RAM Classic theft prevention

[aszumilo]

Just remember, any anti-theft device is only there to keep honest people honest.

If they really want something, they will find a way.

 

[Wild one]

Thank you all for the great suggestions. The good thing for me is that we keep it garaged, and we only drive it 2-3 times per month. Its kind of a "garage queen" they say. I think statistically the chances are very low because its sitting in the garage 27 of 30 days a month. It only takes one time though, and we do drive into Houston but in relativly safe areas.

Cheapest anti-theft device is to take the starter relay out and throw it in your pocket,doesn't cost a penny,and even if they program a new fob,it still won't start.Most joy rider thiefs don't want to take the time out to find out why it won't start,so they'll usually move on

 

[ric221]

I guess it depends if you live in the ghetto or not if it will be stolen. I just mine locked. Thats why I pay for insurance

I'm so Glad these trucks are only stolen in the Ghetto, as opposed to the High in vehicles stolen every where else.

 

[BenchTest]

Step 1: Place a fake 5-speed gear shifter on the center console floor. No thief in today's world can drive a standard transmission.

Step 2: Place job applications on both of the front seats. These are known to repel thieves as well.

Step 3: Place 3 to 5 guineafowl near the truck when it's parked. They are good for pest control and make more noise than any human can tolerate. Most would-be thieves will get ghost in a hurry.

Step 4: If Steps 1-3 didn't make the unsavory person(s) disappear, buckshot. When you hear the guineafowl making ridiculous amounts of noise, there's a good chance that an unsavory character is nearby. When the backdrop is clear, 00 to center mass should fix the issue. Repeat as necessary until people stop trying to steal your hard-earned possessions.

*I'm not a lawyer, nor do I represent good legal advice.

 

[GTyankee]

Rock Salt

How to make a less than lethal 12G. salt shot shell.

Disclaimer: DON'T USE THIS ON ANYTHING YOU WOULDN'T USE LEAD ON. old school salt shot

www.youtube.com

reminds me of the old guy with a Melon Patch heheh

 

[Sherman Bird]

I have a 2019 RAM Classic. How much of a theft target is it, statistically? What aftermarket anti theft systems provide the best performance per dollar spent? Thanks all.

I'll share with you my own experience. Back in 1998, I bought an 8 year old GMC Suburban SLE. It was extremely clean and had an expected mileage of 116K on the odometer. This was the generation of Suburban/ Pickups that were stolen so prolifically. A major reason these vehicles were stolen so often was that a thief could steal on in under a minute.

So, I installed a stainless steel sleeve over the cheesy plastic steering column cover that was so insanely easy for a thief to break apart and start the vehicle in a fell swoop with a fairly large screw driver. In one motion, the thief would place the screw driver in the right spot and hit the handle of the screw driver with a modicum of force and break the outer plastic sleeve, the blade would progress to the pot metal steering wheel lock mechanism, break it, and progress to the rod which engaged the ignition switch and started the vehicle.... Thus the stainless sleeve.

I also bought a Club lock for the steering wheel. I used that Club every time I parked the vehicle, regardless if I was leaving it overnight or just darting into a convenience store for a candy bar.

So, I was working at a place where my fellow employees chided and teased and ridiculed me for using the Club. They would say how easy this device was/is to defeat by either cutting through the rim of the steering wheel, thus enabling it's removal, or that a nefarious person could "freeze" the metal of the Club with a can of refrigerant and whack the now brittle device with a hammer. I took the teasing in stride, and used the anti-theft device just as I'd already been doing.

One day, one of my co-workers came up to me. He was a quiet, reserved guy who minimally interacted with people around him; keeping mostly to himself. So, I was surprised when he opened a conversation with me about how he had observed the others' chiding me over my OCD use of my Club. This young man informed me that he had been to prison for stealing cars professionally, as a member of a gang.

He was speaking as a former "expert" on the very subject of cars being stolen. He said to keep right on using the Club. He further said that thieves are looking for easy marks, and despite all the publicity and general knowledge regarding auto theft, people STILL leave their keys in the vehicle, or leave the vehicle running, unattended in bad weather while the go into a business.

He made another valid point: How often do you see some thief carrying a tool box in a parking lot for the purpose of stealing a car? (IOW, that person would stick out like a sore thumb.)

His admonition was/is to keep right on using the Club; that thieves are lazy, otherwise they'd work a legit job.

Fast Forward to just a couple of months ago. One of my best long term customers had his pristine 2018 GMC Denali 4dr crew cab truck stolen from the parking lot where he works. Just by crazy coincidence, his oldest adult daughter had hidden one of those Apple air tags in the truck, so they were able to call the police and tell them exactly which address the truck was located. It was in one of Houston's worst areas. crime wise.

When he and his wife arrived at the truck, the Sheriff's Deputy was already there waiting on them. Said police officer said that the likeliness of recovery of that truck was slim to none! The damages to the door and the steering column rendered it undriveable, and it had to be towed to the nearby dealer for repairs.

While the truck was there, this customer had a Ravelco anti-theft system installed. As per my advice, They bought Clubs for all 3 of their vehicles. A 1998 Honda Accord (in very good shape, AND one of the number one stolen vehicles!) and a 2008 Expedition.

Get a Club at minimum. I have one for my 2002 S-Blazer. It is just as easy to steal as any of the easiest TO steal cars.

 

[62Blazer]

The CLUB Legacy – The Club

winner-intl.com

The good ol' Club has protected my 4Runner for 38 years.

Quite a few years ago when I was in college it was in a high auto theft area. Always used a Club and kept my truck from being stolen once. While I didn't go through the hassle of dealing with a stolen vehicle it still needed towed to the local shop because they severely damaged the steering column trying to break the Club off. About a year later the truck was successfully stolen but was recovered after being stripped down. While the Club is super tough the steering wheel is not. They simply cut a slot out of the steering wheel and slid the Club off. Most likely some battery powered saw or cut off wheel that took seconds to do it.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

I'll share with you my own experience. Back in 1998, I bought an 8 year old GMC Suburban SLE. It was extremely clean and had an expected mileage of 116K on the odometer. This was the generation of Suburban/ Pickups that were stolen so prolifically. A major reason these vehicles were stolen so often was that a thief could steal on in under a minute.

So, I installed a stainless steel sleeve over the cheesy plastic steering column cover that was so insanely easy for a thief to break apart and start the vehicle in a fell swoop with a fairly large screw driver. In one motion, the thief would place the screw driver in the right spot and hit the handle of the screw driver with a modicum of force and break the outer plastic sleeve, the blade would progress to the pot metal steering wheel lock mechanism, break it, and progress to the rod which engaged the ignition switch and started the vehicle.... Thus the stainless sleeve.

I also bought a Club lock for the steering wheel. I used that Club every time I parked the vehicle, regardless if I was leaving it overnight or just darting into a convenience store for a candy bar.

So, I was working at a place where my fellow employees chided and teased and ridiculed me for using the Club. They would say how easy this device was/is to defeat by either cutting through the rim of the steering wheel, thus enabling it's removal, or that a nefarious person could "freeze" the metal of the Club with a can of refrigerant and whack the now brittle device with a hammer. I took the teasing in stride, and used the anti-theft device just as I'd already been doing.

One day, one of my co-workers came up to me. He was a quiet, reserved guy who minimally interacted with people around him; keeping mostly to himself. So, I was surprised when he opened a conversation with me about how he had observed the others' chiding me over my OCD use of my Club. This young man informed me that he had been to prison for stealing cars professionally, as a member of a gang.

He was speaking as a former "expert" on the very subject of cars being stolen. He said to keep right on using the Club. He further said that thieves are looking for easy marks, and despite all the publicity and general knowledge regarding auto theft, people STILL leave their keys in the vehicle, or leave the vehicle running, unattended in bad weather while the go into a business.

He made another valid point: How often do you see some thief carrying a tool box in a parking lot for the purpose of stealing a car? (IOW, that person would stick out like a sore thumb.)

His admonition was/is to keep right on using the Club; that thieves are lazy, otherwise they'd work a legit job.

Fast Forward to just a couple of months ago. One of my best long term customers had his pristine 2018 GMC Denali 4dr crew cab truck stolen from the parking lot where he works. Just by crazy coincidence, his oldest adult daughter had hidden one of those Apple air tags in the truck, so they were able to call the police and tell them exactly which address the truck was located. It was in one of Houston's worst areas. crime wise.

When he and his wife arrived at the truck, the Sheriff's Deputy was already there waiting on them. Said police officer said that the likeliness of recovery of that truck was slim to none! The damages to the door and the steering column rendered it undriveable, and it had to be towed to the nearby dealer for repairs.

While the truck was there, this customer had a Ravelco anti-theft system installed. As per my advice, They bought Clubs for all 3 of their vehicles. A 1998 Honda Accord (in very good shape, AND one of the number one stolen vehicles!) and a 2008 Expedition.

Get a Club at minimum. I have one for my 2002 S-Blazer. It is just as easy to steal as any of the easiest TO steal cars.

While I don't disagree that the club is a visual deterrent, and I've touted its usage as well.

However, my Brother had his Civic parked in an open area community parking lot, that is fairly well lit and has cameras, too.

He came out in the morning to see his Civic gone, and the Club Wheel-to-Pedal device nicely placed in the parking spot his car used to be in.

 

[CanuckRam1313]

Step 1: Place a fake 5-speed gear shifter on the center console floor. No thief in today's world can drive a standard transmission.

Step 2: Place job applications on both of the front seats. These are known to repel thieves as well.

Step 3: Place 3 to 5 guineafowl near the truck when it's parked. They are good for pest control and make more noise than any human can tolerate. Most would-be thieves will get ghost in a hurry.

Step 4: If Steps 1-3 didn't make the unsavory person(s) disappear, buckshot. When you hear the guineafowl making ridiculous amounts of noise, there's a good chance that an unsavory character is nearby. When the backdrop is clear, 00 to center mass should fix the issue. Repeat as necessary until people stop trying to steal your hard-earned possessions.

*I'm not a lawyer, nor do I represent good legal advice.

00-Buck is a favorite
Those little 18" home jobs with 5+1 sure make things..mmmm..user friendly

 

[Sherman Bird]

While I don't disagree that the club is a visual deterrent, and I've touted its usage as well.

However, my Brother had his Civic parked in an open area community parking lot, that is fairly well lit and has cameras, too.

He came out in the morning to see his Civic gone, and the Club Wheel-to-Pedal device nicely placed in the parking spot his car used to be in.

The steering wheel-to-brake pedal Clubs were of a higher fail rate than the other. I do not know why, but I realize that nothing is a sure thing.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Quite a few years ago when I was in college it was in a high auto theft area. Always used a Club and kept my truck from being stolen once. While I didn't go through the hassle of dealing with a stolen vehicle it still needed towed to the local shop because they severely damaged the steering column trying to break the Club off. About a year later the truck was successfully stolen but was recovered after being stripped down. While the Club is super tough the steering wheel is not. They simply cut a slot out of the steering wheel and slid the Club off. Most likely some battery powered saw or cut off wheel that took seconds to do it.

In your case, someone WANTED THAT car. That theft was/is atypical of the get-it-quick mantra of 99% of the thieves.

I once saw a guy in the Kroger Parking lot in Tomball, Texas while waiting for my wife to buy a couple of things we needed. He was cruising through looking to steal a car, His mannerisms gave him away. He got up next to a Monte Carlo SS and pulled out a Slim Jim from his pants leg. I got out of my old Suburban (A rusty old '76) and approached him and (knowing full well what he was up to) asked if he needed any assistance. He got nervous and said he'd locked his keys in the car. Uh! Yeah, Sure! Like I carry a Slim Jim in MY britches just in case!!!

I told him I was going inside to fetch the off duty uniformed Tomball Cop security dude for his assistance. The guy was sweating bullets as I walked towards the store. He ran off like a jack rabbit! I did report the incident to that officer, just to make him/ the store aware of what went down.

 

[Wild one]

Years ago i had a rusty little 78 Ford Courier,i parked it at the local high school with the keys in it for a week,and the damn kids wouldn't even steal it,lol
Appears like if you have the right/rusty vehicle it's theft proof,lol

 

[Sherman Bird]

Years ago i had a rusty little 78 Ford Courier,i parked it at the local high school with the keys in it for a week,and the damn kids wouldn't even steal it,lol
Appears like if you have the right/rusty vehicle it's theft proof,lol

An old neighbor man in my childhood neighborhood (Sharpstown, in SW Houston, Texas) had the Oldsmobile rendition of a Nova. IIRC, I think it was deemed the Omega. He never took the keys out of that car. NO one ever stole it!

 

[fitteenhundred]

Years ago i had a rusty little 78 Ford Courier,i parked it at the local high school with the keys in it for a week,and the damn kids wouldn't even steal it,lol
Appears like if you have the right/rusty vehicle it's theft proof,lol

If you would of put a Club on it, it would have disappeared!

 

[Wild one]

If you would of put a Club on it, it would have disappeared!

I was thinking more along the lines of a for sale sign.It's like when you put an old appliance out on the lawn,nobody will touch it if it has "free" on it,but put a for sale sign on it for $50 and it'll be gone in an hour,lol

 

[fitteenhundred]

Exactly!

 

[huntergreen]

Jeff @JW2 Innovations makes the No splice kill switch harness but AFAIK, it only fits on a trucks with the push button start system.

Correction, the page below says it works for key FOB start trucks too.

Bravo Jeff.

I've had one installed for a long time and although I live in the country, I sleep better knowing my ignition is bypassed.

Having this device installed in my truck also gives me a considerable piece of mind whenever I visit the big city for supplies or park in the city at a friend's at night.

The price makes it a no-brainer decision and Jeff is very helpful if you require any guidance during the installation.

Hello everyone!

Update 10/10/2023 - New website for the No Splice Kill Switch Harness is now available at: LINK Accepting Paypal, Credit cards, G-Pay, etc. Update 8/14/2023 - Other CDJR vehicles like Challenger, Charger, some Jeep's and others also work with the No Spice Kill Switch Harness: No Splice Kill...

www.ramforum.com

I have plans to also get a club from Amazon because that's a red flag to many thieves. It's much easier to choose a vehicle without.

.

Takes about 8 seconds to cut a notch in the steering wheel And remove the club.

 

[RamDiver]

Takes about 8 seconds to cut a notch in the steering wheel And remove the club.

Unless we hire a full-time armed guard, nothing is 100%.
I'm doing my best to reduce the odds because doing nothing makes no sense in my mind.

You're very entitled to take another approach or just take your chances.

As my father used to often say to me as a child, are you part of the solution or part of the problem? The choice is your's.

.

 

[huntergreen]

Unless we hire a full-time armed guard, nothing is 100%.
I'm doing my best to reduce the odds because doing nothing makes no sense in my mind.

You're very entitled to take another approach or just take your chances.

As my father used to often say to me as a child, are you part of the solution or part of the problem? The choice is your's.

.

All true, but my point is simple. A club won’t even stop kids looking looking to go for a joy ride. If I was worried about theft, I’d check with my insurance company to see what kind of anti theft devices they offered discounts on. I believe those’d devices would offer more protection.

 

[Scottly]

The CLUB Legacy – The Club

winner-intl.com

The good ol' Club has protected my 4Runner for 38 years.

Because no one has taken the time to saw through the steering wheel. That's a 2min job with a hacksaw, less with a battery power rotary tool....At least, that's what I heard.