Thieves are now drilling gas tanks?!?

[GatorGreg]

Hmmm...so if gas priced at approximately $4/gal results in thieves drilling holes in our gas tanks for a few gallons of gas, it makes me wonder at what price point would we end up with complete anarchy a la The Road Warrior (one of my all time favorite movies). I'd liike to think it wouldn't happen until about $50 per gallon but I'm afraid all hell would break loose at about $20.

 

[Even Steven]

Is there anything you can do to protect the spare wheel from being stolen?

There was a company called Winchlock that made a great lock for our spare tire/wheel, but I believe they went out of business. If you want more info, there's a big thread somewhere on the forum amout stolen spare tires.

 

[Thai]

There is one easy solution...you guys trade in your high-riding 4runners and get a minivan! I don't think anyone can get to my minivan because (with the running boards) it is low to the ground.

Don't tell me that i did not offer this ingenious option to you guys....

 

[PaulSula]

A minivan...I'm not saying "NEVER" but...well I see a station waggon in my future (Subbi Outback) well before I would resort to a minivan.

 

[Kmvreter]

...you guys trade in your high-riding 4runners and get a minivan!...

And you have the balls to call yourself a "Board Certified SUV Nut"? Are you trying to pick a fight around here talking like that?
:


By the way, how big is the G500 tank, is it metal and how much clearance is there?

 

[Thai]

And you have the balls to call yourself a "Board Certified SUV Nut"? Are you trying to pick a fight around here talking like that?
:


By the way, how big is the G500 tank, is it metal and how much clearance is there?

I am a hypocrite "Board Certified SUV Nut".

The G tank is 25 gallons i think. It is plastic with a metal skidplate. The worst part is that it is under the rear cargo area (where the spare is in your 4runner)...so, it can be access with ease by these stealing bas****s. With gas prices these days, my G is sitting the garage collecting dust.

 

[Kmvreter]

...so, it can be access with ease by these stealing bas****s. With gas prices these days, my G is sitting the garage collecting dust.

Sorry about your luck on the Benz tank design. With that and other reliability issues on that "tank" of a truck it doesn't sound like you're enjoying it very much.
Tell you what. It's an '04 and I'm not sure I'm keen on the colour but mine's an '04 with a relatively economical V6 plus it has the tank in the right spot. And don't forget that great Toy reliability. We should just trade square up. What you say? I'll even track down and throw a spare tire lock into the deal. Don't forget to dust it off.

 

[Thai]

Sorry about your luck on the Benz tank design. With that and other reliability issues on that "tank" of a truck it doesn't sound like you're enjoying it very much.
Tell you what. It's an '04 and I'm not sure I'm keen on the colour but mine's an '04 with a relatively economical V6 plus it has the tank in the right spot. And don't forget that great Toy reliability. We should just trade square up. What you say? I'll even track down and throw a spare tire lock into the deal. Don't forget to dust it off.

Yeah, sure...just wait by your mailbox...i will send the G right over!

Actually, my G has been pretty much trouble free except for a few well-known German issues (window regulators going kaput every 30K miles...damn Germans can never get these door thingy right!). Most Gs 2004 and up are pretty much bullet-proof in quality and reliability.

It's the gas guzzling aspect of my G that is irking me from driving it more. I guess that in retrospect, getting big tires was a no-no.

 

[juneau92]

It's the gas guzzling aspect of my G that is irking me from driving it more.

You probably mentioned somewhere before, Thai, but you must have a big engine in your G-can?

I've a friend with a 2006 Chevy TrailBlaster (that's what I call them) SuperSport. That thing has a big engine (about 400 horses or so), a 4-speed xmission (POS already had to have it replaced once, and it's again acting up), and a 4:10 rear axel. Fast off the line, it is, but a bad recipe for MPG's.

He's getting to where he hates the thing. And he's even a total GM whore.

 

[Thai]

It's a G500...so, it has a 5.0 Liter V8 engine with 5-speed transmission. On the highway, i am getting around 13-14 mpg on PREMIUM fuel. In the city, it varies, but 10-13 mpg is common.

 

[GatorGreg]

It's a G500...so, it has a 5.0 Liter V8 engine with 5-speed transmission. On the highway, i am getting around 13-14 mpg on PREMIUM fuel. In the city, it varies, but 10-13 mpg is common.

That's actually pretty good mileage for something with the aerodynamics of a brick on wheels

 

[Wolf]

Check this guy out....

Truck with trap door used to steal underground gas in Mercer

Genius....or almost had a genius idea

 

[Wolf]

There was a company called Winchlock that made a great lock for our spare tire/wheel, but I believe they went out of business. If you want more info, there's a big thread somewhere on the forum amout stolen spare tires.

Use a cable and lock wrapped tight around the spare and it's stabilizer loop . Deterent is better than anything since you can't make anything really theft proof.

 

[Even Steven]

Use a cable and lock wrapped tight around the spare and it's stabilizer loop . Deterent is better than anything since you can't make anything really theft proof.

That's a good idea, but if you can find one of the locks I mentioned, definitely get it. I have one on my 4Runner, and I don't see how anyone would be able to steal my spare. It looks pretty much impossible because there's now way at all to get to the lock's rod to cut it. If the lock ever broke on me, I'd probably have to get it torched off to get the spare tire down, most likely damaging the wheel in the process.

 

[magnumfan]

I cannot resist saying something about this

Hmmm...so if gas priced at approximately $4/gal results in thieves drilling holes in our gas tanks for a few gallons of gas, it makes me wonder at what price point would we end up with complete anarchy a la The Road Warrior (one of my all time favorite movies). I'd liike to think it wouldn't happen until about $50 per gallon but I'm afraid all hell would break loose at about $20.

Hey Greg

as a kid my parents owned a hotel/bar near broken hill australia - where that 'road warrior' 'aka mad max' was made, the guy with the mohawk hair cut beleive it or not was a school teacher (really) and the guy holding mel gibson at arrow point is an actor called strop, who also was paul hogans (crocidile dundee's) manager - very small industry down there in Aussie land. Also the Ford Interceptor that max drove, as standard was a police pursuit car in the state of NSW, as a 16 year old, one of my neibours had one. It was a monster, talk about leave rubber. Damn!

 

[Wolf]

That's a good idea, but if you can find one of the locks I mentioned, definitely get it. I have one on my 4Runner, and I don't see how anyone would be able to steal my spare. It looks pretty much impossible because there's now way at all to get to the lock's rod to cut it. If the lock ever broke on me, I'd probably have to get it torched off to get the spare tire down, most likely damaging the wheel in the process.

Steven, yeah I think I know the lock your talking about- Masterlock makes one called the Contractor lock or something....it doesn't have a shackle just a round looking thing. I couldn't find the thread you were refering to....but the cable I use is like shielded 3/8-1/2! I got it at Home De(s)pot - $14 It's premade= done (and I don't have a Nicopress/ Swage clamp for that huge size sleeve) the lock is a kryptonite and I used to use it with my motorcyle so it's pretty safe- you'd need some equipment - or strength along with really long armed cable cutter that a crackhead tweaker or most theives probably wouldn't have access to.

 

[Uneek]

Newsweek article on even more brazen methods of stealing fuel.

 

[pschoggens]

I looked at a few gas tank skids as a way to make drilling points inaccessible, but no luck. Look like they would work great for rocks but not for drills. They use a 1/4" bit then push a 3/8 ID clear tube over the hole to let it gravity drain into 5 gal cans. Make this inaccessible and someone can sell a duel purpose gas tank skid/protector. Let me know when it comes out! :drum: