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Van Purchase

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:52 am
by chieflittlehorse
I recently purchases a 2005 Chevy Astro Cargo Van, can anyone with a locksmith van give me some advice on some essentials.

I'm thinking a bench, vise, pin kit, etc.

Any help will be appreciated.

It's empty now but I need to fix a few door locks and then secure it.

Any advice on protecting the van will also be appreciated.

Thank you guys!

ClH!

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:01 am
by GWiens2001
Get the puck locks and proper hasps for the puck locks. A metal cage inside the glass in the back is a good idea. Very dark tint (if legal in your area) for all the back windows so criminals can't see what is inside can help, too.

Gordon

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:07 am
by mdc5150

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:45 pm
by Altashot
For some ideas, here's my van, also a 2005 but a GMC safari, which is really the same thing.

The driver's door without the pucklock.
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The passenger and sliding door locked at once.
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A view from the back doors. The long side of the van. Fire extinguisher is mandatory. Notice the recessed light above the key machine. The drawers beneath the key machine are full of key blanks.
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The same long side seen from the side door, the key machine is just on my right (not seen in picture.) The other drawers are for small locks and parts.
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the short side, my work bench. LAB pin kit, number and letter stamps behind it, vise, a pencil holder to keep my follower, tweezers, tru-arc pliers...Another recessed light (only the glow is seen.)
The drawers are to keep other small tools and parts.
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Another view of my work bench. I sit on an inverted soda crate that I often use to carry things in to a job site, dual purpose.
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The way it looks as I enter from the sliding door. Tool case on the left and one on the floor to the right (only the top can be seen, it's blue.) at the tip of my gloves on the right is a first aid kit, also mandatory.
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It is alarmed with a 2 way alarm and has a remote starter that I had professionally installed. All windows have wire mesh, except the front and are lightly tinted. The tint from outside is like a mirror but seems almost clear from inside.
It's carpeted to deaden road noise and it helps with insulating it. The walls and roof are also insulated. it gets cold in the winter here and hot in the summer, so AC is also used and blown to the back with a small 12 volt fan in the front.
110 volt power is supply by an inverter connected to it's own battery. it is isolated from the main starter battery so that I never drain my main but both charge from the alternator.

These pictures are from a couple years ago, since then I added more to it but this should give you a good idea of how to set yours up.

M.

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:48 pm
by tpark
Altashot wrote:For some ideas, here's my van, also a 2005 but a GMC safari, which is really the same thing.
(tons of great photos deleted)
It is alarmed with a 2 way alarm and has a remote starter that I had professionally installed. All windows have wire mesh, except the front and are lightly tinted. The tint from outside is like a mirror but seems almost clear from inside.
It's carpeted to deaden road noise and it helps with insulating it. The walls and roof are also insulated. it gets cold in the winter here and hot in the summer, so AC is also used and blown to the back with a small 12 volt fan in the front.
110 volt power is supply by an inverter connected to it's own battery. it is isolated from the main starter battery so that I never drain my main but both charge from the alternator.

These pictures are from a couple years ago, since then I added more to it but this should give you a good idea of how to set yours up.

M.


This looks like a great setup - I do have some questions though.
What do you think of the idea of having a propane RV heater in the vehicle? Do you use a regular battery for your to run your key equipment (this might be workable since you have to drive to the site, so the battery is always getting recharged)? Do you need a heavy duty alternator in the vehicle?
Do you use an in car GPS to navigate to your customer sites?

Thanks for sharing this - I'm sure there are mods to your vehicle that make the whole locksmithing thing much better.

--Ted

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:52 am
by Altashot
My van came equipped with a rear heater, so RV heater is not necessary. I guess you could use one but the propane tank would not allow you to park inside parkades or garages.
besides, it's not really something you'd want to mess with to re-key 3-4 locks...When I'm working inside and it gets too cold, I just start it with my remote. once it's warm, I shut it off.
Same in summer when it's too hot. For batteries, I use a standard 750 amps for the motor and a deep cycle 1000 amp for the accessories. I never needed to replace any factory alternators. The rear suspension however has been upgraded
to handle the extra weight.
I never used a GPS, I know my city very well and with the streets and avenues system it's easy to get around, but when I'm unsure, I google it before I go or I pull over and use an old plain paper map.
For out of town trips, I study the map first then go! I'm kind of old school, I'm just not fond of these electronic gadgets, I find that they dull the mind. I prefer using my own built-in computer,
the one firmly planted on my shoulders. Like a muscle, I keep it trained so it doesn't wither away.

M.

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:37 am
by Papa Gleb
altashot, set up looks great but I have a question which others can chime in on: What or How does the van work security wise if your in the back. Lets say your in the back working while the van is running and someone passing by sees a running van and decides to take it but you are stuck in the back leaving the entire from on reachable. Are there van controls in the cage?

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:03 am
by Malekal
Papa Gleb wrote:altashot, set up looks great but I have a question which others can chime in on: What or How does the van work security wise if your in the back. Lets say your in the back working while the van is running and someone passing by sees a running van and decides to take it but you are stuck in the back leaving the entire from on reachable. Are there van controls in the cage?


Lol good question there! Always remove the key from the ignition!

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 12:38 pm
by Papa Gleb
But what if its 100+ degrees outside, think that can easily go up to 110 in a closed door van with a man working or the other side of the coin being below freezing? I know myself that working in freezing temps is extremely difficult especially with tiny parts when your fingers dont want to function normally due to the cold.

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 4:44 pm
by jeffmoss26
My only advice would be to keep it clean and organized. We have 2 trucks at work, one of them you could eat off the floor...the other you can't even SEE the floor :P

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 8:41 pm
by Altashot
When I get to a job site, I always turn it off and remove the key from the ignition switch. Often when working in the back, if the weather allows, I leave the side door opened.
Day light is still the best light. When it's too cold or too hot, I close it and used the heating/cooling system. the way I do this is by the means of my remote starter, I always have the remote on my belt.
Therefore, I can start and shut off the motor remotely without having the ignition switch turned on, hence, no key in there. I also had my alarm system set up so that when I start the motor, the doors lock automatically
and when I turn it off, the doors remain locked. The only thing is that I have to remember to unlock my doors with the remote before I exit or the alarm goes off. The only van control I have in the cage is my remote.
In the unlikely event that someone enters the front while I'm in the back, I would shut it off or press the panic button which shuts it off, sets off the alarm and locks all doors.

Keeping it clean is a must too. It's part of the job to clean up after you are done, in the client's house/office/shop AND in your van.
I know from experience that if I leave one thing on the floor, it seems to act like a magnet for other. Then it's 2 things on the floor then 3, then 5...
At that point I don't give a sh*t anymore and the van turns into a dump. It's a lot easier to spend 3 to 5 minutes after every job than it is to spend 2 hours later.
I even book 1 morning every month to do van service. Clean up, restock, clean glass, vacuum...Well worth it.

M.

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 8:05 am
by tpark
Thanks for your van setup info. The remote that I have for the highlander shuts the car off if you step on the brake - the vehicle can't go anywhere, it's just that the motor is running.
The side windows on the highlander were tinted when we bought it, and the dealer said it was Ok. At a traffic stop (the police were checking to make sure people weren't rolling through a local stop sign) she got a ticket for tinted side windows - the dealer was good about it, they paid the ticket and removed the side tinting for free.

--Ted.

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 6:34 pm
by DIY Dave
GWiens2001 wrote:Get the puck locks and proper hasps for the puck locks. A metal cage inside the glass in the back is a good idea. Very dark tint (if legal in your area) for all the back windows so criminals can't see what is inside can help, too.

Gordon


Ditto

Puck locks and window cages are necessary, along with with a partition between the front and back (for break ins and also for safety in a wreck). I only use American A2000 series locks and not A2500 series, I've had too many fall off. The A2500 locks will feel like they're latched in, but then they come off when your driving. Make sure you install them with the key cylinder facing the rear of the van, or it will fill up with snow and ice in the winter while you're driving (if that applies in your area). Hide any power tools, thieves love dewalt haha.

I only use the van battery for the inverter, but I start my van when I'm cutting very many keys. I have a fan hanging on my partition to move the Heat and AC to the back of the van. It also doubles as a reminder to turn off my inverter if I forget it on.

A fire extinguisher is important, spend $20 and prevent $1000s in damage. First aid kits are nice too.

Unfortunately, management at the shop I work for had to learn every single one of those the hard way...

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2016 7:10 pm
by selim
Very nice set up Altashot, I like the stuff you have in a your van, around here the wire on the window's and padlock pucks on the doors just make people want to get into it when your not there. I'm low profile with stuff like that on my truck. But there is an NRA sticker on it, and some people know me around here

Re: Van Purchase

PostPosted: Fri Aug 05, 2016 12:28 am
by chieflittlehorse
Nice set up you got there.

I just finished paying my friend the last $800 for the van, just go to take pink slip to DMV.

He still has to fix the rear and passenger door locks and he's going to look for a partition for me.

I can order the hasps and padlocks thru my boss and then I'll start looking for a remote start alarm with a kill switch.

Thanks for all the info and photos.

CLH!