Purchasing a new truck is a major investment in which many people take significant pride, an emblem of style, success, and stability. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to customize your truck with the latest security features to protect that which you have worked so hard to attain.
What are the best customizations for truck security? The best pickup truck customizations for security will provide alerts against theft and vandalism as well as give the vehicle increased performance in treacherous highway and off-road conditions.
The number of truck customizations available is rather extensive, so it is important for you to understand which ones will be most beneficial for the area in which you live and what kind of purposes you use your truck for. While some may seem expensive, the peace of mind obtained from a more secure vehicle can more than compensate for the dollars shelled out.
Truck Security for Theft & Vandalism
Truck security can be broken down into two categories: security from theft and vandalism, and security for hazardous driving conditions.
In terms of protection against theft and vandalism, there are several security measures that can pay for themselves in saved insurance costs. Even if you have full comprehensive coverage on your vehicle, the deductible alone can be a hefty expense. If you can prevent a crime before it happens, the security measure will be worthwhile.
Let’s look at some of the most effective security measures to help prevent theft and vandalism.
Alarms
When looking into truck security, an alarm system is the first place that many owners will look. An alarm will send the owner a signal or issue an alert any time forcible or suspicious entry is detected in the vehicle.
While it may not be able to stop a vandal from bashing in your truck’s windows, an alarm system is a superior option for protecting valuable items in the truck’s interior. This is especially the case if your truck is equipped with expensive, after-market customizations such as speakers and sound systems. An alarm system will also limit the amount of time thieves have to steal your stuff.
There are many outstanding car alarm systems on the market that can help give you peace of mind anytime you need to lock your valuable interior up and be away for a while, including the following:
- SAFETYON Keyless Entry System – This is a superior alarm that has a 33-yard transmitter range, providing wide-range theft detection. It replaces standard vehicle door locks and uses a combination of keyless entry and deadbolt features, making breaking into your truck almost like breaking into a bank for would-be thieves.
- CarLock Advanced Real-Time Car Tracker & Alert System – This is a smartphone-based system that connects to your car’s OBD2 system. This system sends direct notifications directly to your smartphone any time the OBD2 system detects any unusual tampering or vibrations within the unit.
- Directed Electronics Python 5706P Responder – This is one of the more affordable car alarm systems on the market, with the option for additional customizations. It comes with adjustable sensitivity detectors that can provide wireless connectivity with your vehicle from up to a one-mile radius.
- Avital 5303L Security System – In addition to an advanced alarm system that is capable of picking up any form of activity to your car and displaying the alert on your portable LCD screen, this system also offers remote start and panic settings. It can also be compatible with some of your other car accessories.
Dash Cams
In addition to alarms, dash cams are a highly common and very effective means for ensuring the security of your truck.
Sometimes referred to as an event data recorder, dash cams are either placed on your truck’s dash or mounted to the windshield and provides continuous recording of the events that take place in and around the truck. It can have the ability to send pictures and images to the owner’s smartphone using a 4G network.
One of the key reasons to have a dashcam in your truck is to provide recorded evidence of accidents in hit and run situations or for insurance disputes. (Recorded data is auto saved for future reference.)
While some dash cams offer fixed views of events, some of the more modern designs offer a 360° view of events and come in high definition. Some of the best dash cams available on the market today include:
- Garmin Dash Cam 66W – In terms of ease of use while providing a high-quality picture, this is a great option for truck owners of all budgets. It also has an outstanding driver assist feature that provides lane switch assistance and forward-collision warnings for those times when your attention may drift while driving.
- Apeman C450 – This is one of the top dash cams if you are trying to add security on a budget. It is also small and unobtrusive while also providing a clear image for its price point. It also has a built-in G-sensor that detects impact, automatically saving and locking pictures of the event—a key feature for parking lots, and hit-and-run situations.
- AZDashcam GS Pro – This model is superior in terms of ease of use. It is also outstanding for both day and night driving, a feature on which many dash cams falter. The main selling point, though, is the ability to record in 4K ultra high definition—a quality of resolution found in movie theaters and HD televisions.
- Vantrue N2 Pro – This dashcam gets top marks for subtlety, as its unobtrusive design makes it blend in with the dash. This is also a top choice for recording the interior of your truck, making it a great choice for rideshare drivers or other owners that place a premium on monitoring interior action while maintaining quality outdoor footage, as well.
- YI Smart Dash Cam – This camera offers many of the bells and whistles of more advanced dash cams, such as a 165° rotating view, at a more affordable price point. It also offers high-resolution recordings while saving videos on compressed storage space, allowing for longer life on your memory cards.
Tailgate Theft Deterrents
It may seem like a stretch, but one of the most frequently stolen items from a modern truck is the tailgate. There are a couple of reasons for this:
- Truck tailgates are easily damaged due to accidents, overloads, and abuse.
- Most modern trucks are designed with removable tailgates that allow for easier loading of the bed that will not risk damaging the tailgate in the process.
Due to the combination of these factors, thieves who damage the tailgates on their own trucks, or who are looking to sell stolen tailgates at a discount to those who have, will scan parking lots for removable truck tailgates that are in good condition. It is a particularly low-risk theft, as experienced tailgate thieves can complete the crime in less than 30 seconds.
If your truck does not come with a built-in tailgate lock, this is definitely one of the customizations you will want to make after-market, as it is a small cost in comparison to the price of an insurance claim or replacement tailgate. For example, a tailgate lock system costs around $60, while a new tailgate can cost up to thousands of dollars.
In addition to having an after-market lock put on your tailgate, the following are some steps you can take to secure your truck’s tailgate:
- Park in a locked garage. Not only does this make it difficult for tailgate thieves to access your truck, but it keeps your truck hidden from those who are cruising and looking to steal tailgates.
- Back in close. Not everyone has access to garage facilities. If you are one of these people, make sure you back your truck into your driveway or parking space and snug it in as close as possible to a wall, fence, or other structure that will make it difficult for a thief to operate.
- Use a hard top, one-piece cover. Not only do tonneau covers help protect the bed of your truck from the elements of nature, but they can slow tailgate thieves enough in their theft attempts to make them seem too risky.
- Use hose clamps or hogties. Admittedly, some find it tacky to secure a $50,000 truck with $1 or $2 worth of cheap metal. However, if you want the security of a tailgate lock for pennies on the dollar, these materials can effectively serve the same purpose by using the following steps:
- Lower the tailgate. You will need the tailgate in the open, flat position to access the necessary areas.
- Locate the hinges. The hinges will be at the lower, extreme ends of the tailgate, at the point where the tailgate meets the bed. They will have a knobby appearance and are meant to slot into a groove in the bed. Slightly lift and lower the tailgate to see where it pivots if you need further help locating them.
- Insert the hose clamps or hogties. With the bed open, slide the fastener of your choice through the front gap in the tailgate hinge, feeding it under the hinge and up through the back gap. The fastener should now be fully encircling the tailgate hinge, with both ends visible and ready for connection.
- Connect the fastener. Feed the front end of the fastener into the locking head. Make sure the tie is tightened, and snug around the tailgate hinge before locking it in place.
- Check the tailgate. Once the ties are completely secure, open, and close the tailgate a few times to make sure everything is smooth and that it can open and close properly. While these ties are thin, you will want to make sure they are not causing anything to catch before moving on from the installation.
Roll-and-Lock Tonneau Covers
The open bed of a truck is a key selling point for many people, as it provides many benefits that sedans and SUVs cannot offer–like helping your friends move their furniture out of their apartments.
However, while the open bed is wonderful, the reality is that most of the time, you will not have a use for the open bed. In these scenarios, having a bed cover is a major advantage, offering the following benefits:
- UV, rain, and snow protection when your truck is parked outdoors
- Conceals any cargo you may be carrying in the back of your truck
- Provides a flat surface that is convenient for tailgating and other activities where people are mingling around your truck
The previous section mentions that tonneau covers in and of themselves can be a deterrent to tailgate theft because they slow the thief down.
While this is a valuable function, the tailgate is not the only thing thieves may be looking to steal from the back of your truck; the presence of a tonneau cover may indicate to thieves that something valuable, such as tools or fishing equipment, is present in the bed of the truck. In this case, not all bed covers are created equally.
Soft bed covers are cost-effective and convenient, protecting the bed from weather and concealing the bed contents from would-be thieves. However, a quick knife slash can make them wide open in a matter of seconds.
Hard-shell covers are extremely durable, but they are cumbersome to store when not in use and can be leveraged to pop off if the thief is using a pry bar, exposing the entire bed of the truck once the cover is free.
Therefore, the best option for bed security is a roll-and-lock model. This type of cover offers the best of both soft- and hard-shell covers, coming in a sectional, hinged design that rolls open and closed on the truck bed, making for convenient storage and application. It is flexible to limit pry bars and reinforced to inhibit puncture and slash attempts.
Whichever bed cover you choose, it would be a great idea to add a tonneau cover alarm to the mix to increase security. This alarm system is simple and straightforward to use, offering many of the same benefits of a cabin alarm system to the bed of your truck. Use the following steps to get your bed cover equipped with the Tonneau system:
- Add the wireless receiver. Secure the wireless receiver to the underside of your truck’s bed cover. You will want to do this when the cover is already in place.
- Activate the receiver. Once the receiver is in place, and the tailgate is closed, use the control on the keychain fab to turn the receiver on.
- Enjoy your day. If anyone tries to break into your bed cover, the system will emit a 110-decibel alarm, serving as an alert to the theft attempt and likely causing any criminal to flee before any further damage can be done.
GPS Trackers
Despite your best efforts, there may be situations in which a criminal gets into your truck, finds a way to get it started, and drives away. While the presence of alarms and dash cams make it unlikely that he or she gets very far, savvy thieves have already considered that these may be present and have likely figured out ways to destroy or deactivate them quickly.
Therefore, having a GPS tracking system in your vehicle can be of huge benefit in identifying the location of and recouping your stolen truck. GPS tracking systems can send real-time vehicle location data to the smartphone of the owner, allowing you to track your truck’s movements and aid the police in recovery efforts.
One nice aspect of GPS trackers is that they are very small and may not draw the attention of thieves. They can be installed in the truck’s OBD port or hardwired to the vehicle’s battery. In addition to the hardware required for setup, typical GPS systems require a monthly fee for the use of the satellites, similar to how satellite radio carriers have a fee.
There are several quality GPS trackers on the market today that allow you to keep a close eye on your truck’s location remotely:
- Vyncs GPS Vehicle Tracker – In addition to real-time vehicle location data, this system also monitors unsafe driving conditions and provides geofencing—the use of GPS technology to put a defined boundary around your vehicle. This can be very helpful if you let your teenager borrow your truck and want to make sure they are doing what they said.
- MOTOsafety GPS Tracker – A key feature of this system is the use of Google Maps route replay, which allows the user to investigate past trips to see where the truck has been. It also includes geofencing and curfew features, helping ensure the safety of teen drivers.
Steering Wheel Locks
Although somewhat inconvenient (they have to be locked and unlocked every time the truck is used for normal use), steering wheel locks are a great way to ensure that even if a criminal gets into the cabin of your truck, he or she goes nowhere. They are especially enticing if you will be away from your truck for an extended period and will be leaving it parked in an exposed area.
Not only do steering wheel locks provide a physical barrier that inhibits a thief from driving away, giving the owner peace of mind, but the visual deterrent can be just as important. If a prospective thief looks and sees a steering wheel lock in place, he or she is unlikely to attempt a break-in.
Several key features can make a steering wheel lock effective, including the following:
- Universal fit – Avoid guesswork, measuring, and checking lock specifications by selecting a lock that is rated as a universal fit, which guarantees that it will be compatible with your truck’s steering wheel.
- Visibility – While subtlety is a key feature of dashcams, you will want your steering wheel lock to be loud. The brighter and bulkier it is, the more likely it is to catch the attention of thieves and prevent them from attempting a robbery.
- Strong materials – You should assume that thieves will come with tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, and pry bars to aid them in their efforts. As such, having a steering wheel lock made of tough steel will pose the most resistance if thieves try to force it from the wheel.
Tinted Windows
Not only can tinted windows help protect your cabin from damaging UV light, but they can also hide the contents of the cabin. This can leave a thief to wonder if there is anything valuable enough in the cabin to make a break-in attempt worthwhile.
Tinted windows can also conceal other safety measures, such as alarm systems and steering wheel locks, that can be effective deterrents when visible from the outside. The installation of tinted windows can also convey to the thief that the owner is not afraid to invest in truck customizations and assume that other measures, such alarms, have also been taken.
Truck Security for Treacherous Highway & Off-road Conditions
Undoubtedly, installing measures to protect your truck from theft and vandalism are of the utmost importance, as trucks contain many valuable features and components that will catch the eye of thieves.
However, this is just one aspect of truck security. You likely purchased your truck because it provides additional safety over sedans in terms of driving performance, with features such as four-wheel drive, allowing you to tackle any road condition with confidence and explore areas off the beaten path.
To this effect, there are many customizations you can make to your truck that will protect you and your investment when driving in hazardous conditions.
Install Multipurpose Tires
While the stock tires on your truck may be good for normal driving conditions, they are unlikely to offer optimal performance in snowy or off-road conditions. Therefore, getting high tread, multipurpose tires on your truck should be one of the first performance customizations you make.
If you plan on using your truck for specific circumstances, such as mudding, rock crawling, or towing heavy trailers, you may want to look for tires that are rated to offer superior advantages for these purposes. If not, a general all-weather, multipurpose tire would suffice.
Give Your Truck a Suspension Lift
Using a lift kit to give your truck extra ground clearance is a popular customization of truck enthusiasts. This offers a huge benefit to driving off-road, as fewer obstacles will deter your path. It also improves performance in conditions of heavy snowpack, as your truck will be able to keep going while other vehicles are stalled out in walls of snow.
One other advantage of lifted trucks is the ability to use bigger tires, and bigger tires can perform better in off-road circumstances. Just think of the size of tractor tires in comparison and what they can do.
Customize Your Truck Lights
In addition to providing additional visibility for night driving, customized lighting can be of major benefit to off-road enthusiasts who are likely to be around corners that are concealed by trees and other forms of cover.
As the ability to see obstacles you are about to drive over is of critical importance for the security of your truck, an after-market LED light bar is an extremely beneficial customization.
LED lighting is easy to install, low cost, and efficient. A popular design is to put the light bar just above the framing of your windshield, giving an almost Ironman-like look to your truck. Other owners choose to put the LED light bar on the grill or bumper of their truck.
Adjust the Bumpers
The bumper is one of the most aptly named components of a truck, as it is the first part of the vehicle that receives impact when a “bump” occurs.
Therefore, to secure the condition of your truck most effectively, the stock bumper may not be ideal for withstanding heavy use. Some benefits of customizing your truck with an after-market bumper include:
- Better angles for approaching and departing obstacles, making it less likely that your front end will scrape anything
- A tougher design that offers increased protection should your truck meet any obstacles
- More convenient designs for adding after-market lights and/or installing a winch
- High jacking points that make it easier to get under your truck
Have a Grill Guard Designed
When taking your truck into backwoods types of conditions, there is a very high probability that wildlife will be present. While hitting a deer can cause thousands of dollars’ worth of auto and body damage to your truck, even smaller animals, like coyotes and foxes, can knock out headlights and cave in the weaker points of your grill.
Therefore, having a grill guard designed to fit the front of your truck can have a significant impact on reducing damage and lowering the costs associated with hitting wildlife or any other accident involving your truck’s front end.
Final Thoughts
Ensuring your truck is safe doesn’t have to stop at locking your doors. Using the tips mentioned above, you can protect your vehicle not only from theft but in other situations that would otherwise put you or your truck at risk.
If you’re thinking of different ways to accessorize your truck or make it more functional, consider checking out my recommended accessories page. I spent a good amount of time picking out mods that can be useful for most pickup trucks.