The rig I spent two years building was just stolen! Heartbroken

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GOXPLRE

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Enthusiast II

509
Frisco, TX, USA
First Name
Jon
Last Name
Carson
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30011

I'd start with deciding what you did, and didn't like about the Silverado. I run a full size Silverado too and love it, but we all think about what they'd do differently next time. I can't imagine a more complete and comfortable overlanding rig with more range and capability (for the comfort it provides). That said, I love to day-dream about other setups, and will do a more minimalist/hardcore trail setup with my WJ. So that's where I'd start: how do you want to continue doing Overland travel and what did your Silverado do well, or poorly.

If I was starting from scratch I'd prob bet getting a new F350 Tremor with the 7.3L gas. Why a Ford not another Chevy? Well I solid axle swapped my Chevy, which was a lot of expense, time and work - with a Ford (or RAM) I could have just started solid/solid. Why the gasser? I don't love the emissions systems and added complexity of the newer diesels. One thing I'm not sure about is whether I'd do a regular cab 8' bed to be able to do the larger Grandby FWC, a Crew Cab 6.5' bed and Hawk like I have now, or Crew and 8'. I don't really feel like I need more space inside the FWC in terms of "living" since I try not to be inside of it other than sleeping, cooking or getting out of the rain. But I do feel like a bit more storage would be great. The Crew + 8' would give me the most storage, but I don't really want any longer of a rig.

Anyway, my point in mentioning ^this^ is just start thinking about what (if anything) you'd like to do different this time, and that will guide your towards the right rig... since you mentioned "Pre-Built" I vote Prospector XL for you with a FWC in the back. ;)

-TJ
You can’t go wrong with an F350 Tremor 7.3L! Love mine
 

AggieOE

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Pearland, Texas, USA
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Nathan
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NWK
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Sorry to hear that but at least no one got hurt. Materials can luckily be replaced.
If you mean it was stolen from "Just Play Sports" near i10 and 8, then I am not surprised. I know of many friend's trucks that have been broken into in that area.

Happy shopping though!

Other than:
1. It will be my daily driver
2. It will go to the desert, beach, Ozarks, and long-haul travel
3. Must fit three people for at least a long weekend
4. No rock crawling or long travel needed
5. Considering new and used, as well as pre-built

What else are your parameters? Budget, SUV v Truck, Tow Capacity, Specific Technologies, desire to immediately modify or want to keep stock until tires wear out?
 

DintDobbs

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Daniel &
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the Vulture
R.I.P. Sorry for your loss... you work half a lifetime to get some thing and some clown takes it away (or just destroys it) in a few minutes.

How long does it take to disconnect the battery? Keep a shorty ratchet and socket on hand, take the extra 30 seconds to disconnect the battery before you leave your vehicle. Take the ratchet with you, it shouldn't be hard to hide it in a pocket (or purse, if you're of the female variety).

Sure, it might be inconvenient to reset the clock afterward, but the extra 10 seconds it takes to do that should be more than worth it to save you the cost of a new vehicle. And the clock can wait until you're out of the sketchy places. Your phone has a clock.

Rigging a kill switch is also easy, but that can void warranties, ye be warned.

If you don't want to pull the battery every single time or rig a kill switch, you can just pull your starter relay or your fuel pump fuse or some other such. Of course, a truly dedicated baddie could still work around any of these things, but it would make his job harder.
 

ThundahBeagle

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Massachusetts
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Andrew
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Beagle
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0

R.I.P. Sorry for your loss... you work half a lifetime to get some thing and some clown takes it away (or just destroys it) in a few minutes.

How long does it take to disconnect the battery? Keep a shorty ratchet and socket on hand, take the extra 30 seconds to disconnect the battery before you leave your vehicle. Take the ratchet with you, it shouldn't be hard to hide it in a pocket (or purse, if you're of the female variety).

Sure, it might be inconvenient to reset the clock afterward, but the extra 10 seconds it takes to do that should be more than worth it to save you the cost of a new vehicle. And the clock can wait until you're out of the sketchy places. Your phone has a clock.

Rigging a kill switch is also easy, but that can void warranties, ye be warned.

If you don't want to pull the battery every single time or rig a kill switch, you can just pull your starter relay or your fuel pump fuse or some other such. Of course, a truly dedicated baddie could still work around any of these things, but it would make his job harder.
If the OP's avatar is the truck in question, there would be more - much, much more - involved than just resetting the clock every time he disconnected the battery before going to sleep at night or walked into the office for work every day. Presuming, of course, that he's not in the trades and doesn't need his truck for work.

Reset clock, reset presets, computer starts from scratch relearning, lose mpg calculations, no remote start, no auto unlock...

At some point, opening and closing the hood everywhere you went, connecting and disconnecting the battery, someone is going to see that and just do what they saw you do. By the way, the door lock is electric and the hood release is inside the truck so you either have to leave your truck completely unlocked all night or use your key manually. Could do that but it kinda sucks for remote start on those cold snowy mornings.

Fuses and relays, similar.

It's mostly dedicated baddies getting these trucks now as it is. Better off just adding "The Club" as another layer of security and hoping they dont just flatbed tow it off to some impromptu chop shop.

These days, most of the youngest two generations that are able to drive are unable to drive standard shift/manual. You could get a manual shift, write instructions how to drive it in cursive handwriting, place those instructions on the dash, and STILL not have to worry your car getting stolen by most 20- somethings. Cursive handwriting is like secret code or encryption to some of these kids, and they see driving manual as akin to churning butter or crank starting a car.
 
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DintDobbs

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@ThundahBeagle Good points, but again, the system resets seem like it might be worth the inconvenience to prevent grand theft auto. The OP's truck undoubtedly cost more than all of my vehicles together.

Yes, people can watch, but it's not likely they would see exactly what you did with such small components as fuses and relays. You can keep the fuse(s)/relay(s) with you, and simply plug them back in before you leave.

I forgot that some people don't use their keys to unlock the doors. Nevertheless, the kill switch is always an option, but as you also mentioned, nobody can really stop a rollback. But we're talking about really sophisticated thieves, in any of these cases. A sufficiently dedicated thief will steal whatever he wants.
 
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Welcome to the new reality...where criminals do as they please with impunity.

My full-sized Silverado rig that I spent two years building was stolen yesterday...between insurance, police, OnStar, and others...just a frustrating experience of mostly (not all) people that don't care very much that society has an element of evil to it.

But I digress....

I am now balancing my priorities for my next rig:
1. It will be my daily driver
2. It will go to the desert, beach, Ozarks, and long-haul travel
3. Must fit three people for at least a long weekend
4. No rock crawling or long travel needed
5. Considering new and used, as well as pre-built

All suggestions and recommendations considered

The King is dead, long live the King (whomever it shall be)
I RECOMMEND A LAND CRUISER HJ61 IF YOU CAN FIND ONE. I HAD A 1988 AND LOVED IT. USED FOR BIG GAME HUBTOING IN THE ROCKIES SW OF CALGARY. MOST AWESOME UNIT.
 

Enthusiast III

1,212
Grand Falls-Windsor, NL, Canada
First Name
Steve
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Adams
Sorry for your loss. I would flip the freak out! That being said, when I had my integra, I had an alarm system with pain inducers inside the vehicle. They are extremely loud sirens hidden in the vents that when set off they would make you shat your pants and everything. The warning on the package for testing was use foam ear plugs then defenders over them! ha ha. Might be an idea on your next rig if they are still available.

I would look at a large SUV, suburban, expedition etc for comfort! They are wonderful travel rigs.
 
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