patton
Member
First off, I've never owned a orange tractor. I have had Kubota engines in other products and have a lot of respect for them.
Anyway, I was reading the comments on Mark's dream tractor and though I would throw in my own 2 cents. I would crosspost this to the JD list but I assume that isn't allowed. I have a 1050 that I use on a family member's propery where there is a definite risk of it being stolen. The 1050 can be hotwired with a 3" piece of wire in a few seconds- There is no fuel cutoff solnoid. The key (common to all 1050's) is really only needed to use the lights, fuel gauge or idiot lamps.
I've delt with similar problems in the past with securing tools, buildings. and equipiment, so I had an idea what was available.
I purchased 8 feet of 3/8" square link security chain from McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com, PN 36015T3 on page 1180, $8.80/ft). The chain is secured with a Master Lock PN 6327 pro series padlock with 7/16 shrouded shackle ($29 from McMaster, PN 11345A25 on page 2596).
The chain is routed through the wheel, arround the ROPS and fender, through any inplement and locked back to the end. The chain can not be cut with a simple cutting torch, hacksaw, bolt cutters, or power saw. It can be cut with a lot of effort with a 4 1/2" grinder or an abrasive chop saw. The chain barely fits between the ears of the shackle guard, and is so tight that there is no room for a hacksaw to get to the shackle, much less a pair of bolt cutters. To steal the tractor would require a grinder and generator, or disasembling the implement, fender and ROPS (whose bolts are tack welded
)
My equipiment trailer has a pintle hitch, which rules out many thieves already. I use 5 feet or some of the same chain routed through the eye, until it is filled with chain. One would have to cut my lunette eye off (bolts are tack welded), and bolt on their own.
The master lock cylinder from this lock is used in a number of other pro series locks and can be master keyed or re keyed. It is a five pin cylinder and doesn't share keys with the cheap Walmart locks. Still the lock is the weak link. I came across some surplus S&G locks with Medeco cylinders ($50 each from Coleman's Surplus), that I will probally use after I have them keyed alike/
The chain is nearly top of the line but there are 3 better products out there: The same company makes a 7/16" square link chain, but I'm not aware of a US source. Abus (www.abus.com) makes 11 and 12mm hex chain for about twice the cost. The chain has a single oversized link that is used to pass over the other end of the chain. The lock is locked into this link. They have several padlocks with a shackle guard that is tighter than the Master locks to be used with this chain. I have a length of this chain, but it is too short to use with the tractor. It would work with a smaller tractor just fine. Cost of 6' of the 11mm chain with the super duty padlock is $225.
Pat
Anyway, I was reading the comments on Mark's dream tractor and though I would throw in my own 2 cents. I would crosspost this to the JD list but I assume that isn't allowed. I have a 1050 that I use on a family member's propery where there is a definite risk of it being stolen. The 1050 can be hotwired with a 3" piece of wire in a few seconds- There is no fuel cutoff solnoid. The key (common to all 1050's) is really only needed to use the lights, fuel gauge or idiot lamps.
I've delt with similar problems in the past with securing tools, buildings. and equipiment, so I had an idea what was available.
I purchased 8 feet of 3/8" square link security chain from McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com, PN 36015T3 on page 1180, $8.80/ft). The chain is secured with a Master Lock PN 6327 pro series padlock with 7/16 shrouded shackle ($29 from McMaster, PN 11345A25 on page 2596).
The chain is routed through the wheel, arround the ROPS and fender, through any inplement and locked back to the end. The chain can not be cut with a simple cutting torch, hacksaw, bolt cutters, or power saw. It can be cut with a lot of effort with a 4 1/2" grinder or an abrasive chop saw. The chain barely fits between the ears of the shackle guard, and is so tight that there is no room for a hacksaw to get to the shackle, much less a pair of bolt cutters. To steal the tractor would require a grinder and generator, or disasembling the implement, fender and ROPS (whose bolts are tack welded
)My equipiment trailer has a pintle hitch, which rules out many thieves already. I use 5 feet or some of the same chain routed through the eye, until it is filled with chain. One would have to cut my lunette eye off (bolts are tack welded), and bolt on their own.
The master lock cylinder from this lock is used in a number of other pro series locks and can be master keyed or re keyed. It is a five pin cylinder and doesn't share keys with the cheap Walmart locks. Still the lock is the weak link. I came across some surplus S&G locks with Medeco cylinders ($50 each from Coleman's Surplus), that I will probally use after I have them keyed alike/
The chain is nearly top of the line but there are 3 better products out there: The same company makes a 7/16" square link chain, but I'm not aware of a US source. Abus (www.abus.com) makes 11 and 12mm hex chain for about twice the cost. The chain has a single oversized link that is used to pass over the other end of the chain. The lock is locked into this link. They have several padlocks with a shackle guard that is tighter than the Master locks to be used with this chain. I have a length of this chain, but it is too short to use with the tractor. It would work with a smaller tractor just fine. Cost of 6' of the 11mm chain with the super duty padlock is $225.
Pat
