warning lights are nice too. Keeps most of the petty thiefs away. You wont stop a true car thief, but really you cant stop them at all if their good.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 0
From: High Point, NC
Since I'm thinking about doing this - I'd be interested in seeing where you place it, and how you ran the wireing. Can you take some pics along the way and let me know any tricks you learned? Esp if you are pulling the dash - I've never done that before.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 284
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From: Simi Valley, CA
I sure will gonna try and do it this weekend Momma permitting
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,632
Likes: 4
drunk crackhead can't miss it flashing in his face.
