Let's talk car entry tools!

[jrlp]

Well, one of the last things I need for the shop is car/truck entry tools. We buy used/wrecked cars, pick up cars needing work, etc on a constant basis. Sometimes the keys get locked in the cars along the chain, or any number of things.

I currently open cars using plasti-dip'ed pry bars in a few sizes and 3/32" 308 SS tig welding rod. I built a few with different hooks/bends and customize the bends for each car. I thread it in, hook either the lock button or the inside door handle and use vise grips to turn/move the wire until I hook it, then use it to pull the handle open.

I've been doing some reading but I'm a bit overwhelmed by different companies/kits. I'd realistically like to spend $200-400. I messed up and placed my giant tooltopia order and it shipped already. Oh well, that just means I can order from anyplace. I just prefer that site because of how fast they ship / it gets to me, as well as their pricing.

I figure bare minimum I need a few wedges, an inflatable bag or two, and a few different types of hooks, pokers, prodders, and what ever else they're called. Any ideas?

 

[domain]

Locksmith I called upon used two air bags and a across the car tool.

 

[ZRX61]

Spring activated center punch.... never fails

 

[shurik06_83]

brick, rock, bowling ball , air chisel with a sheet ripper bit , pry bar and tape , coat hanger ,screw driver all tried and all worked 100% of the time

 

[metaleltr]

If this won't get it

this will!

 

[96snma]

http://www.tooltopia.com/steck-autobody-32955.aspx

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

The steck air wedge thing and super long tee handled rod are all I ever end up using when we get locked out of any of the assorted work trucks / vans that come through the shop.

 

[Rebelphotog]

The steck air wedge thing and super long tee handled rod are all I ever end up using when we get locked out of any of the assorted work trucks / vans that come through the shop.

I love those kits. We carry them on all of our engines and rescues. Super easy to use and lots of different goodies for various door/lock types. And if you use it right, you won't damage anything.

 

[jrlp]

I use those pry bars I dipped 5+ times in plastidip to protect the paint and to push the weatherstripping out of the way so it doesn't get torn. The 3/32" tig rod is strong enough to not open up when yanked on. I just want something that I don't have to fiddle with and has a life time of 3-4 cars before it work hardens and needs to be replaced. Although it's very cheap and easy to make new ones, it looks a bit ghetto.

 

[jrlp]

http://www.tooltopia.com/access-tools-amvs.aspx looks like a good deal of tools for the price

 

[Rebelphotog]

I use those pry bars I dipped 5+ times in plastidip to protect the paint and to push the weatherstripping out of the way so it doesn't get torn. The 3/32" tig rod is strong enough to not open up when yanked on. I just want something that I don't have to fiddle with and has a life time of 3-4 cars before it work hardens and needs to be replaced. Although it's very cheap and easy to make new ones, it looks a bit ghetto.

You won't regret it if you go with the Steck kit. That little air bag (or air wedge, as they call it) will spread the door open at the top, then you slide the t-bar in and either pull the handle, raise/slide the lock, push the lock button, etc. It has never taken me more than 30 seconds or so to get into a vehicle using it. The wrecker services around here use them too.... I've seen them take a REAL beating.

And if that kit that 96snma posted includes everything pictured like I think it does, that's the cheapest I've ever seen it by $30-$40. They also make a carry case for it (soft nylon bag).

 

[spotco2]

steck

 

[dgreen1069]

If this won't get it

this will!

I have a kit that looks almost identical to this one but I bought it off a truck probably 15 years ago....add a slim jim to the kit and you can enter 99% of the cars out there. I've used mine on well over one hundred cars and never had a problem. The bladder and long reach tool are the must haves....along with a decent wedge to get started.

 

[kythri]

Would someone explain to me how the wedge/airbag thing works, and how it doesn't bend/damage the door? The YouTube video link at ToolTopia isn't working...

 

[richfinn]

You slide the air bag/wedge between the top of the door/body and inflate it until you have 20-30mm gap between the door and the body so you can get to work with the manipulation rods, I use a chopped down pop bottle to protect the paint and seal. When your in roll down the window and bend the window frame back into shape.

Get a length of brake line and some throttle cable to make a lasoo (great for hooking round lock buttons etc.

I also carry an electricians pull rod kit (for pulling wires under flooring) these are great for "key fishing".

I can also get around most deadlocks using electrical manipulation if you need any advise on European models.

 

[kythri]

So, this does damage the window frame/door?

 

[jrlp]

So, this does damage the window frame/door?

No. Thats why they use them professionally.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[supra90turbo]

This is all you need.
I haven't wanted for anything more, although another airbag would be nice, one is all that's necessary.

http://www.tooltopia.com/steck-autobody-32955.aspx

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

So, this does damage the window frame/door?

sometimes it can slightly bent the top/window trim. but easy to bend back to original shape.

 

[Rebelphotog]

Just used the Steck kit tonight at a car accident. Flipped the car on it's wheels and the key was still turned on. Car wasn't damaged real bad and none of the glass was broken, so we used the steck and were in the car in about 10 seconds.

I promise, it will be money well spent.

 

[Danglerb]

The trick with the Steck is that all the little bugs are worked out, it allows a careful minimum opening. Not saying you can't damage a car with it, but it would be you messing up making the opening larger than needed etc.

 

[MoToys]

The absolute best. http://www.hightechtools.com/

I'm a locksmith, and I wonder what a customer would say if I walked up to open their car with a pry bar.

 

[spotco2]

I've never been a fan of High Tech. To many different tools.

For a lockout kit, I like http://www.z-tool.com/

The Stek will work on most vehicles on the road today especially in an emergency situation. Sure you can overflex a door and bend it a little. It will bend back usually. You can also scratch paint and jack up some weatherstrip if you're not careful. Not to mention pop a window if the car has indexing windows (300ZX and a lot of late model Chryslers). Hell, I busted a windshield using a long reach tool once.

 

[MoToys]

I've never been a fan of High Tech. To many different tools.

For a lockout kit, I like http://www.z-tool.com/

Didn't say you should buy their kit, I'd recommend buying what you want piecemeal.
I also have some HPC tools in my set.

 

[jrlp]

The absolute best. http://www.hightechtools.com/

I'm a locksmith, and I wonder what a customer would say if I walked up to open their car with a pry bar.

Well, truthfully, they love it. Locksmiths where I live close at 7pm. They charge 95-100 to open a door in 30 seconds. I live in a small town, takes 10 minutes to get from one side to another.

What made me post this is a woman who left her keys in her truck at the bank. She was there for over an hour and no one even asked if she needed anything. The bank close around her. I opened her car and gave her my card.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[richfinn]

So, this does damage the window frame/door?

Not really, they are pretty flexible and bend back into line very easily if you know how far to jack them open.

its far less intrusive than breaking a drop glass or quarter light or raking modern door locks with clutches.

 

[richfinn]

Besides the air wedges, most of my kit is home made out of **** you can buy at a DIY store.

The BOJO trim tools are good to have as well.

For VAG/Porsche vehicles I carry a lock rake and a spinner gun, as the deadlocks are tough to overcome "electrically"

I will use a wedge to gently lift a trunk lid slightly to get at the wiring harness and inject a power or ground to operate the lock solenoid if keys are locked in the trunk.

I have detailed info for wiring colours etc.

 

[MoToys]

Well, truthfully, they love it. Locksmiths where I live close at 7pm. They charge 95-100 to open a door in 30 seconds. I live in a small town, takes 10 minutes to get from one side to another.

What made me post this is a woman who left her keys in her truck at the bank. She was there for over an hour and no one even asked if she needed anything. The bank close around her. I opened her car and gave her my card.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Yes I'm sure they love it, in fact they would probably rather you have a sledge hammer, it's sometimes more lovable than a pry bar.

Honestly, $100 is a fair price to open a car after hours. It doesn't matter how long it takes to open the car, they are getting paid because they are a proffesional and therefore know what they are doing. And more to the point, that person is usually somewhere else when they get the call. What about the time to get to the job and then back to where they were?

 

[MG44]

$100 is a fair price. I had a car opened in NYC Once, $215....

 

[Big-Foot]

Lots of nice tools and options there....

Make sure you check with the local law enforcement office about having tools like this in your vehicle or on your person. I knew a guy once that got pulled over under suspicion of something and they searched his truck and found a slim jim under the seat that he used to get his wife's car open the previous year when she locked the keys in the car..

Possession of burglary tools got him a rather hefty fine and a day in court. Yes he lost.

They found nothing else in his truck and it came out in court that the cops had pulled over the wrong truck (Ford instead of a Dodge)...