[HappyWheels]

It's done.

Here are the raw materials used.


Two cycle locks, each priced at Rs.50/- . Total cost Rs.100/-. The two are required for the wanted length. (was told this is the max length that are available; not sure if the shop keeper meant for the product or in his store!)

The chain's diameter is a right fit for the water drain on the cover. It passes through the cover as shown below.



The locks are placed such that it passes through the tire and the holder. This ensures that the cable is pulled enough so that it does not lag too much underneath the cover. (Also notice the current "Tire Guards" in duty!)


Once set, this is what happens if you do not remove the cycle lock. The cover is locked and the only way it to cut the cable or break the cover. I hope the thief is not desperate enough to break it!


This is how it fits within the two zippers.




The final finish.


Need to pull up the lock so that the drain water does not flow into the lock. Might cause rust and if it get jammed, I am done!

Also need to get the handles done on the zipper so that I can fix a lock on them too. (Paranoid, who? me?)

The vehicle is currently standing with this setup in the same spot.

Guys, please let me know the flaws of this setup.

And yes, I currently have a heavy key chain!

[ravibhat]

Nice thread, here is my experience. When I purchased 2003 end mfg. Safari Exi it had slightly broken front bumper and rear dicky door dent which owner agreed to pay for the repair. Its wheel cover's those 3 big clips were bit damaged or loose enough to create lot of rattle/sound/ used to fall. I went to native place without that but I felt it is not looking good! Later realized without wheel cover it looks great!! and no added rattling sound in bad roads.

During repair service guys fixed wheel cover as well which I had kept in vehicle. But within 100km of driving it started coming off and about to fall. I made my driver tight it with spare tyre/allow using binding wire. It worked for some extent I think with good effort it would have fixed but during returning from Wayanad it came off and people used to stop and notify wheel cover is about to fall. So to avoid all these I decided to remove it travel without wheel cover!!

I always was thinking people can steal these covers easily because old Safari don't have even had any ZIP or locking opportunity. I saw new Safari wheel cover where better design is attempted but still anyone can steal it.

Good thread guys, keep discussing!! One idea is use some chain / wires inside whats been thought here by members.

Ravi.

[dadu]

@Happywheels....Perfect, even I had thought earlier to use 2 or more cycle locks in interlocking position to form a long chain but never explored an option of finding a longer length cycle cable lock, since I had already found a longer length cable with loops. I saw the post yesterday, after your SMS but wanted to think it over before posting.

Somethings which can still be improved.

- Can you try to reduce the slack below by moving the loop up into the rim on either side (see pict). This will prevent the wheel cover to comeout easily, although the centre cone would have helped but since you dont have it now we can try by adjusting the slackness of the cable lock.



- Can you also try to use the cable other way around, I mean so that the lock faces the door and not towards the outside, making it difficult tio break it.

- My other concern is the lock rubbing the underside of the cover and eating up the paint, use double sides tape to protect it against rubbing.

- I am also not worried on the rust part(as you are), but its tilted so water should be flowing away, but as a protection you can wind regular cello tape starting 1 inch into the cable edge of the lock to the end as a sealant. Then you can also cover the lock mouth with it. This will give added protection + if the lock mouth tape is torn, indication of someone trying to open it up.

This no doubt is the simplest DIY for the cover against a quick flick and I guess a good solution, unless someone has a better idea.

[HappyWheels]

@Dadu:

#1: Will check it out by passing the cable thru the mentioned spokes; let me see how tight I can make it.

#2: Will try that. In fact. let me see if I can push it further up behind the wheel, such that only the cable is see passing thru the hole and the lock part is not visible. It will involve us to grope around to unlock, but not easy for someone new. And, it will also save on the rain / washing water not being collected in it.

#3: Yes, it will happen. Let me see if, as mentioned in the point above, moving it higher will take the worry off. (but need to make sure that the lock is not in contact with the boot door!!!)

#4: Hope #2 will take care of this. Else it is tape all the way.

Thanks a lot for the observations and suggestions.

[dadu]

One more thing that I wanted to add was that you dont have that supporting cone inbetween, therefore you can use all that space to take the cable around, whereas if someone else tries he will have to use the spokes or pass them through the holes in the rim. The central hole would be out of bounds.

[dadu]

After Happywheel(HW), now it was my turn to secure the wheel cover. I spoke to HW thinking he found a single length cable lock for all this, but he was using 2 interlocked to get the length. I was looking for Single length cable with loop or lock. Things I wanted to do.

- Strengthen all vulnerabilities in the wheel cover
- Put up a cable with Lock to secure the Wheel cover.
- Make it visually discouraging by showing off the secure cable lock.

Found some in the US, on amazon and in China, shipping from US would be costly + the locks too were expensive, our chinese fellow was a manufacturer and bulk supplier, therefore my search continued. Luckily, a colleague was in China and I sent him the specs that I required. In first attempt he couldnt find the specified lock near where he was, I asked him to look again, he's back next week.



But they say " Dhoodne se tau bhagwaan bhi mil jaata hai", Vola, I found a distributor who had the required locks imported from UK and through him the retailer who were selling it online. These were Btwin cycle locks.





The hole in the wheel cover is 11mm (1.1cm) and the cable locks they had were of 6mm, 8mm and 13mm diameter(will not fit) and 100cm and 150cm in length, I required only around 80cm for a tight fit. Another dilemma, the 6mm and 8mm came in a set of 3 locks but did I have the choice!!, bought the set @Rs 325 inclusive of shipping.

Now the strengthening part, HW's zipper fly was propped open therefore I decided to plug it with Araldite, its got good strength, heat and water resistant.





Now once I removed the cover, I also found that the center cone is fixed with 4 bolts onto the cover itself with vertically embedded nuts.





Now we could also use the idea of drilling a hole at the end of the cone and using a simple locally available cycle lock,but i voted against it, the idea is to discourage the thief visually in attempting the theft and in this method, the thief would try to use force in pulling out the cover unaware of the visually hidden lock, which might cause damage to the cover and the nuts which are embedded into the cover might give away.



If you decide to use this method, use Araldite on the rims of the nut and plastic holder to strengthen the bond.

Once I was done with the method I preferred, these were the results.



The benefits of this were:

- I have hidden the lock part inside, between the Wheel cover and tyre(more secure, no easy access)



- Since the locking part is inside the wheel cover facing down, it prevents the lock assembly from water spalshes and water to get inside the assembly too (as its face down), if something gets inside it will drain immediately.

Zzzz, now I can sleep peacefully.

I had a very good experience for the purchased lock at lifemojo.com which I would like to mention here and provide the link if you want to buy it too.

- I had first placed a query for the length and diameter of the lock, they called back immediately providing the details and updated their website too.
- Once I placed the order, they sent an SMS confirmation and called within an hour to confirm the same and provided an estimated delivery date.
- Once the courier reached me, they called to confirm the same.

Very good customer service, here's the link

Buy Set 3 Locks Online - Locks - Cycling - Sports - Btwin - Decathlon | LifeMojo

[HappyWheels]

Dadu,

Neat look! Can you post how your have passed the cable within the wheels?

And about using the cone, avoid it!

The cone is very loosely fixed and would come out of the holding with the slightest force. It is purely cosmetic in nature and in the long run had a tendency to loosen itself.

[dadu]

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Dadu,

Neat look! Can you post how your have passed the cable within the wheels?

The cable lock is long enough to be used from across any of the openings in the rim. I left the keylock part till under the tyre and took the rest of the length facing the tyre, from inside the right opening in the rim and then through the mounting clamp near the wiper arm, down again from behind and under the tyre. Did not use the center hole of the rim, as the cone goes there.

The difficult part was to hold both ends with the key lock part inside the cover positioning it so that the other end clicks in. Since its a Spiral cable lock it always tries to pull back into its original position, just like a spring, but that keeps it tight too.

[arindamray]

i hope the thread was present before mine got stolen :(

any modification of design to secure Dicor (3.0 L) cover?

i am driving without the cover

[dadu]

Originally Posted by arindamray

i hope the thread was present before mine got stolen :(

any modification of design to secure Dicor (3.0 L) cover?

i am driving without the cover

Since its stolen now, buy a 2.2l cover and use the same method. If you have already bought it again, just a small hole is required in the cover.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by arindamray

i hope the thread was present before mine got stolen :(

any modification of design to secure Dicor (3.0 L) cover?

i am driving without the cover

Originally Posted by dadu

Since its stolen now, buy a 2.2l cover and use the same method. If you have already bought it again, just a small hole is required in the cover.

Either that, or just go with the cover-less look. Lock the tire properly in place.

Personally, I did not like the open look for long.