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Equipment keys how did you get yours??

FUJINAMI1293

Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
5
Location
Oregon
so i was thinking when i was grabbing my set of equipment keys. I wonder where the other operators of Heavy Equipment forum got their Equipment keys from so post here on how you got your equipment keys. such as you saw one in a machine at the dealer and grabbed it, talked to the parts department or it came with your machine.
 

JDOFMEMI

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
3,074
Location
SoCal
My boss gave me my first Cat Key. I have scrounged many over the years, and now I am the boss. It seems I have bought enough keys to equip my crew 10 times over.

Found some cheap keys on Ebay, that is where I get them now. http://stores.ebay.com/Equipment-Ke...55990011&_sid=105197241&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322 is a good source.

I used to get keys from all the rental machines, but then found out they charge way more than it costs to buy a key when the machine comes back without one.
 

Trashman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
216
Location
Texas
Occupation
Garboligist
I scrounged mine from other operators coming and going over the years. I have quite a collection of HE keys from all sorts of equipment.
 

Chance

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2012
Messages
8
Location
BC, CANADA
accumulated over years, some i got from other operators, some from the boss, some from the dealer.

the best way is probly to go the the dealer, ask a parts guy for a key for the equipment your running. all cat keys are the same, john deer has one for excavstor and one for loader/dozer/grader/backhoe, hitachi excavator key (north amercian models) is the same as john deere excavator, komatsu is all one key, case loader is the same as ingersol rand and bobcat, etc....

Someone told me the other day that a local locksmith refered him to a particular dealer in town, saying that dealer offered a set of keys that included all ( i assume most of local commonly used ) equipment keys. Maybe inqure about that when talking to your dealer(s)

...... beware of an operator thst doesnt know what all his keys are for, he probly just stole them from a lowbed driver to pretend he ran lots of different equipment. ?. :rolleyes:
 

tireman

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2011
Messages
264
Location
St.Louis,Mo.
Got mine several different places also.Some from customers(fleet equipment managers, mechanics, dealers), some from co-workers.
 

Scrub Puller

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
3,481
Location
Gladstone Queensland Australia
Yair . . .

Yooster be able to get Cat and Komatsu keys from a nearby fence. Cut off about four inches of number eight wire, bend it in an ell shape and bang the long end flatish with a four pound hammer. They take a bit of fine adjusting but you soon got the hang of it.

I suppose these days they've all gone Hi-tech LOL.

Cheers,
 

Jim D

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Messages
408
Location
California
Occupation
equipment operator
Get a key or two with each ignition switch. For the machines with crappy ignition switches, I have *lots* of keys.
 

DARO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Messages
178
Location
Duluth MN USA
Occupation
Mechanic
I purchased a master set from a dealer 40 or so different keys. Not to many let downs.
 

skadill

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
1,400
Location
B.C. Canada
As an owner of a heavy equipment rental business,that question boils my blood,I know where many 'operators' find mine and keep them.
 

hosspuller

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2014
Messages
1,872
Location
North Carolina
Enjoy your keys while you can … physical keys are going out with the electronic controls coming in. BobCat has two codes to operate their machines. A master code that over rides and sets the operator code. Dealer set my operator code for the rental duration. It was a time waster to enter the code every time to start it vs twisting a key.
 
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