Generator Lock

[marininn]

I am searching for ways others have secured their generator, specifically when mounted to a receiver hitch tray.
I made my tray, but have only come up with a slightly complicated way to lock it on, one that is hard for thieves to get to…
Currently my idea is a 2 inch flat metal stock bent over and around the generator and continue under. A hole in each end for a solid pipe to run through and padlock that to tray.
I am afraid a chain is too common a thing for thieves, so looking for unconventional.
I have a Ryobi 2200 inverter and there is nothing to loop through with a chain. The handle can be easily unscrewed so do not count.

Generator is on front receiver hitch, and a long cord ran to camper. Noise free inside camper yet still attached for driving… I am not always with vehicle, and sometimes parked in cities.

[nayther]

how about an alarm:

alarm

[Anthony_C]

If the greater has rubber feet like mine did you can take them off and use the screw holes to mount the generator to you tray. Not sure what yours looks like but you could give it a try.

[JimK-NY]

A bike chain is certainly worth consideration but as mentioned these can be cut often easily. Torklift makes anti theft brackets, Anyone with a welder should be able to make something suitable.

[jodeb720]

on my Honda 2000, I have 1/8" straps welded to a bottom tray. They come up on the sides and stop about the height of the handle.

There's a hole in the center of the strap - and a pipe runs through the straps with a padlock on one end and a large metal ring on the other.

It's still strapped to the metal tray.

[westend]

Fasten the generator to the mounting frame with U-bolts. File off the points on one facet of the hex nut used to tighten the u-bolts. Make sure you have the correct size 6 point socket to loosen the U-bolts, should it be necessary. Thieves are masters of opportunity so will leave if a twelve point socket is used or if getting access to the connectors is a problem. Make it a problem.

[fncampn]

mobeewan wrote:
You might contact
lowprolockdown.com and see if they might be working on a design for Ryobi generators. So far they have designs for 3 different Honda's, a Yamaha and a Champion. Basically they use a mounting plate that uses the holes for the foot pads bolts. The plate fits into a frame and uses a round Master padlock that fits into a shielded recess to lock down the generator.

This is the route I went. I adapted a Predator 3500 inverter generator to a Honda 3000 LowPro Lockdown plate using 1" square tubing and 1" rubber vibration isolators. I used carriage bolts (rounded head) for all attachments which bolt through the tray the plate locks on to. There is no way to loosen the bolts without removing the tray.

I mounted the generator/tray combo to the rear of my TT directly on the bumper using Mount and Lock tray brackets. Yes the bumper has been reinforced with 1 1/2" square tubing bolted to the frame so the mounting is quite durable and stable.

[Bumpyroad]

the harbor freight one I saw looked to me to be much more massive than this one.
bumpy

[Ralph_Cramden]

marininn wrote:

I had a bicycle locked with a braided cable like this. Very very easy to cut through, any homie will know how to do this in seconds and probably has the tool in their pocket. Very insecure, I'd advise getting a big chain instead.

You did not have the right type of cable but evidently some small diameter piece of junk. No homey is going to pull something from his pocket and in 3 seconds cut through something such as



which is going to take homey quite a while to gnaw through no matter what tool he is carrying in his pocket even if its a 4' long pair of bolt cutters which will go through a large drag chain in about 2 seconds if he's a big homey.

Now if you're talking about something like this, then homey can probably gnaw through it in 30 seconds or so with a pair of good linesman's pliers.

[jjrbus]

I have my Honda 2000 in a "truck box" aluminum box, set up to run in the box and can run when driving if I want to.

The box is bolted to the rear frame of the RV and has a pad lock, would not be hard to steel but not for the snatch and run type. Box does not look like it has a generator in it.

[Optimistic_Para]

You know, some people buy a metal truck box and bolt it to their cargo carrier, then lock the generator in it. Protects it from the weather, and if thieves can't see the genny, they won't know it's there to steal it.

A box like this is not cheap, but you can think of it as a lifetime investment. Or you might be able to find a used one on Craigslist.

Some people even modify boxes like this to run the genny inside it. You can find YouTube videos showing this if you search.

Here's one example:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200620936_200620936

[Bumpyroad]

harbor freight sells ($17.95IIRC) a massive chain/lock that would take a torch to cut thru.
bumpy

[MrWizard]

Had some idiots try to steal a Honda moped once about ten years ago
Guess they didn't see the big chain and locks
They cut the a hold down strap with a knife
The 'SPRONG'sound and vibration was enough to send me and the dog flying out the door and they took off running
I replaced the strap the next morning, before moving out
They had only cut the first one, of four straps

[marininn]

SidecarFlip wrote:
I use one of those motorcycle cable locks with a pin tumbler (round key). It's vinyl covered cable and don't rattle and it's weather proof too. I figure if a thief wants it bad enough and I'm not around, it's gone (it's insured anyway) but the cable lock takes some sawing to get through. Most thieves don't have the time (or the tools) to cut it.

I had a bicycle locked with a braided cable like this. Very very easy to cut through, any homie will know how to do this in seconds and probably has the tool in their pocket. Very insecure, I'd advise getting a big chain instead. Very very easy to cut these cables, very easy, can I emphasize that enough? I caught the home boy. I was in camper and he cut cable easy, but the bike rack had other stabilizer things he could not see at night and it shook the camper when he thought he was taking off. I told him to get out before I did something to land ME in jail…

I have seen the Lowpro lockdown, nice, but half the price of the generator to begin with….and I already made my tray. If it was Ryobi I'd consider it. thanks.
I found the Nomadic video, will watch later…

I thought about getting one of those car wheel lug bolts with the security head and, with some likely welding involved, bolt the engine block to the rack somehow, but looking for easier solution…

Insurance? Yes, have it, no, don't want to make a claim on a $500 thing and risk rate increases, insurance is for big stuff in my mind… Also, $500 deductible.

[valhalla360]

If it looks like it's secured, that will address 95% of the problem. Most casual thieves will look for easy to steal items and pass by something that looks difficult.

You also benefit from owning an off brand. That's less desirable than the name brand generators...but even then not sure how big the market is for stolen small generators anyway.

Far more likely would be to steal the whole truck and then part it out...at a chop shop, they will have no issue cutting the generator free of just about anything you come up with.