Community Forums

georgeaz · 04-03-2017, 04:08 PM

I am posting this for a friend. This is not my coach, but it did have a bunch of my equipment in it!

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STOLEN: GMG’s 2017 Newmar Motorcoach and 2006 24ft Rance Stacker Trailer, taken on Sunday afternoon from the Orange County, CA location. Please call GMG at (714)432-1582

Rear trailer has been wrapped with Montana plates. Motorcoach has temporary plates.
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Please be on the look out! This was stolen yesterday from Orange County, CA.

Thank you for your help!

G

BBelanger · 04-03-2017, 04:10 PM

Pretty hard to miss that beauty. I'd guess it will be painted shortly.

USMCRET · 04-03-2017, 04:20 PM

If I may ask, how was it stolen?

georgeaz · 04-03-2017, 04:28 PM

It was parked in the GMG lot in OC. That being said the actually way it was stolen is still a mystery. I would guess someone broke the door window, entered the coach and then "hotwired" it.

I say "hotwired" because after thinking about this - I believe that most of the RV industry is fairly low tech compared to the car industry. I don't believe either FL or Spartan has key coding in their ignition. My guess is they ripped apart the dash or screw drivered into it and turned it. I don't know this for a fact, just my hunch.

Now being an owner of a 2017 LADP myself, I am really concerned. Any thoughts on the security of the chassis would be helpful. I am going to investigate a lojack and an alarm asap. Any comments on the security of the coach would be welcome.

Rotten-Red · 04-03-2017, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgeaz

Now being an owner of a 2017 LADP myself, I am really concerned. Any thoughts on the security of the chassis would be helpful. I am going to investigate a lojack and an alarm asap. Any comments on the security of the coach would be welcome.

My thoughts have always been for a vehicle with air parking brakes would be to add another air valve in the parking brake system in a hidden location. They may get the engine started but if they can't release the parking brakes their not going far.

RKins · 04-03-2017, 06:04 PM

Sorry to hear this about your friend - that's horrible. I would think with a coach of that value, Lojack is probably a smart idea if you're not full-timing in it.

That's a smart idea too Red.

jerome951 · 04-03-2017, 06:11 PM

That sucks for you and the GMG Team
Hopefully you didn't have a race car in the trailer

PDR John · 04-03-2017, 07:20 PM

As a security note: All coaches with keyless entry pads have a dealer code in the pad. Just changing or putting in your own code doesn't erase the dealer code.

If you know the code, all coaches are yours to tour.

Read you manual to learn how to erase the dealer code.

Hit_the_Rhod · 04-03-2017, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgeaz

It was parked in the GMG lot in OC. That being said the actually way it was stolen is still a mystery. I would guess someone broke the door window, entered the coach and then "hotwired" it.

I say "hotwired" because after thinking about this - I believe that most of the RV industry is fairly low tech compared to the car industry. I don't believe either FL or Spartan has key coding in their ignition. My guess is they ripped apart the dash or screw drivered into it and turned it. I don't know this for a fact, just my hunch.

Now being an owner of a 2017 LADP myself, I am really concerned. Any thoughts on the security of the chassis would be helpful. I am going to investigate a lojack and an alarm asap. Any comments on the security of the coach would be welcome.

In lieu of the air valve suggestion, it should be pretty simple to add a valve in the fuel line prior to the fuel filters. I have been planning on doing this myself so I can change fuel filters without fuel constantly running while I get the new filters in place. Turning off the valve would starve the engine of fuel. Wouldn't take a lot of time to find the valve, but time isn't what a thief would want to spend while jacking a coach! An upgrade would be to put in an electrically actuated fuel valve with a switch in the cockpit innocuously labeled as something totally unrelated. Maybe "courtesy light, or some such. Must be in a certain position in order to be open. That way you could get in the habit of turning switch off (or on) anything you leave the coach as a fail safe to backup the ignition key. Just a thought.

Rotten-Red · 04-03-2017, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit_the_Rhod

In lieu of the air valve suggestion, it should be pretty simple to add a valve in the fuel line prior to the fuel filters. I have been planning on doing this myself so I can change fuel filters without fuel constantly running while I get the new filters in place. Turning off the valve would starve the engine of fuel. Wouldn't take a lot of time to find the valve, but time isn't what a thief would want to spend while jacking a coach! An upgrade would be to put in an electrically actuated fuel valve with a switch in the cockpit innocuously labeled as something totally unrelated. Maybe "courtesy light, or some such. Must be in a certain position in order to be open. That way you could get in the habit of turning switch off (or on) anything you leave the coach as a fail safe to backup the ignition key. Just a thought.

Another option is to put a hidden or mislabeled switch in the starter circuit. No cranky, no go. I did that on a TransAm special edition pace car I once owned.

Electra 225 · 04-04-2017, 11:41 PM

Hate to hear this! This sure is happening a lot. Haven't heard what the outcome was of the recent ones either. Incredible.

Hope things work out quickly for you guys.

Regards,
W.D.

BrianGlenn · 04-05-2017, 03:03 AM

A number of OEM/aftermarket alarm systems disable a fuel pump/starter circuit (relay).

BirchyBoy · 04-05-2017, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianGlenn

A number of OEM/aftermarket alarm systems disable a fuel pump/starter circuit (relay).

My F-350 had a relay with a remote. The remote had to be activated before the relay would work. I have that in my garage....I wonder if it would work in my new F53 Winnie?

MRUSA14 · 04-05-2017, 03:47 PM

Diesel engines are turned off by a fuel solenoid which cuts off the fuel. This is operated by your "ignition" switch. All you need to do is wire another switch into the same circuit and hide the other switch. This will shut off all fuel to the engine unless it is in the go position. All this should be able to be done in the front of the coach near the starter switch, so no difficult fuel runs.

My question is, what is the thief going to do with this monster? It is awfully risky to use or sell it, and too big to hide.