my tale of woe !!!! - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

bugs · 01-31-2010, 00:23

upon looking at the web site this morning, to look and see about any ideas for my newly accquisitioned s280 shelter....soon to be motel on wheels, i decided to go to my supposedly gated ,secured,and survailance camera equipped storage yard to plan out some ideas to mount bunks etc. after tinkering (and a lot of electrical conduit removing) i decided to start her up to charge batterys and to my surprise nothing!!!!!!!!! i decided check the connection and BAM!!! I found an open battery door, two cut battery cables and no battery box or batterys! the truck sits against the curb near the fence so the passenger side is not visible from the rest of the yard. i hope the low life SOB got a hernia running off with them. any ideas how to lock the door without looking like bubba got in there with a cleaver? did the military have a lock application for the stoage and batt. doors? thanks

jwaller · 01-31-2010, 01:52

ya. it consists of a padlock type setup. but honestly it's not going to stop anybody who is motivated and has all the time in the world.

roscoe · 01-31-2010, 03:14

That sucks. A couple of mean dogs maybee. Razor wire. Or take the batteries out.

NRG · 01-31-2010, 03:23

What the....? Someone ran off with your batteries? wow.... never heard of that before. Were they some kinda expensive optima ones or something? That sucks dude. Sorry about the theft.

This has got me thinking now.... i'm going to check into locking up both of my side compartments on the truck.

baxter · 01-31-2010, 03:36

That just goes to show you some people will steal anything. If there is one thing I hate its a thief.

srodocker · 01-31-2010, 06:35

wow sorry to hear that

wreckerman893 · 01-31-2010, 11:29

Is it your yard or are you paying for secure storage.

If you are paying for secure storage then the facility owes you two batteries and damages to your vehicle (I don't care how many signs they have that say "Not responsible for damages or theft").

It might even be an "inside job".

Would it be worth hiring a lawyer for........you are the victim...you decide.

If they are taking your money for secure storage that is what you should get.

The lowlifes did their homework and knew they would not be on a tape. Could be that they have stolen from there before.......file a police report and see if others have been victims there also.

As far as securing OVM and battery boxes you can use a lock and hasp. PM magazine has had articles in the past about the mods.

As stated above, nothing will stop a determined dirtbag but slowing them down can't hurt.....they are usually looking for a target of opportunity.

jimm1009 · 01-31-2010, 11:40

That truely sucks!

I say put 50,000 volts on it and next time you'll find their charred skeleton still nearby but other than that I would definetly ask for the security footage if it is in a storage for hire facility.

Let us know how things turn out.
On a side note, I did see someone here in the Classified section with a battery box for sale.
I purchased a battery at Wally World two years ago for $75 that fit just fine and has a higher cranking amp rating than the OEM military batttery.

Cables while a small hassle are easy to have made. A good quality welding shop will have fine strand welding cable that works really well as replacements and you can get the ring terminals swaged on there or do it your self with the right tool. Don't scimp on the swage as this is where the problems start if not done correctly.
We can help you with the sizes and lengths if you need.

Did I say that SUCKS!?

I hope he is soon to be infested with the fleas of a thousand camels!

jimm1009

poppop · 01-31-2010, 11:57

I make all my own battery cables but I have a hydralic hose crimper. Get the heavy battery ends, coat cable with die-electric grease and squeeze it tight. Have never had one come loose yet. I also like the stainless steel stud post batterys. Most common theives will have no use for them unless they have a sale for them.

mckeeranger · 01-31-2010, 13:22

On the lock issue: None of our battery boxes lock but all of our tool boxes do.

We have 3 trucks and 3 different ways of locking the tool box. The first picture is the M817. It is a factory hasp that is welded to the box and passes through a hole in the door. This is the behind cab box, but the one on the running board is the same.

The second picture is one of our M35s. Someone has made a hasp similar to the 5-ton out of a chain link. The idea was sound, but the quality stinks. I guess it works OK though.

Added note:
What I mean about quality is; you can't tell in the picture, but it looks like someone just blew a hole in the door with a blue wrench. The welding on the chain link also looks like crap.

The third picture is our other M35. It is simply a hole on each side of the latch for a lock to pass through. I think the lock is supposed to pass through both, but the lock I use won't do it. You still can't get the latch up with the lock on it, so it's OK.

The last picture is of the same truck, but it shows a chain welded to the side of the box. I guess you can use one of the holes on each side of the latch, and padlock the door to the chain.

I don't think the last 2 will work on the battery box, because the fuel tank is to close. The hasp passing through the door looks like the best bet to me. I like it enough that I've been thinking about modding all our trucks to be like the 5-ton. I'll cut rectangular holes in the doors and use a piece of flat stock for the hasp. Basically what someone did with the chain link, but a lot better looking.

Now you have me thinking about doing it to the battery boxes as well.