Storing emergency key February 10, 2021, 03:17:41 am My solution for my emergency key is to screw a key lock box on the inside of the propane compartment. This compartment can't be locked and there is a locked compartment behind it where I was able to put fender washers and nylock nuts to keep the screws through the lock box in place. I also made sure I got an extra copy of the ignition transponder key. The transponder can be programmed by the vehicle if you already have 2 working keys. If you wait until you need another key and don't have the original two, the price goes up exponentially. As it is, $50 for the key was the best price I could get with me doing the programming. 8 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #1 – February 10, 2021, 10:54:11 am Great Idea. Right now I have mine in a non locking magnetic key holder in the same location. I like your idea better.
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #2 – February 10, 2021, 01:37:31 pm I have found many “hidden” keys, usually in the propane compartment or under the rear bumper. The pros know this too.You need to hide the key in a better hidden site, make it invisible and somewhat difficult to access.Our spare key is wired to something, covered with duct tape, painted black and the splashed with mud. It looks like nothing.It”s not a great idea to publicize where you hide your key, just saying.Larry 10 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #3 – February 10, 2021, 01:46:25 pm I did order one of the key holders Linda referenced but her location won't work on the Mid-Bath. As Larry said, time to crawl under the LD again to find a super secret hiding place! 2 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #4 – February 11, 2021, 05:30:49 pm I've hide my spare key so well I forget were it is......glen 2 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #5 – February 11, 2021, 07:34:56 pm Not so secret hiding place for the key: underneath in the rear. But you still need the combination. The lockbox is available at Home Despot and other stores. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kidde-Slimline-2-Key-Lock-Box-with-Pushbutton-Lock-Titanium-001170/202935146I hide the key for the two front doors and ignition in this lock box, but you still need the combination (memorized) to get to the key. Also the motorhome is alarmed and an ignition interlock prevents the engine from being started. A complete set of keys is located inside the motorhome, but won't be found. Did I mention that my only car was stolen while I was in the Navy, and I had just completed a duty station change. I was most chagrined that the police thought sure that I had just missed a payment and the car had been repossesed. I owned it free and clear, it wasn't repossesed. It was recovered, actually before I noticed it missing, because of a trap I had left in it. The police database just hadn't caught up to realtime when I reported it. I had a broken leg and was on crutches too. Toughened targets is my motto. RonB
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #6 – February 11, 2021, 07:41:51 pm Just put it in the refer or propane bay, that way anyone can get in without messing up the door lock.
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #7 – February 11, 2021, 07:42:53 pm A picture of the lockbox with black plastic cover removed. RonB 1 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #8 – February 11, 2021, 08:30:37 pm Quote from: RonB - February 11, 2021, 07:42:53 pmA picture of the lockbox with black plastic cover removed. RonBIs it attached magnetically?
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #9 – February 11, 2021, 08:52:08 pm I hide the emergency key for the LD in a box attached to the Tow'd. If we are using the RV the tow vehicle is always present. I guess if someone stole the car we could be in trouble but who wants a Ford Fiesta?Randy 3 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #10 – February 12, 2021, 04:31:17 am Hi Greg. Magnets would fall off. I use stainless button head 1/4-20 allen screws. Red loctite, nuts inside the locked area. Button head filled with epoxy, spray painted black to look like a rivet head. RonB 3 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #11 – February 12, 2021, 11:27:12 am Quote from: RonB - February 11, 2021, 07:34:56 pmThe lockbox is available at Home Despot and other stores. The Home Depot LogoThe combination lock box looks quite strong and I’ll probably add one when my LD gets delivered, but they are not as secure as one might think. The flaw is in the way that the combination mechanism is implemented. If you look at the description and the customer reviews, you’ll see that no number in the combination may be repeated and the order of combination numbers doesn’t matter. So 1-2-3-4 combination is the same as 4-3-2-1.Being the gear head that I am, I ran the numbers on a 4-digit combination code. If there was no restriction on repeating numbers and order of numbers, then there would be a possible 10,000 combinations. By adding the no repeating number restriction, the number of possible combinations is reduced to 5,040. And by adding the fact that the code may be entered in any order, the number of possible combinations is further reduced to 210.Like I said, not as secure as you would think. But for me, the inconvenience of being locked out of the LD and the fact that thieves are lazy and would probably just move on, makes up for the security flaw and lack of possible combinations.- John
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #12 – February 12, 2021, 12:23:36 pm Thanks for that eye-opening analysis, John! I agree that 210 combinations are probably enough to deter a casual thief, but they are certainly not what I would have expected given a four-digit code. 1 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #13 – February 12, 2021, 12:39:45 pm Quote from: Andy Baird - February 12, 2021, 12:23:36 pmThanks for that eye-opening analysis, John! I agree that 210 combinations are probably enough to deter a casual thief, but they are certainly not what I would have expected given a four-digit code.Update: It turns out that the sweet spot is a 5-digit code, allowing for a possible 252 combinations.- John
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #14 – February 12, 2021, 12:42:26 pm Well I guess We fall in the same place as all of those here who put the spare door key in the propane compartment. We are also using the same lock box as other people here in this group. Prior to these covid times, our family members and friends who have traveled with us on various trips use our LD~MB has been the base camp. We have been able to give them the combo for door access incase we are not back before them. That was a simple access solution. I figure that bad actors will get in our LD if they want in and it won't be by a key. They will just come in by the escape hatch or a window. In our other RVs we have had in the past before we had the LD we use to hide a key really well but sometimes we would come back to our RV and find friends and family waiting out side. "-Did you check the hiding place" I would ask? "Yup! it's not there?" Well I guess we hid it too well! Karen~Liam 98 ~ MB NinA 2 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #15 – February 12, 2021, 12:47:27 pm We bought that same combo, Our cousin's also has the same one on her $800,000 condo! Karen~Liam 98 ~ MB NinA 1 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #16 – February 12, 2021, 12:48:17 pm Hi JohnR; Most of that security is being hidden out of sight, but accessible without a key or anything else. The only time I've used it; I had gotten out to look, backing up to get propane, and the door had swung shut, and I must have hit the electric lock button on the door, getting out. So there I am, engine running, cell phone in the motorhome, wife 20 miles away at work, and not dressed to be on a hot gas station asphalt lot, under a motorhome. Went under, retrieved the key, opened the driver door, and got my propane filled. When I bought a 2001 MB for a friend (2017), I was doing a check out and found the extra door key just inside the refrigerator access door. A cup hook on the outside wall. As Larry said, a common place to put it, and maybe one of the places a thief would look. Mine is accessible, but not as easily found as the picture might make it look. It is only the Ford door key/ignition key. All other duplicate keys are hidden/locked up inside the rig. Another secure place inside that I used to hide the removable radio front panel, was above the top pullout drawer in the kitchen. An easy to get to location, that isn't too obvious. RonB 1 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #17 – February 12, 2021, 04:36:38 pm It's trivally easy to 'guess' the code for those lock box type devices. This lock is better than the ones being shown in this thread, but the principle is the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RSXQsYYso4&ab_channel=LockPickingLawyerRich 2 Likes
Re: Storing emergency key Reply #18 – February 13, 2021, 11:51:00 pm Quote from: JohnR - February 12, 2021, 11:27:12 am But for me, the inconvenience of being locked out of the LD and the fact that thieves are lazy and would probably just move on, makes up for the security flaw and lack of possible combinations.- JohnThat is the exact reason I've done this. I need the extra key in case I do get locked out, but with enough security that it's not easily grabbed.
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