Team-BHP - How to safeguard your topless 4x4.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beejay (Post 1485223)

...I suppose the fog lamps were on for more than 3 hours..........

Your concerns are of different dimensions.

1) Secure vehicle from elements of weather:

Many ways including a good tarpaulin top, to a ROPLAS hard top.

2) Secure vehicle from theft.

Difficult in case of a Jeep. Hood lock available which can be accessed thru the front grill. You can fit a tiny chinese brass press type lock to safegaurd under-bonnet things. Spare wheel lock avbl on stock mountings. But locks can be broken/opened easily. Overall, Jeeps are easy vehicle for theft. AT THE RATE SWB's and Likes are GROWING IN DEMAND, JEEPS WILL OVERTAKE MARUTIs in THEFT MARKET..!!!

3) Secure vehicle from unwanted fiddling around inside/sitting/taking rest inside.

HardTop ONLY option. Who can stop any kid/nuisance from opening the velcro and sitting inside the jeep and fiddling around..!!

4) Secure those battery down moments such as above quote.

This is AM VERY SURPRISED it happened to you. My CJ340 is setup such that NO ELECTRICALS work without the IGNI KEY. Not even brake lights, horn, any fog/head lights - NOTHING. Talk to your electrician in case your Jeep is wired like a Sedan. In maruti cars - horn, hazard parking lights, head lights, etc work withOUT the KEY.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinod_nookala (Post 1485252)

Beejay,

Regarding fidling with electricals, all the lights and other accessories are ignition operated. Only horn is direct! This takes care of battery not getting discharged even when some one operates multifunction switch. When i leave my jeep pared at unknown place for long i give about 10 bucks to some watch man to keep an eye on the vehicle. It is highly unlikely that some one will steal a jeep. I give money to keep an eye on tow rope left in my vehicle:-)))

Battery is the most vunerable thing that gets stolen from a stationary jeep since bonnet is free for all.Theft of jeeps are very rare! Even if some body does he wouldnt go too far!

Just that you brought this topic this reminds me of changing ignition key. It just starts with any key:-)

I have noticed that above the front grille there was a small clamp. Guess this is for locking the bonnet. Will post a picture soon of the same.

You are absolutely right above the Jeep getting stolen. Chances are very less. Even if they do, how far can they go. Guess its very easy to spot a open top red Jeep.

Quote:

Originally Posted by svsantosh (Post 1485476)

Your concerns are of different dimensions.

2) Secure vehicle from theft.

Difficult in case of a Jeep. Hood lock available which can be accessed thru the front grill. You can fit a tiny chinese brass press type lock to safegaurd under-bonnet things. Spare wheel lock avbl on stock mountings. But locks can be broken/opened easily. Overall, Jeeps are easy vehicle for theft. AT THE RATE SWB's and Likes are GROWING IN DEMAND, JEEPS WILL OVERTAKE MARUTIs in THEFT MARKET..!!!

3) Secure vehicle from unwanted fiddling around inside/sitting/taking rest inside.

HardTop ONLY option. Who can stop any kid/nuisance from opening the velcro and sitting inside the jeep and fiddling around..!!

4) Secure those battery down moments such as above quote.

This is AM VERY SURPRISED it happened to you. My CJ340 is setup such that NO ELECTRICALS work without the IGNI KEY. Not even brake lights, horn, any fog/head lights - NOTHING. Talk to your electrician in case your Jeep is wired like a Sedan. In maruti cars - horn, hazard parking lights, head lights, etc work withOUT the KEY.

The fog lamps were fit after market. The connection for the same is direct. Need to fix it. All the other electrical s work on ignition.

Tell me about it.

I had my share of nightmares in Bangalore and had to eventually send the Jeep back home because of this.

Some low life's even went to the extent of trying to pull out the various coloured lights on the dash of the Classic.

Then there was this one time on Commercial Street, where some guys were taking pictures sitting inside the Jeep while i was in a shop. They were turning the steering wheel with all their might with one guy sitting on the front mudguard. :Frustrati I lost my cool and slapped one of them. It could have got ugly if not for a local friend.

I then used to park the car with chains around the steering wheel.

But the insecurity got the better of me and i drove it back home.

EDIT: I remember there was a similar thread before somewhere on here. I did a search but couldn't come up with anything. Maybe the MODS can help.

Can you guys please provide ideas on how to protect a open top Gypsy from theft and pilfering? I have an open top Gypsy, but have to park it on the road side unfortunately as I have no parking in my home.

1. I inquired about gear locks, but they are not available from either xenos or Autocop. Anybody else know about other brands and availability?
2. I'm thinking of putting up a wheel lock as well like the ones traffic police use to lock parked vehicles
3. Also planning to have a small switch installed in a hidden location under the dash to disable all electricals when parked.
4. I might go overboard and also install a steering lock.

Does anybody have any idea if I can take up a anti-theft insurance policy for the vehicle apart from my vehicle insurance with a higher premium and higher pay back value? The current insurance I have terribly undervalues the vehicle with respect to the current market rate and the rate at which I bought it.

Any other suggestions?

Regards.

I have a gear lock installed in my Gypsy. I am not sure what brand it is as it was fitted by my mechanic. You have to put the vehicle in 5th gear and the lock it with the locking mechanism.

Thankfully it has doors so once the doors are locked with windows up I have never seen anyone sitting inside it. The bonnet opens from a release mechanism inside the glove box. The glove box itself is lockable so that keeps miscreans out of your engine bay.

My main concern was theft as in Delhi someone can steal it and take it to smaller towns in Punjab or Rajasthan or UP to sell it, but with the gear lock I feel much safer.

Cheers
Ankit

Dear Tintin,

Quote:

I inquired about gear locks, but they are not available from either xenos or Autocop. Anybody else know about other brands and availability?

There are no gearlocks for jeeps available in the market.Also, according to an expert, gearlocks doesnt make sense in a jeep. Dont know whether it was a social gyan or if the expert felt that no one wants to steal a jeep.

Quote:

I'm thinking of putting up a wheel lock as well like the ones traffic police use to lock parked vehicles

Umm... well i have no comments.

Quote:

Also planning to have a small switch installed in a hidden location under the dash to disable all electricals when parked.

This is called the master/deadlock switch made by hella.

Quote:

I might go overboard and also install a steering lock.

If you love your jeep, get one immediately. I always lock the steering with a hockey stick like rod.

i too had the problem of of street kids playing hide and seek inside my jeep. One day i told them that i would take them for a ride and asked them to bring their friends along. Surprisingly 12 kids turned up. Took them for a small drive around my area and persuaded them not to play in the jeep and informed them that they have to take care of it in what ever way they can in return for free joy rides on weekends.

Believe me, these kids do not even allow dogs to pee on my tyres and come to help me clean the jeep when they are around.

In most places i tell the security guys that this is open vehicle and things might get stolen and most of the times they find a suitable place assuring me that they would keep a watch. Most security guys at places where i frequent identify my jeep now.

One cheap and best solution suggested by samurai long back when parking jeeps for the night in the street is to
1. Lock the steering.
2. Engage 4wd Neutral and leave.

Regards,
Krishna.