How to secure a Honda

[Trailer Trash 2]

I had to share this with the members.

This was on another web site on how another RVer named Openspaces out of San Deago secured his honda gen set. I found it very creative, simple and workable,
I would have used a diamond plate, insted of ply wood maybe Baltic birch ply instead.

on edit: But bere is how he did it in his words sorry I forgot to add to post it will help to understand better/


" wanted to try to find a way to secure my Honda generator when I was out boondocking. My thought was to use a method that would go unnoticed until the thief actually tried to lift the generator up and run off with it. Below is what I did with a link to a few photos with captions.

I took a piece of 1 inch plywood and also one of my kids ink pads (the kind you use for rubber stamps) I held the generator up in the air and had my DS blot the ink pad on the bottom of the rubber feet. I then carefully set the generator down on a piece of 1 inch thick pywood.

After lifting the generator back up I had nice marks to show where the feet were. I then used a carpenters level and drew X’s across the foot marks in an attempt to find the center of the hole. I drilled the board and bolted the generator down using longer bolts. I re-used the rubber feet in an attempt to keep any vibration\resonance to a minimum. I was concerned that this would make the mounting weak but there seems to be no adverse effect. The bolts are metric. 6 X 1.0 and I think they were 35 mm long (about 1.5 inch) You do not have to open the case as the bolt holes are threaded. I used a 10mm socket with a 1/4 inch ratchet and tightened until the feet were compressed about half way. Here's the link Link "

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1509...63335543sgDHMH

[DHenry]

Nice, I agree that diamond plate would be stronger.

[KTManiac]

I don't get it, ...so the guy runs off with your generator and a hunk of plywood?

[exav8tr]

Same here, where's the security in this????

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

Same here, where's the security in this????

Gotta move the truck first, or cut or break the plywood.

[exav8tr]

I guess I am slow or something. How does screwing a piece of plywood to the bottom of the Honda make it secure???

AH HA! The last picture says it all......

[HughM]

I'm with you Phil, Plywood?? Maybe if it was bolted to a 4X8 ft sheet of plywood.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

I guess I am slow or something. How does screwing a piece of plywood to the bottom of the Honda make it secure???

AH HA! The last picture says it all......

Maybe keeps the honest folks honest?

[KTManiac]

quote:Originally posted by SlickWillie

Maybe keeps the honest folks honest?

That is the sad honest truth, SlickWillie.

Here is a link to the album with all of the pictures >> Click Here

A couple of weeks ago I came up with two ways to walk off with a generator secured like this, quietly in probably less than a minute. Now, seeing that this one is wood, I can add "chainsaw" to the list if he is gone from camp and I can make some noise.

I guess there is no sure-fire way to thwart thieves if they want it bad enough and have the time/opportunity. The best you can hope for is to slow them down a little, make yours a PITA to run off with, and that they see easier pickin's at someone elses campsite.

[clutch]

Looks like a good idea, especially if he has steel strips holding it on the bottom side. You could put that under the landing gear or even under a trailer tire. A piece of 5/8 or 3/4 plywood with a metal strip on the bottom would work good. I like it.

[Art-n-Marge]

Gee, I have two generators (see my signature). I guess I would need a second piece of wood/steel plate, the second being a generators width longer so that both generators could be side by side and the truck tire would sit on both pieces with the generators sitting side by side. The only thing I would do is make the wood sheets long enough towards the center of the truck so that one couldn't use a bottle jack to raise the truck and slide the generator(s) out and steal them. Whaddya think?

Maybe I should just make room in the front storage cabinet of the Montana where a non-portable generator would normally be and lock it behind that real good lock in the door panel.... :-)

Wow. I never used to worry about it until I joined the MOC. I guess it's a good think I joined and found out. I haven't had to use the dual generators for boondocking, yet and now I might not ever try.

But the generators do currently get used for tire air, blowing other items up, electronic toys or for loaning to my brothers-in-law for their use. No regrets here.

Cheers,

[Bill and Ann]

I have 2 Hondas. I think if diamond plate was used to mount them side by side with room for the front jack to fit in the middle would be a secure setup.

[Art-n-Marge]

I am able to lift each Honda and transport them in the back of my truck now. I can lift each of the Hondas now being under 50 lbs each, but adding some plywood/diamond plate would make them heavier already. But if I fastened both units to the same plate then I don't think I could lift the combined units and the diamond plate at all.

Which front jack are you referring to? Do you mean the landing gear of the 5er as the means to provide the security weight?

This method using the TV as security can be defeated by a 6 ton (or less) bottle jack under the truck. I have been able to use a single 6 ton bottle jack to lift the whole front of the 5er so if someone tried to do this to steal both Hondas I suppose if I were in the trailer I'd feel that and POSSIBLY prevent the theft. That sounds promising.

This is also beginning to sound futile. Like what's been said before, if a thief really wants it, the thief will find a way to get it.