Alarm suggestions (for an electronics idiot please)?

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Hi, well, the 84 mighty max seems to be completely stock, haven't found any traces of previous alarms,and definitely the original radio, dash, etc.

Looking for ideas of an alarm system type that's basic as pie to install, but that actually makes some noise.

The thing isn't pretty at all, not one bit, but my neighbor's un-pretty older Toyota Tacoma had it's tailgate stolen about a year & a half ago... wasn't for a back-up camera since they didn't have them then.

Saw some vids on youtube of how fast & simple it is to steal a tailgate. The new-to-me truck does look like someone had put on some lame angle brackets screwed in to the inside of the gate & the bed sides at one point, pretty rusty now, and screw or 2 missing.

First worry is someone swiping the tailgate, 2nd is from reading pennyman's post about a key from one truck fitting into another truck. Egads!

Any ideas super appreciated & thanks!

[BradMph]

You can skip the alarm and install a fuel shut off if you have and electric fuel pump, lol. This would stop anyone from stealing your truck unless they like pushing it.
Radio Shack could have something basic for you or EBay. Try to get one that will shut off the fuel or ignition system and detects impacts with sensors, like a broken window or a parking lot hit. These sensors are about the size of a quarter and you glue them on the inside of panels on the truck. They are single wire sensors and can all be junction together to connect to system. If you can get one with a pager, this is very cool to have, buy that. Nothing like a silent alarm and sneaking up on someone with a baseball bat when messing with your truck. Keeping the truck clean inside is a great thing to do. Having Iphones, expensive speakers or stereos, etc etc attract the thief.

Whoever stole your neighbors tailgate also must live close by to pull something so stupid. My experience with thieves are that they live with in a very close radius and they watch your habits for the dirty deed. Use straight style door lock unlockers. This way no coat hangers will work very well lifting the door lock up and entering the truck.
A thief will usually get what he wants if he is desperate enough and isn't doing Meth in some alley.
(Looking out window, wheeew tailgate is still on truck)

[ragragtimetime]

tink...not sure if you read this:

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/3752-Low-tech-D-I-Y-anti-theft-immobiliser

did autobody....& usually a dent puller (typically the drivers side is accessed) is used to pull the entire door lock out from the door to twist & push the "interior hand lock" up...however if a (1st gen) door is locked & then a bolt (of your choice, about 4" long) is placed so to hold the interior handle in the open position the lock will not move up...so they will just smash the glass or go to the drivers side with the dent puller.

[pennyman1]

your truck is not the one hand remove type of tailgate like most other trucks - each hinge has 2 bolts, and the cables each have 1 - way too much work for a snatch and grab. Besides, there has to be a market to sell it quick - these trucks are too rare for that, so they will leave the gate alone. My 86 project truck was attempted to be stolen by some idiot from the PO by them tearing up the wiring under the hood to try to start it - all they did was make it impossible to start without rewiring the ignition back to stock. This is a totally bone stock truck, 2.0 5spd manual everything, but it has A/C. If you don't have an electric fuel pump, you can put a switch or relay inline with the thin wire to the starter solenoid - this will stop the starter from engaging the same way an alarm system does it, just mount the switch in a hidden location that you can reach while cranking the key to start.

[tink]

12435
So that's what it looks like when I got it, same on both sides. Somebody had put in a new connection for the cable that couldn't be unscrewed (like the top one could) AND someone had put in those funky bracket things atop that - but the cable where it attaches to the gate itself looks like:

12436

So I thought ok I don't get it? All that work at the top & the bottom just comes right off. Weird. I'd think someone would rather cut the cable anyway - but my first truck and I'm not a stealing person so what do I know?

haha on me because after reading Pennymans post I looked for hinges for the tailgate and I'll be darned, there's 2 heavy duty ones, lol, wow. Ok. That explains why the tailgate was still on the truck when I bought it. THOUGH the seller DID say that it didn't have a tailgate on it when he bought it, he had put that one on himself. Hmm. It looks like it was painted over w/black primer so I'm somewhat tempted to look for a VIN on the tailgate itself and make sure it wasn't ever stolen. Something about bad karma, even accidental, bugs me.

I didn't know how common it was for tailgates to be stolen until after I got the truck & remembered about the neighbors truck and got worried enough to search the internet. (btw, my neighbor's truck's still for sale & I think they're still asking $1750, if anyone's interested I can take pics --- but I know nothing about the truck, just too expensive for me to plop down 1750 so I didn't even look closely/ask about it) I think it's a toyota tacoma or maybe navajo or something... black small, canopy, no tailgate.

I don't exactly trust myself enough to mess with fuel lines, but I LOVE the idea of the pager. Not so much for when the truck is home of course, the dog is a fantastic pager already even though she's still a puppy. I'd like any thief to at least have to make some noise to get it. Won't say what I'd do if I caught 'em, lol, but they would definitely be sorry they tried.

Will have to look at a shut off for the electronic fuel pump (hoping I have one -- just not that far in to the truck yet). Going to fill it with oil today & see if she's still leaking from anywhere. Hoping to add her to the insurance policy today :D

[ragragtimetime]

"those funky bracket things atop" are the remnants of the "tailgate bump stop" (part number 4 in the following link):

http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_product=4521011&ukey_assembly=689440&ukey_make=1062&ukey_model=15508&ukey_driveline=7789&ukey_trimlevel=0&modelYear=1984


fyi - i have a set should you need them. or take the entire box assembly:

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/showthread.php/3537-free-1st-gen-box-assy

[tink]

Hmm okay so that's something I have to have a guy look at and explain for me because I don't get it *so embarrassed* Tailgate bump stop? I can see the diagram & #4 but my eyes are super bad even with reading glasses & expanding the image I'm not understanding what I'm missing on the truck. Will have one of the guys here look at that and tell me if I need it or not... Thank you for sharing that!! Will let you know :-)

[pennyman1]

the stop is a wedge looking piece that the metal bracket was molded over at one time. The bracket is now 90 degrees from where it was. I will try to get a pic of it on Geronimo to show you what it should look like.

[ragragtimetime]

http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=10162&d=1401376485

[tink]

Hmmm I see it! Jeez, now I'll have to go see what else is missing from the bed... probably need more things!

[pennyman1]

you beat me to it ragragtimetime...