A'van Security CONTINUED from last month

QUESTION:-

Could you answer for me the following query please? If a person deflated the air out of the tyre, would access to the nuts holding the wheel onto the hub be gained?. If so, the thief would only have to replace the tyre with a spare. Before I go out and spend more money on that particular device, could you clarify that point for me please?

Ian and I have the Helmet Hitch Locking Device. I know that any form of security only keeps the honest thief out. Ian maintains I verge on the side of paranoia, regarding security, but I would really like to make ours as hard as possible to steal.

A well considered question. Now never having deflated the tyre to really answer the question I would suggest that unless you actually cut the tyre off the rim that even though the tyre was flat you still could not deform the tyre enough to expose the nuts and I don't believe you could get at the nuts to remove the wheel. I am sure that the Klamp it people took that into account when designing the Klamp so the metal shield was a big enough diameter to prevent what you are suggesting. Even so the honest thieves would have had to bring not only a spare wheel, but the correct spanner also a jack is now required to change over the wheel as well.

With my own van I have my spare tyre padlocked aaaaaaand the plastic centre hubs on the wheels I threw away together with the indented wheel nuts and the matching spanner. I went to Beaurepairs or Autobarn and bought two packets of four full length chrome nuts and two 80 mm axle protector hubs and a packet of four lock nuts the hubs $15 each and each packet $12 each total $80. I only use one lock nut per wheel.

Oh and I also have in the van a movement detector alarm with a 135 db internal shrieker siren if it goes off I know no one will investigate, but anyone in the van will find it painful and they wont stay there as they now cannot hear if anyone is coming. My next aim is to find out if I can get a reduction on my insurance premium. If the thief gets away with my van I say good luck to him/her because they sure wanted my van otherwise they would pick some one else's van easier than getting through my levels of security (they only take a few minutes to put on and a few minutes to take off).

One further point with the helmet hitch. If you intend to fit a Towmaster, as the base plate of the Towmaster fits under the tow bar, I do not think the helmet hitch will fit over the combined thickness, but I may be wrong.

A final word on security. Some time ago I left the airport about 11 pm and in walking to my car I passed the public car park, About 5 or 6 men were standing around this expensive car chatting and laughing as I went by. The next morning I went back to the airport about 8 am after parking my car I walked past where the expensive car was the night before, Wrong, it was still there, but this time much lower than it was before, It was now sitting on 4 brake discs, no wheels, 4 alloy wheels and hi-speed tyres had gone, All up about $2500 worth. That incident and mental picture has remained with me ever since. Think about it, The majority of A'van buyers are between 50 and 70 years of age either as a first van buyer or come down in van size, no children, a van easy to handle ,and a quick touring van to boot.

Neil Louer

The Agents said this: Thank you for your email on the Keep-it-Klamp-It wheel clamps. The clamp wraps around the tyre top and bottom of the tyre so if you remove the air out of the tyre you still cannot remove the clamp. We do sell a lot of the Keep-it-Klamp-It wheel clamps and have not had that problem. What you need to know is the tyre size which has it on the side of the tyre. It will say 205 -14 or 185- 14 etc. If you need any more help please call me or drop me an email.

Yes the Klamp-It I have is the same as the one on the Havealook web site. When my van is at home it is parked in the driveway, but up the side of the house and turned around so the A frame is away from the street. A trailer lock is on, the chains are locked and the wheel Klamp-it is on also. A locked car would have to be removed to get at the van!