Hi,

Went to buy a steering wheel "Club" for my Lightning. The guy at the auto parts store said "save your money". Explaining that Pros can work around the "Club". He recommended a brake lock as the only true (reasonably priced) physical deterrant. He said his store does not carry them, but they can be purchased off the net.

Is anybody familiar with this and can you give any suggestions, which one is best? Living in South Florida, everyone has the alarms and no one pays any attention to it when they go off. I can't even go out to dinner without having to get a seat near a window where I can keep an eye on my Lightning. Thanks

 

I bought one last year off the net and love it. It goes over the the brake bar and prevents anyone from working the brake so that they can get it out of park. I have used the Club for years and thought it was the thing to have till I saw how some bad guys were able to pry the Club off in a matter of seconds. Being a police officer for the last 21 years, I have often been asked which security device I thought was the best. So far, I believe the brake lock is about the best. Haven't seen one pryed off yet. I wish I could remember where I got it off the web, but it's called "Autolock". Works for me...Gary

 

Gary, Found it. Autolock Pro. I assume the standard size #1640 fits the Lightning. Thanks for your help. Ken

 

I believe the that's the size. One thing I forgot to mention. If anyone wants your L. bad enough, I suppose they will get it. I'm just not sure how they would get this one off without a lot of trouble and time....Gary

 

I had a brake lock, and got my money back.
If you pull down on the top of it (opposite from the floor) it will rotate enough, that you can depress the brake pedal, and also get the vehicle into drive. So, I felt it was more of a gimmick, than actually effective.

 

With all the cordless 18V Saws these days, they could saw through the brake pedal just as fast as the steering wheel. The only thing that is effective about all of these deterrent systems is just that... Deterrents. If you make it difficult enough for a thief, chances are he will just move on. Time and place are the biggest factors in any kind of theft. They would have to want it pretty bad with the factory alarm going off, to have there butts hanging out of the drivers side of your car for 2 or 3 min messing with a theft deterrent system (of any kind). They all work for what they were deigned to do, PREVENT theft.

 

Well, I just had to go outside to my L. and try to recreate what you said about the brake lock. I pulled the bar as far as I could to the rear to make sure I had it locked good. I even tried by putting the autolock up side down. I admitt that you can turn it slightly to the side, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn'r turn it enough to get the brake to let me get it out of park. I'm not saying you can't get it to do that, but without braking the lock, I couldn't. I still like it better than the Club, especially after I saw a demo where a guy and a bar snapped the club off in less than 5 seconds. And like I said before, if they want it, they will get it.
Here is another little helpful hint...If you can, back your truck into a parking space because if someone wants to hook it and run, they will be pulling it with the rear weels locked and use the parking brake..

 

I couldn't have said it better...Thanks

 

I didn't have the same luck. You might want to mess with it a little more just to be sure. I read that the passive anti-theft in these trucks disables the spark, fuel and starter which requires a thief tow the truck away.
I hope that's true, and it can't be hotwired.

 

Unless the theif has the correct key with the right microchip the truck absolutely will not start.

I also added a hidden fuel pump shutoff switch, I can see getting jumped in a dark parking lot, someone grabbing my keys and trying to run off with the truck. What a surprise when it doesn't start.