 | Home > Puma (Tdci) > Stolen bonnet |
 
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| 110 John Member Since: 11 Jan 2014 Location: Northumberland Posts: 158   
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Seems to be the thing these days stealing Puma bonnets and doors for parts or older model restorations or face lifts
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8th Apr 2014 8:05am |
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555 
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Put ball bearings in your bolts, and invest in some security bonnet hinges! An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"  |
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8th Apr 2014 8:16am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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Sorry to hear about the disappearing bonnets.
Basically there are two types of scumbags stealing bonnets. 1) Opportunist, low tech scum bags, or smash and grab merchants who spend minimal time on site. Normally 2 of them. This appears to be the most popular method 2) Planned, high tech scum bags. These come in teams of 3 plus, tooled up, will disable alarm and are prepared to spend time stripping vehicles on site. Currently readily available in the UK are the 4 x 4 Overlander version HERE or the Mudstuff version available HERE Both designs will slow down the scumbags as they prevent the bonnets being just lifted off by the low tech scumbags. If you want to you can improve security of these by use of ball bearings/epoxy, locktite or shear/security nuts. Additional security can be provided by use of a short steel cable through bonnet reinforcing rib and engine lifting eye. Suggest used in conjunction with security hinges as that is a visual deterrent. Use just a steel cable and you might still have the mess/expense of a broken window. It is very difficult to defeat the planned high tech thieves who come properly tooled up and prepared to steal items from your pride and joy. Best method is properly out of sight in a secure garage with garage alarmed and separate non standard alarm on your vehicle. Brendan |
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8th Apr 2014 8:50am |
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| churchy Member Since: 28 Jul 2011 Location: UK Posts: 237 
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Thanks Brendan- all points noted. I may well give you a call ref security options once I know when I will be getting the wagon back from the workshop.
I would love to garage it but 300 years ago when they built my house they only needed stables probably! If I could it would be garaged every night or parked at least on a driveway. Sad thing is in our beloved country it would have been me that would have got in trouble had I caught them at it and parked them under the land rover in the stream opposite the house. Probably would have been an infringement of their human rights....... Love it as much as I do maybe its time to buy something a little more thief proof. |
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8th Apr 2014 9:40am |
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| 110 John Member Since: 11 Jan 2014 Location: Northumberland Posts: 158
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Or the cheaper option how good they are I dont know but come with the Bit to place/remove them
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-Defen...1413wt_956 |
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8th Apr 2014 10:11am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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Sorry 110 John but that would not delay the scum bags by one second as they do not unbolt the hinges! They have no need to unbolt the hinges as it is a simple smash and grab operation which takes very little time!
It is not only Puma bonnets which are stolen! Just had a phone call from a guy who had his 10 year old TD5 bonnet stolen using smash and grab technique! Brendan |
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8th Apr 2014 10:50am |
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| 110 John Member Since: 11 Jan 2014 Location: Northumberland Posts: 158
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so what is the smash and grab technique I thought they were just unbolting them and is the security hinges the answer
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8th Apr 2014 11:00am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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The bonnet can be lifted off of its' hinges. Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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8th Apr 2014 11:07am |
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| Tiger Member Since: 06 Jul 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 2265 
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With standard hinges they just lift off
Takes me about 30secs to remove my TD5 bonnet on my own  |
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8th Apr 2014 11:08am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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Smash and grab technique?
Smash window, ignore alarm Grab bonnet release handle Lift bonnet up and grab it. Run to waiting van. IF you just have a security cable then you still have a smashed window. IF you have security hinges and they actually notice them they may just go to next Defender down the road. IF they come prepared with right tools they can disable alarms, and strip your vehicle but that takes time. Brendan |
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8th Apr 2014 11:14am |
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| Tiger Member Since: 06 Jul 2012 Location: Wales Posts: 2265
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My old 300 Tdi has 2 big metal struts that cantilevered to hold the bonnet up. To remove the bonnet you had to break the split pin.
Can these be retro fit? |
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8th Apr 2014 11:17am |
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| bpman Member Since: 21 May 2008 Location: Oslo Posts: 8069 
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Gas struts would slow them down .. Sense of adventure were going to be making them but not seen on their site
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8th Apr 2014 12:28pm |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8580
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Defender bonnet gas struts are made by GMB. Need to strengthen wing top to take the gas strut. Normal method is attachment point on the chequer plate wing top.
Yes it would slow thieves down, but if smash and grab brigade then you already have a smashed window. Brendan |
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8th Apr 2014 1:36pm |
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| Jonno Member Since: 06 Mar 2012 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 234 
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It seems to be getting beyond a joke really. However if we all stopped buying "questionable" parts from ebay etc maybe the problem would eventually go away. They are barely worth stealing to weigh in...
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13th Apr 2014 9:18am |
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