The so called "safe" under the bed..... - Montana Owners Club

KTManiac · 03-02-2009, 10:09 PM

So the wife and I were sitting in the Montana out in the driveway today, and she was asking about modifications that I had in mind for our unit. I'm smack in the middle of checking all the wiring for tight connections and have the basement walls off, but that is a different story.

So I start going through the ones that I can think of off the top of my head, ...Dirt Devil central vac, storage under the fridge, and some others. I get to the one about extra storage under the bed, and said, "Hey, since we're sitting here, lets go look at what is under there.". "Hold up the mattress while I take these two screws out of the plywood here." Well, one screw was driven completely through the plywood, so it wasn't holding anything down, and I unscrewed the other one. Then, I'm thinking, how am I going to lift the plywood out. Bright idea! Open the "Safe", and use it to hold onto and lift the sheet of plywood up.

I kid you not, with less than five pounds of force, the "Safe" popped off of the plywood and I'm kneeling there on the floor with the safe in my hand!!!

WTH?! It is just held on there with two wood screws, and evidently, the guy that installed mine, over tightened and stripped them out. So, that gets me thinking. Even if the screws weren't stripped, a thief could use a screwdriver or some other lever, and just jam it under the edge of it and have the whole thing removed in seconds and in their swag bag.

It really should have at least four 5/16" carriage bolts with fender washers coming up from underneath, with washers and nuts on the inside of the safe. Rigged up this way, at least they would have to work at it to get anywhere with it. Why make it easy for them?

That said, I wouldn't keep anything of much value in that safe in the first place. It is great for things like the trailer registration and insurance card, spare ammo, things I don't want the grand kids getting ahold of, etc.

I have also thought about relocating it somewhere else, like on top of the kitchen cabinets and camo it with some fake ivy decorator plants. Any ideas for other places?

Bill-N-Donna · 03-02-2009, 10:33 PM

I like where ours is located inside a step. I didn’t have any idea that it was there until the sales person showed it to us. It wouldn’t be difficult for anyone to figure it out though. I don’t really use it for anything but the step makes a nice storage area. When we bought it the sales person left a wad of play money in the safe for the grand-daughter. I thought that was a nice gesture.

richfaa · 03-03-2009, 02:08 AM

Ours is in the garage at home. The "safe" and its installation are a joke.. We purchased a small hand gun safe For things like passports, etc They are fireproof and is a real safe. The problem is finding a place in the camper to securely install it and not be able to rip it out with a light screw driver.

jimcol · 03-03-2009, 02:10 AM

Play money in a play safe. Now that salesman understood the value of what he is selling. It is just a convienent place to keep things. Not a safe place.

DarMar · 03-03-2009, 02:23 AM

Put something in the safe with a little value that you WANT the thief to take and then promptly leave say $100.00 cash. Well worth the money if that's all they take!

Waynem · 03-03-2009, 04:14 AM

We never used the safe in the lift up bed, but did use the "hidden" compartments (two of them)

simonsrf · 03-03-2009, 09:00 AM

Hidden compartments?...and safes?

Darn! Now everyone knows!

Have to find a Dodge "Brinks" truck to haul the Monte.

KTManiac · 03-03-2009, 09:44 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

.... We purchased a small hand gun safe For things like passports, etc They are fireproof and is a real safe. The problem is finding a place in the camper to securely install it and not be able to rip it out with a light screw driver.

I was thinking about doing that as well. What kind did you get?

If you installed it on the floor in a closet, with a steel backing plate on the underside of the floor, you could make it pretty much theft proof. One way to maximize the theft prevention is to place it in an awkward space where it is difficult to get any sort of leverage on it. That said, finding a perfect spot like that is way more difficult in a 5th wheel than it is in a house.

I think that I will have a better idea of where to put a real safe, and find some good secret hidey-holes, once we get to spend some time in the 5er ....If it ever quits raining, freezing, and snowing!

indy roadrunner · 03-03-2009, 10:44 AM

I agree Robbie, now everyone knows where all my extra money is hidden. Now I have to find another hidding place for my 26 cents. I think I will place it in the toe of my shoe. If they can stand the smell they can have it.

richfaa · 03-03-2009, 11:39 AM

KTManiac....."If you installed it on the floor in a closet, with a steel backing plate on the underside of the floor, you could make it pretty much theft proof. One way to maximize the theft prevention is to place it in an awkward space where it is difficult to get any sort of leverage on it." That would work..... The brand name is " Sportslock" It is 10 inches deep, 14 inches wide and inches 10 high, . I do not know the cost as it was a gift from my SIL.

bsmeaton · 03-03-2009, 12:47 PM

Our 2003 had a recessed one in the forward closet. I believe it was side bolted to the frame. We made the mistake of putting Dory's earings in there one trip and they fell through the factory bolt holes in the bottom of the safe. I had to take down the belly pan by the hitch to find them. They were laying on the batt insulation.

I had always thought of mounting one of those Hotel type in the basement somewhere that I could access through the laundry chute - something to slide a laptop and camera into. They are about $350.

richfaa · 03-03-2009, 01:26 PM

Our primary concern was not protecting valuables(family jewels( as we have none and a dedicated thief could rip a safe out. Our concern was to protect important papers such as insurance policies, passports, birth certificates, etc in the event of a fire. My choice of a safe would be one that would provide some protection against the heat of a fire

HughM · 03-03-2009, 02:19 PM

We had a safe installed in a DP and had it bolted to the coach frame under the bed. The round head carriage bolts went up from the bottom and the nuts (2 on each bolt--doubled nutted) were inside the safe. If they found the safe (most likely) they could not unbolt it from the bottom and would have to get inside of the safe to loosen the double nuts. They would have to get a cutting torch to cut the bolts from the bottom.
Worked for us. However YMMV.
Hugh

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