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Old 09-20-2016, 05:03 PM   #1
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Locking Fuel Station Cap Vandalism...

The good news... the locking fuel caps I placed on my toy hauler kept someone from stealing my fuel at some point the past few weeks. 😀👍🏻

The bad news... they left me a 'gift', by breaking off whatever they tried using inside the lock. This, of course means that I can't insert my key to open it... and I can't reach whatever's in there with tweezers, a paper clip, or anything to remove it. 😡

So... anyone know of a way to open one of these things, short of taking it to a locksmith? 🤔
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Old 09-20-2016, 05:33 PM   #2
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You know, I thought about this awhile BEFORE I responded.

It reminded me of a trailer my dad had on a piece of desert near the Mexican border. It was 1200 acres and my dad basically fed the deer for 30 years.

Anyways, because of extreme remoteness (off road only to get there), the only human beings you would ever come across were the poor souls that thought there was an opportunity if they "head north".

So, sometimes when he arrived, the trailer would be broken into and the curtains would be used as blankets and the wooden box that enclosed the water pump would be busted so they could turn it on.

After repairing everything a couple of times, he decided to leave it unlocked and stock some canned goods and cheap blankets.

Sure enough, never got anymore damage, although the canned goods would be consumed and a couple of times the blankets were gone.


So, based on that logic...................
Locking gas-caps, BUT, leave a 5 gallon jug of gas sitting there beside it?

It's a cheap experiment. Kind of a second layer of protection, although a bit odd.
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Old 09-20-2016, 07:20 PM   #3
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Interesting concept. That's why a lot of small businessmen leave $20 in cash in their open cash register. Tom, you may want to try an actual lock pick if you can find one, or even a dental pick. Smaller than tweezers. May work for you.
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Old 09-20-2016, 08:48 PM   #4
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Drill a hole where the key would go in. Maybe the pins will fall out and allow the cap to be released.
Or, you can always disconnect the fill tube and replace it with a new lockable cap.
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Old 09-21-2016, 12:08 AM   #5
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Drill a hole where the key would go in. Maybe the pins will fall out and allow the cap to be released.
Or, you can always disconnect the fill tube and replace it with a new lockable cap.
Ummm... drill a hole? Into metal that caps a gasoline tank? I'm certainly no expert, but I'm thinking if I do, I may not need worrying about replacing said cap. 😉💥💥

I thought about just taking a pair of vice grips, ripping all of the plastic I can grab away, and maybe being able to grab whatever's in the cylinder.

I haven't post ed much lately because I had a little accident in my truck, which caused some spinal cord shock. I was completely paralyzed from the neck down for about 30 minutes, before feeling and control of my little limbs gradually began returning. Everything has come back except my right arm & hand... which, after 2 weeks still hasn't come to life yet.

Neurosurgeon says I need neck surgery to correct pinching between C3-C4, and they wanted to do it there in Montana... but since I'd be unable to care for myself for 4-6 weeks, and the snow's gonna be flying soon, I'm driving the rig cross country back home to NC to have it done there.

So I've been boondocking in Walmarts all week, running the generator at night. The tank's not dry yet, but I went to top it off today, and that's when I discovered the problem. Oh well, tonight's the last night... almost home. Hopefully it'll last til morning. 😀
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Old 09-21-2016, 12:18 AM   #6
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The lock cylinder SHOULD be brass, use a low speed drill and it should work fine.

Sorry to hear about the accident. We have had a run of back issues around here over the past year. My dad had screws and plate for a fractured c-2 and he is 83, my bride is going to have steroid injections at the L-4 due to lingering problems from a car accident 18 months ago.

Good luck with your surgery (hopefully at one of the Big Blues), let us know how it works out.

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Old 09-21-2016, 01:29 AM   #7
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Ummm... drill a hole? Into metal that caps a gasoline tank? I'm certainly no expert, but I'm thinking if I do, I may not need worrying about replacing said cap. 😉💥💥

I thought about just taking a pair of vice grips, ripping all of the plastic I can grab away, and maybe being able to grab whatever's in the cylinder.

I haven't post ed much lately because I had a little accident in my truck, which caused some spinal cord shock. I was completely paralyzed from the neck down for about 30 minutes, before feeling and control of my little limbs gradually began returning. Everything has come back except my right arm & hand... which, after 2 weeks still hasn't come to life yet.

Neurosurgeon says I need neck surgery to correct pinching between C3-C4, and they wanted to do it there in Montana... but since I'd be unable to care for myself for 4-6 weeks, and the snow's gonna be flying soon, I'm driving the rig cross country back home to NC to have it done there.

So I've been boondocking in Walmarts all week, running the generator at night. The tank's not dry yet, but I went to top it off today, and that's when I discovered the problem. Oh well, tonight's the last night... almost home. Hopefully it'll last til morning. 😀
Brass, plastic and aluminum, very low chance of sparks. Find a cap and take a look at it and you'll see what it's made of.

The lock pins are usually brass or aluminum, made that way to keep moisture from attacking the tumbler parts.

Get home and get well mister............
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Old 09-21-2016, 02:08 AM   #8
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ATC ,,, i sure hate to hear your all messed up. you might be able to grab it with big channel locks and basically twist it off or even a pipe wrench.. I just went through NC.. I wish i could have helped you out but I am well north of you now.. let us know how u come out and how your surgery goes.. best of luck and God speed home
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Old 09-21-2016, 02:15 AM   #9
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ATC ,,, i sure hate to hear your all messed up. you might be able to grab it with big channel locks and basically twist it off or even a pipe wrench.. I just went through NC.. I wish i could have helped you out but I am well north of you now.. let us know how u come out and how your surgery goes.. best of luck and God speed home
Probably won't be able to twist the cap out of the filler tube but the filler tube could be twisted out of the connection rubber.

If I remember correctly there is a short section of hose that connects the filler tube to the tank. Normally the filler tubes are connected to the tank in this fashion and held in place with hose clamps.
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Old 09-21-2016, 03:48 AM   #10
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You might also fabricate a frame and door...like where the fueling station hose is kept, and mount it over the gas cap locations.

Use a good lock on it and then worst case you have to ruin the lock on the door but you can pry it off!!

Just sayin"

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Old 09-21-2016, 10:02 AM   #11
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Tom, how is the truck? Just kidding of course. Get well soon. Miss your input on the forum. Take care.
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Old 09-21-2016, 01:06 PM   #12
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Tom, how is the truck? Just kidding of course. Get well soon. Miss your input on the forum. Take care.
Rusty
Ha! The truck is fine... no damage at all, just my bull-bar on the front pushed back on the driver side.

I was making a wide 180-turn to the right (under 15mph)... saw something move to my right (dog, cat, squirrel?), jerked wheel back left... next thing I know, BAM! I'm stopped in front of a telephone pole. I never saw it. No air-bag deployment, no apparent damage. "Ok, that was dumb, but no biggie", I'm thinking... back up, and let's go. I try to reach up for the gear shift lever... and that's when I discover I can't move anything but my head.

The truck's still running, in gear, and people are coming over & asking if I need help. All I can do is yell "I can't move". I'm nothing but a vantrillicst dummy sitting there at that point. Police, EMS, etc. arrive... backboard, neck brace, ride to the ER follow. A long day...

That's why all of the this is so weird. I've been hit harder playing football & baseball. Such a low-speed incident causing so much damage...

Anyway, generator ran all night again... so had fuel for that. I'll be in the campground tonight, so should be good.

Thanks again for the replies. Wasn't thinking about brass. Doh!
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Old 09-21-2016, 04:38 PM   #13
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Tom,

I'll be thinking of you, hope all goes well with your surgery. I share your pain, just got out of the hospital on Monday. Spent three days laying in a hospital bed, while the docs try to come up with a plan to treat degenerative disk disease and psoriatic-arthritis. Looks like my days as a motorcyclist are over.

If you haven't got into your gas cap yet, give this a try. Check to make sure that the lock wasn't out of the neutral position, when whatever was used in the lock broke off. Once the lock is in the neutral position, you can usually work out the remnants with a dental pick or similar tool (my old dentists office would give my the old picks by the handful.)

Looking forward to seeing you back on the road very soon.

Used to have to do at least one lock a week at work, on our security boxes. I
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Old 09-21-2016, 06:14 PM   #14
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Tom,

<snip> Looks like my days as a motorcyclist are over.
I know that day is likely inevitable if I'm stuck on this planet long enough. But it'll be a bitter pill. For me it is the spice of life.
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Old 09-22-2016, 03:46 PM   #15
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I know that day is likely inevitable if I'm stuck on this planet long enough. But it'll be a bitter pill. For me it is the spice of life.
Snake,

I know what you mean about "spice of life" and it's a great spice. It's also the best stress reliever, I've ever used, kept my sane on "those days at work". Sadley the drive from Flagstaff to Sedona will never be the same again.

I can see a nice little golf cart in my future, maybe a little old Milwaukee Vibrator for an engine.
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Old 09-22-2016, 04:00 PM   #16
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Holy moly guys, it ain't over until they start throwin the dirt over you

I will stop riding when I can't throw my leg over the seat, no training wheels for me
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Old 09-22-2016, 04:43 PM   #17
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I guess I can jump in on this one. Have been riding motorcycles all my life, raced enduro, etc. Ran a 74 Norton 850 Commando for a while, had some Yamaha's, and since 2003 we've been riding a Gold Wing. Two years ago I lost feeling/strength in my right hand, they traced it to my neck and found 2 bad disks compressing on the nerves. ACDF Surgery went well, 3 vertebrae fused, I did get some strength back but not enough. I just never felt comfortable/safe riding our '03 Gold Wing again with or without my wife. Sadly we sold it this summer and each time we go by a bike it just plain old hurts.....I get some comfort knowing it was the right thing to do (safety wise), but we miss riding so much. Maybe someday we'll get a trike, but you can't lean those puppies into a corner.
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Old 09-22-2016, 05:50 PM   #18
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They make some WICKED "golf carts" these days.

Maybe they won't lean in the corners, which I believe IS a lot of the magic of two wheels, but they make up for some of that with shear fun factor.



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Old 09-23-2016, 03:47 PM   #19
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I will stop riding when I can't throw my leg over the seat, no training wheels for me
That's why I ride this. Oh and it will do 100+ mph but not with me on it. Don't tell my wife I've seen 95
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Old 09-23-2016, 04:00 PM   #20
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I'm kinda liking the golf cart thing during the winter in Florida. After taking the bike down last year, I won't be doing that again. Other than the 200 mile blast up to Daytona for Bike Week, an occasional run down to Key West, and a jaunt along Route 1, there is virtually no cool places to ride. Besides, they are the worst drivers in the US, and my beautiful bike despite tons of wax, kept covered, and stored under my nose skirt, still got pitted chrome.
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