Jump to content

Just venting! Stolen recovery gear


malacandro
 Share

Recommended Posts

Need to get this off my chest somewhere. I live in an apartment building with an underground "secured" garage. On the one day I accidentally left the trunk unlocked, someone came through to steal from cars/garage. I just purchased all of my recovery and safety gear for the pathy and had left my tools in the car after getting the tow hitch installed. National Park Pass? Yup...also in there. ALL STOLEN.

 

To make it worse, they (or someone else) came back and tried to get in the truck again a few days later by shoving a screwdriver into the lock. Broke my trunk lock cylinder, so I now need to buy a new one and replace it as well. Can't use the liftgate as is because I have manual locks. 

 

The final insult is the knowledge they won't make use of the gear and probably can't find places to sell it. Maybe the air compressor, but what the are they going to do they with my snatch strap or D-rings? Probably could make some shelves out of the traction boards!

 

I feel like an ass for leaving the trunk unlocked, but the timing was amazingly bad. My equipment literally came in over the previous week, and I had a voice telling me to move it indoors until I needed it. Should have listened.

 

Anyway, other than that setback, Hermon now has a name and is coming along. Picked up a tow hitch at the junkyard for cheap and got it mounted. Still need to fix some rust spots next, try to solve the mystery of the roof rack rails that don't match ANY of the pathfinders in the junkyard, fix the lock so I can actually use the cargo space. Then, after I repurchase my recovery gear can finally take it out on a real trip. Guess the roof racks and new suspension is that much further off. 

 

Lock your liftgates, people! 

roofrackpic.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Need to get this off my chest somewhere. I live in an apartment building with an underground "secured" garage. On the one day I accidentally left the trunk unlocked, someone came through to steal from cars/garage. I just purchased all of my recovery and safety gear for the pathy and had left my tools in the car after getting the tow hitch installed. National Park Pass? Yup...also in there. ALL STOLEN.
 
To make it worse, they (or someone else) came back and tried to get in the truck again a few days later by shoving a screwdriver into the lock. Broke my trunk lock cylinder, so I now need to buy a new one and replace it as well. Can't use the liftgate as is because I have manual locks. 
 
The final insult is the knowledge they won't make use of the gear and probably can't find places to sell it. Maybe the air compressor, but what the are they going to do they with my snatch strap or D-rings? Probably could make some shelves out of the traction boards!
 
I feel like an ass for leaving the trunk unlocked, but the timing was amazingly bad. My equipment literally came in over the previous week, and I had a voice telling me to move it indoors until I needed it. Should have listened.
 
Anyway, other than that setback, Hermon now has a name and is coming along. Picked up a tow hitch at the junkyard for cheap and got it mounted. Still need to fix some rust spots next, try to solve the mystery of the roof rack rails that don't match ANY of the pathfinders in the junkyard, fix the lock so I can actually use the cargo space. Then, after I repurchase my recovery gear can finally take it out on a real trip. Guess the roof racks and new suspension is that much further off. 
 
Lock your liftgates, people! 
roofrackpic.thumb.jpg.b3bb253579bf16e96e83093e59509ced.jpg

Man, that really blows! I’d be so pissed too if this happened to me. Hopefully you have enough insurance to cover the items, although deductibles suck. Where are you located? When you say secured, is it closed off by a sliding gate?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1st The Roof Rack:
I think that is likely aftermarket weatherstripping in the rain gutter of you truck. I just so happen to have recently dissected 2 roof racks at the JY & then pulled mine totally off in preparation for mounting a full length rack. Here is what it looks like stripped down. 3 mounts per side with two bolts holding each mount down & 2 bolts to receive the rails.
957a76f6aced0510ee3d77312c4e7182.jpg

Here are the rails-they are the ones on top (the other stuff is my wife’s MDX rail hardware). Each rail is held on by front & back plastic end caps & then another 4 bolts (1st front & back & two in the middle. The rail has a little bit of rocker (bow) to it & sits on a pliable rubber “mat” that runs its entire length. Mine almost looks like new despite being 16 years old & so do most of them at the JY.

There is a different style rack for the SEs & earlier R50s. The SE is a lengthwise long bar that I believe mounts to the front & rear mounts & the pre facelift R50s have lower profile load bars that are plastic & much less robust.
d92542a9027946e0a597eff5ddd0fd8f.jpg
be0d919b8b0182887a55a71561b7c149.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As for thievery - it does suck. When I lived in apartments I kept my tools/spares, etc in a toolbox like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Lund-5124T-24-Inch-Aluminum-Handheld/dp/B001SF0RUE#immersive-view_1538749399499

And my recovery gear in one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Internets-Best-Pockets-Storage-Organizer/dp/B01LWUIM7F/ref=asc_df_B01LWUIM7F/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198090983914&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3311126336813532718&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9060538&hvtargid=pla-348932196899&psc=1

That way I could keep it in a secure storage closet but pull it out for trips. Also, it made it easier to secure with cam straps so that they didn’t become lethal projectiles in an accident.

That said my Maxima was stolen despite being in a gated garage with cameras, a car security system & a “club”. I was also stupid enough to have the Pathfinder fob in the Maxima so they unlocked it & stripped it bare (thankfully the key wasn’t attached to the fob-though it cost me a fob), I’m pretty sure it was the chip that stopped them from stealing it as this was about 2004-5 & thieves didn’t have the replicators back then. BTW, about a dozen cars wete stolen that morning from just that area of Seattle & the police didn’t even want to see the security footage-they said the quality wasn’t usually good enough & any other cars used were likely stolen as well.

Now I live in the Eastern Seattle suburbs but our cars still get rifled a couple times a year. The police tell us that crews come down from Everett to work the Eastern suburbs. Consequently I still need to lock our cars that are outside but I often forget - rifked about 6 times in 10 years. I’m also asking for trouble as I frequently leave the truck like this
e9b1366e2d139ac44d342177bff35206.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I strongly dislike Seattle. 

 

I had a whole bag of PPE stolen out of the back of my first wd21, the one I had ten years ago, not the one I just sold. Lost my fall harness, hard hat, respirator, insulated Carhartt overalls and lots of gloves and safety glasses. I always wondered what the person did with that stuff. Not really the type of stuff pawn shops buy. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/5/2018 at 5:59 AM, Astrorami said:


Man, that really blows! I’d be so pissed too if this happened to me. Hopefully you have enough insurance to cover the items, although deductibles suck. Where are you located? When you say secured, is it closed off by a sliding gate?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

1

It is an underground garage with regular garage door openers. However, there is an entry door to walk in...apparently they just stuck a coat hanger through the "security" screen and opened the door. Unfortunately, the value of the stuff stolen is about $75 more than my deductible, so not really worth filing a claim and risking a rate increase. I just really hate repurchasing things, especially things I haven't used yet! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/5/2018 at 6:47 AM, RainGoat said:

1st The Roof Rack:
I think that is likely aftermarket weatherstripping in the rain gutter of you truck. I just so happen to have recently dissected 2 roof racks at the JY & then pulled mine totally off in preparation for mounting a full length rack. Here is what it looks like stripped down. 3 mounts per side with two bolts holding each mount down & 2 bolts to receive the rails.
957a76f6aced0510ee3d77312c4e7182.jpg

Here are the rails-they are the ones on top (the other stuff is my wife’s MDX rail hardware). Each rail is held on by front & back plastic end caps & then another 4 bolts (1st front & back & two in the middle. The rail has a little bit of rocker (bow) to it & sits on a pliable rubber “mat” that runs its entire length. Mine almost looks like new despite being 16 years old & so do most of them at the JY.

There is a different style rack for the SEs & earlier R50s. The SE is a lengthwise long bar that I believe mounts to the front & rear mounts & the pre facelift R50s have lower profile load bars that are plastic & much less robust.
d92542a9027946e0a597eff5ddd0fd8f.jpg
be0d919b8b0182887a55a71561b7c149.jpg

OHHHH! Ha! That would explain it. It was driving me crazy...i went to several junkyards (found a nice post-facelift rack for cheap) but never found another R50 with the same black rails as I had, even the same year. I figured it might be some weird XE quirk (I'm apparently the only person in los angeles with a manual pathfinder). When I get some time next week I'll see if I can get that stripping off. I already have the rails (assuming the attachment points are the same pre and post 1999), so after I fix the rust spots I'll be good to go. Thanks for the suggestion! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/5/2018 at 7:35 AM, RainGoat said:

As for thievery - it does suck. When I lived in apartments I kept my tools/spares, etc in a toolbox like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Lund-5124T-24-Inch-Aluminum-Handheld/dp/B001SF0RUE#immersive-view_1538749399499

And my recovery gear in one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Internets-Best-Pockets-Storage-Organizer/dp/B01LWUIM7F/ref=asc_df_B01LWUIM7F/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198090983914&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3311126336813532718&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9060538&hvtargid=pla-348932196899&psc=1

That way I could keep it in a secure storage closet but pull it out for trips. Also, it made it easier to secure with cam straps so that they didn’t become lethal projectiles in an accident.

That said my Maxima was stolen despite being in a gated garage with cameras, a car security system & a “club”. I was also stupid enough to have the Pathfinder fob in the Maxima so they unlocked it & stripped it bare (thankfully the key wasn’t attached to the fob-though it cost me a fob), I’m pretty sure it was the chip that stopped them from stealing it as this was about 2004-5 & thieves didn’t have the replicators back then. BTW, about a dozen cars wete stolen that morning from just that area of Seattle & the police didn’t even want to see the security footage-they said the quality wasn’t usually good enough & any other cars used were likely stolen as well.

Now I live in the Eastern Seattle suburbs but our cars still get rifled a couple times a year. The police tell us that crews come down from Everett to work the Eastern suburbs. Consequently I still need to lock our cars that are outside but I often forget - rifked about 6 times in 10 years. I’m also asking for trouble as I frequently leave the truck like this
e9b1366e2d139ac44d342177bff35206.jpg

Yeah - that is how a trunk should look! Sucks when it is stolen, but ready for anything. 

 

That is insane...I know it was a while ago, but I'm sure getting one car stolen and the other stripped isn't something you easily move past. Thanks for the suggestions on the tool and gear storage...I had my gear in bins, which made them more of a pain to move back and forth out of the car. I think a bag like that makes more sense, and will encourage me to be a bit less lazy. Unfortunately, we don't have any garage storage, but it's not like I'm heading out on trails every weekend. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/6/2018 at 7:37 AM, malacandro said:

OHHHH! Ha! That would explain it. It was driving me crazy...i went to several junkyards (found a nice post-facelift rack for cheap) but never found another R50 with the same black rails as I had, even the same year. I figured it might be some weird XE quirk (I'm apparently the only person in los angeles with a manual pathfinder). When I get some time next week I'll see if I can get that stripping off. I already have the rails (assuming the attachment points are the same pre and post 1999), so after I fix the rust spots I'll be good to go. Thanks for the suggestion! 

 

On 10/5/2018 at 7:37 AM, RainGoat said:

Another rack pic from the junkyard
ca08f40c1482fd6de28e9cefe5de150d.jpg

 

Okay - I'm ready to give up on the roof rack. Managed to get the weatherstripping rails off (held on by many plastic snaps), only to find that the anchors don't match any of the ones I saw in the junkyard (or in your picture).

 zQlhTFr.jpgLEtCvjS.jpg

 

I can only imagine that they were replaced when the weatherstripping was put on. I don't really feel like pulling down ceiling panels to get replacement anchors or install them, so cargo space storage it is. Thanks for your help on this, @RainGoat - you saved me from another frustrating visit to the JY.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah...must have been a custom job? I can't even get those caps off to see the bolts (or, perhaps it is bolted through the roof, with the nuts under the ceiling liner). I don't know if I can get the weatherstripping back on anymore either...I wasn't gentle with those plastic clips! 

 

Perhaps I can find an aftermarket option still, but I'll just pretend I was going for the clean look in the first place for now...

Edited by malacandro
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cleats in @malacandro picture don’t look familiar...I presume them to have nuts on under the headliner.  The pic from the junkyard truck are the ones I’ve removed...if you pull those silver hex bolts, the nuts inside will drop onto the headliner. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, hawairish said:

The cleats in @malacandro picture don’t look familiar...I presume them to have nuts on under the headliner.  The pic from the junkyard truck are the ones I’ve removed...if you pull those silver hex bolts, the nuts inside will drop onto the headliner. 

 

Yes - having pulled a few rails from JY vehicles now, they are definitely different than any I have seen. The vehicle history is clearly more interesting than my carfax showed. All good, though. I have a pathfinder with low mileage, smooth driving, no sign of a death wobble, and I can always find it in a parking lot full of jeeps! I'll move the money I was saving for a cargo rack set up into my inevitable suspension and tire upgrade. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, AlabamaDan said:

That sucks man.  Nothing that can really be done.  I had some hunting stuff stolen from about a two years ago.  I still think about it.

Ugh...that is even worse. Recovery gear isn't super personal. I'm sure it had taken you a while to get your gear assembled. Hopefully didn't set you back too much. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, malacandro said:

Yes - having pulled a few rails from JY vehicles now, they are definitely different than any I have seen. The vehicle history is clearly more interesting than my carfax showed. All good, though. I have a pathfinder with low mileage, smooth driving, no sign of a death wobble, and I can always find it in a parking lot full of jeeps! I'll move the money I was saving for a cargo rack set up into my inevitable suspension and tire upgrade. 

 

Yeah, it's weird...I've never seen those before.  Though, I'd try taking some center--to-center measurements on the backs of your brackets (the backs of the studs you can see) and maybe compare those with those silver hex screws I mentioned to see if they're the same distance.  Also check the distances to the other cleats.  It seems plausible that you could replace yours with those from the JY, but it would require shifting the headliner down.

 

I consider the roof racks on the R50s to be somewhat mysterious in general.  Hard to find part numbers, incomplete parts diagrams, no FSM references.  It may just have been the absolute base option, probably just had some snap-on plastic covers perhaps.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...