Ravelco as featured in Overland Journal

[cruiseroutfit]

The shifter lock I described earlier. Sadly like many it easily defeated by various methods

 

[RSB]

dang. I had no idea!! I'll be stopping that habit now since it's obviously pointless.

That won't keep a tow truck from taking your ride. Option one, flatbed tow truck just winches your car onto the bed. Tires will just drag along the paving and truck bed. This happend to my car when I parked it illegally, resulting in some nice marks on the sidewall of the tire.
Option two, use car wheel dollies. Jack the car up, set the wheels on car wheel dollies, push it into a more suitable postion for winching. Asphalt guys do this all the time to get cars out of the way when they are repaving apartment complexes, office buildings, or any other place people seem to leave cars. They just push the cars out of the way. It is truly amazing how fast a professional can move a car legally. The bad guys are even quicker. I do not think there is a practical defense against a flatbed tow truck besides chaining it to a streetlight or buying a wheel lock like the police use on your car when illegally parked.

 

[Honu]

I read that and thought, Whaaaaat? Gotta be an urban legend. But no:

Stun gun wheel lock

Sadly, no longer available.

yeah Hawaii kinda gets its own stuff also being closer and the influence of asia ? those that live or lived their know what I mean

but they were common enough and wish I picked one up then

 

[Dusty T.]

I had a Ravelco installed several years ago shortly after I bought my '02. It came without any antitheft device.

At the time I was living in a sketchy Sacramento neighborhood, a city with higher than average vehicle theft to boot. Following some research it looked like the best option out there though I have not had any break-ins yet, fingers X'd. I try to keep my rig looking as unassuming as possible which seems to help. It was a bit steep ($450 for the complete install) but cheap insurance, IMHO. Plus it doesn't seem to be a very well-known system which may further deter thieves.

Wish I could've watched the tech do the install but I had it done while at work. 99.9% of aftermarket electrical installs I've seen look like complete hack jobs, so I had my reservations about having someone else do this. I must say this guy did a very clean install and it has worked flawlessly through repeated use. I believe Ravelco also backs their product for life which was a major bonus since after all, they're splicing into some pretty critical wires within the fuse box.

So yeah, I'd recommend it. Sure, nothing is effectively theft proof, but I've no regrets about this mod.

 

[corax]

[hijack]

Here's a system I thought up a few years back....simple - not really intrusive
and one moving part.

Reed switch on the power to the fuel pump

reed switch positioned in line on the cable beneath one of the two cup holders in the central console

1 can of coke with a magnet stuck on the bottom

Move the coke can when you leave and replace when you get back

carry a spare magnet ! just in case.

The average thief won't be dropping the fuel tank to see whats wrong

I wouldn't trust a reed switch to carrry the current for a fuel pump, here's a very similar idea I read about years ago: http://autospeed.com/A_107975/cms/article.html

[/hijack]

 

[LosAngeles]

I am thinking about getting a Ravelco. Not only to protect the truck but also the camper. Any other "happy campers" who have Ravelco?