Secure vehicle for Overland Travel

[firestopper]

I second the Ravelco system. No moving parts to go bad on an extended journey, and virtually impossible to thwart without hours of work. It won't prevent the contents of the vehicle being stolen, but short of running into a thief with a tow truck, you know your vehicle will be there when you come back.

I installed a Revelco system in my 05 Sierra 2500 HD duramax.
Prior to install, I toned all the wires using a meter, then drew up a schematic incase I ever lost the cap while out of town. I then made two jumper wires that allows the system to get me on my way. The scematic is writin in code and stashed away and the two jumpers are inbedded within the harness.
I can only imagine the PITA to get the rig started if one was to loose the "KEY".

 

[Sverige]

I am in Africa for work and endorse previous posts recommending a dog and dark window tint.
Where I live the locals are particularly afraid of black dogs for some reason.

 

[DamoPeru]

I'm about to embark on this seriously for our upcoming trip. my windows are already blacked out. going for "slightly" bullet proof security film on the driver/passenger windows and windscreen with indicating stickers, steel bars welded to the outside over all other windows. Hasp & Puc locs on the outside of front doors, sliding bar and padlock on the inside of front door, big sliding bar and protected padlock on the outside of rear barn doors, manual starter cutoff switch under the hood, two hood chain/padlocks, gear/transfer shifter locks. it'll be a bit mad max looking but i want to deter them from trying when i abandon the vehicle in isolated areas.

 

[40TUDE]

Anybody have any good info on how to install a kill switch, ignitition, fuel or otherwise?

 

[firestopper]

A**holes.

I had my 80 broken into on the weekend. The destroyed the dash and removed alot of my stuff, including tearing out my custom center console, which had a trap door on the bottom to store some other stuff.

They tried to hot wire it but I had an electrical kill switch. Basically I interrupted the power to the fuse block from the battery to one of those red switches that you can pull the key on. About 3 months ago a brand new ford truck was stolen in the area, Im pretty sure it was the same guys, and that the kill switch kept it from being driven off.

They also tried to steal the wheels, although some folks say the wheel nut locks dont work, they did in my case. Except the bastuds loosened every wheel nut they could about two turns, not enough to see but probably with the intent of causing damage, it took me a few blocks to figure out where the vibration was coming from.

I had a decent stereo, gauge pod and GPS on the dash, I think that these items may have helped to draw attention, I lost alot of other things including ham,CB, RAM mount, folding chairs, some socket wrenches, center console etc etc.

I guess in the future I will keep things better hidden or leave stuff at home except for when I go wheeling, and continue to use the kill switch when I park it out on the street. The GPS tracker is enticing, ive been looking at purchasing one for a while, though it wont do you much good if the vehicle is burnt somewhere.

 

[lugueto]

Anybody have any good info on how to install a kill switch, ignitition, fuel or otherwise?

The best option is a fuel pump killswitch as it wont start at all. If you use an ignition killswitch and you get a manual car burglars can easily bypass it and start the car by rolling it in gear. Also, install it on the negative (ground) wire, to prevent short circuits.

 

[Fly Guy]

How about a quick release steering wheel? A thief would have to tow it away or winch it onto a flatbed and if they're going to do that it doesn't really matter what else you do.... they're gonna take it.

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

Vise grips. Designed with the car thief in mind

 

[scrapdaddy]

I've got the doors all apart, on my 55 and while I'm in there, is there any type of shield or bracket to block a slim jim from doing it's thing.

Thanks, Ron

 

[patrickfinley]

How about a quick release steering wheel? A thief would have to tow it away or winch it onto a flatbed and if they're going to do that it doesn't really matter what else you do.... they're gonna take it.

A buddy of mine used to have one of these back in college. He would show up to class with a steering wheel in his hand every day. Kind of funny.

It's a great security measure but will only work on vehicles pre airbag.

 

[TexasJack]

Very sawed-off side-by-side shotgun installed under the drivers seat angled upward so that it will hit the underside of the driver. When you leave the vehicle, you move the seat all the way up and then wedge and arm the shotgun. A vehicle thief will attempt to slide the seat back and blow their own junk off.

Might want to remember to disarm it before you get in the vehicle.

Another key note....this might actually be a felony. I'd check the laws before you do this.

 

[Springs505]

if someone wants it bad enough, they gonna get it. might as well make it hard for to get tho. gun locks on enternal gear works good, one to lock up the high lift, one for spare tire, jerry cans ect. a good alarm system is good idea, but not so stupid thieves can get around the basics so here are some things I do when I install alarms. Dont just do a starter kill relay, also do ingnition kill relays for backup, pain generators inside the vehicle are awsome to make em get the hell out, I like to install them right in the headrest so they are right in their ears while trying to drive! also I have hooked up train horns as additional siren, nobody gives a crap anymore when a regular car alarm goes off. also put the brain for the alarm somewhere besides under the drivers side dash, put it behind glove box, under pass seat, in trunk, you get it. last thing I do is use metal wire loom instead of plastic or just leaving the wires like they are. very hard to cut through. we pay alot for our toys, pay a little extra time and $ on the alarm n keep ur toys where they belong....with u!! Hope this was some of the kinda info u were looking for. one more thing, get alarm w pager type remote, maybe u can get back to the thief in progress n introduce em to ur HK!

I installed alarm systems and electronics in a past life. The pain generator piezo sirens in the interior of the car are great. A common way to defeat an alarm system is to open the hood and short the siren output to ground. in most installs, this will blow the fuse for the siren (if the siren is not fused, it may blow the fuse for the alarm, rendering it useless). Fuse your siren, and fuse any additional sirens/pain generators individually. If a thief cuts one, the rest continue to work. 1 or 2 A fuses work fine for the pain generator sirens.

I do not think I would put an ignition kill in an trail/expo rig since it adds a (difficult to troubleshoot) point of failure. I would install the alarm "brain" where it is not visible when you are looking up from the floor under the drivers side dash. I would run wires through factory looms and/or loom wires as similar as possible to factory wiring so that they cannot be identified quickly by someone familiar with the installation.

 

[doug720]

I have 3 different security devices on my 60, 2 are just part of how it operates and 1 is specific for theft prevention.

There are 2 fuel tanks with 2 manual valves that switch the supply and return feeds. When I am worried about security, I move the valves to the closed position. This may allow a thief to start and drive a ways, but when it dies, it will not start again until the valves are switched to run positions and the fuel system is primed again. Likely when the 60 dies in the middle of the street, a thief wont take the time to sort out the issue.

In addition, my engine has a manual shut off cable which I place in the off position when parked. Again, a thief would have to know how it works to start the 60.

I also added a chain under the center consul and anchor point on the shifter. With a padlock connecting them and transmission in reverse...Well it's hard to drive.

I hope it's enough, but these can't stop a tow truck!

Doug

 

[REDrum]

FWIW...we keep a FZJ80 in central america and can offer our security measures:

• Rear 10% tint and 4mil securty fim on all windows
• Locking rear drawers (for tools and spares) and locking swing away tire carrier; so you can't get tail gate open to open drawers
• Huffy center console: place to stash valuables while in a restaurant
• While we considered a RAVELCO system (I've had one on two other vehicles) for overnight parking in questionable areas we pull the ECU relay.
• we considered super duty disc locks on the doors but decided they may draw attention