RaserX.
To answer your questions, yes the installer will have to put a little black box that "reads" your key's chip, not the key itself (as in the indentions). It will be accessible if... you take off the 9 bolts that hold on the plastic underlay and the metal piece underneath your steering column... all-in-all about a six minute task. So... IF your alarm is disabled and you have those six minutes or so to loosen and take off the plates to gain access to it, then yes, the key can be used as a spare. Oh, and you have to undo the four screws that hold the key box together. But still.... yes.
However, if you have an alarm on your Trac, then I wouldn't worry about it. If someone will continue to attempt to unscrew nine separate hex screws of two different sizes, and four screws with your alarm sounding, then good luck to em. I suppose if they really had that drive and no one cared to say anything to him then he might be able to.
BUTTTTT... the key doesn't have to be under your dash. You can relocate it to any part of your Trac... of course, you will have to do the relocating, but if that makes you feel safer about it, then I'd suggest doing that. I think it would probably be about 12 wires you would have to splice into though.
Coastiejoe:
I know my keypad will work from about 200 yards. I'm unsure of what the quoted distance is.
