Theft risk? Vehicle and Catalytic Converter?

[OleCuss]

I have the 2021 King Ranch Fx4 PowerBoost and pretty happy with it. But I don't get to park it inside the garage and I'm wondering how hard it is to steal the vehicle or just the cat?

Since it is the Fx4 I'd imagine the skid plates will be at least a minor deterrent, but probably only a mild one.

Since folk tend to steal the cat rather than the whole vehicle I'm assuming it is not all that easy to steal the entire vehicle given the current electronics and modern tracking. But I could be very wrong about that as I don't come anywhere close to being expert.

I have enhanced concern because a neighbor reviewed video from about 3 a.m. which showed a vehicle stopping at about my house and that of the next-door neighbor. They sat there for a while and then drove on.

My best guess is that they figured we weren't a great target for them so they went looking for something else. It's also possible they'll just come back some other night to commit the theft.

So I'm curious as to whether the skid plate could make them more interested in stealing someone else's cat?

Is there a way to disable the vehicle so that it is unusually difficult to steal?

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[Bluesman]

I don't have any experience to know if the FX4 plates offer enough protection. Although my risk is low, I do a limited amount of overnights in Chicagoland for work and I opted to install the Talon garage plate package. Luckily I have a neighbor with a lift in his garage cause' installing on the floor would be a PIA! $480 bucks with the Powerboost brackets but I feel it was money well spent.

In terms of stealing the whole vehicle I don't think it would be easy without the key fob. Your Ford Pass app. will track your vehicle so it wouldn't be hard to sic the cops on it.

 

[OleCuss]

I don't have any experience to know if the FX4 plates offer enough protection. Although my risk is low, I do a limited amount of overnights in Chicagoland for work and I opted to install the Talon garage plate package. Luckily I have a neighbor with a lift in his garage cause' installing on the floor would be a PIA! $480 bucks with the Powerboost brackets but I feel it was money well spent.

In terms of stealing the whole vehicle I don't think it would be easy without the key fob. Your Ford Pass app. will track your vehicle so it wouldn't be hard to sic the cops on it.

I'm quite certain that the skid plates won't be a tremendous deterrent. It wouldn't really be all that difficult to take a skid plate off even if it is a cool one made by Talon Garage - it's a few bolts. But the skid plates will slow them down a little and that would be at least a little bit of a reason to consider passing on the Fx4 and going to another F-150 to take theirs.

 

[Bluesman]

Would not be easy.. It's eight big bolts and they'd have to bring the correct size allen head sockets, plus be able to snake a long arm with the correct size wrench onto the backing nut. They'll move along to another easy target.

 

[OleCuss]

Would not be easy.. It's six big bolts and they'd have to bring the correct size allen head sockets, plus be able to snake a long arm with the correct size wrench onto the backing nut. They'll move along to another easy target.

That's really pretty reassuring and your responses are greatly appreciated!

And I realize you are not promising anything but are simply talking odds and the most likely behaviors.

I'll sleep a little better tonight.

 

[Bluesman]

Once again, I can't speak for the FX4 plates... I don't know how those are attached nor how much they cover.

 

[Kodiak]

I spoke (emailed) with the guy at Talons and he said he wants to make a cat plate for the Powerboost that is one piece so you do not need the brackets. I hope he does. He did say it would require a lot of material so it could cost $100+ more but it would be nice. Ask the guy about this if you have a PB and maybe the more interest that is shown, the sooner he will design one.

Nothing will be absolute but usually a visual deterrence is all that it takes to have the crook move on to the next guys unprotected truck.

 

[Aron]

I don't have any experience to know if the FX4 plates offer enough protection. Although my risk is low, I do a limited amount of overnights in Chicagoland for work and I opted to install the Talon garage plate package. Luckily I have a neighbor with a lift in his garage cause' installing on the floor would be a PIA! $480 bucks with the Powerboost brackets but I feel it was money well spent.

In terms of stealing the whole vehicle I don't think it would be easy without the key fob. Your Ford Pass app. will track your vehicle so it wouldn't be hard to sic the cops on it.

How heavy is the Talon Garage plate package? The hit to payload would be my biggest concern with potentially adding this theft protection. Thanks!

 

[Bluesman]

35 lbs.

 

[speedracercjr]

Would not be easy.. It's six big bolts and they'd have to bring the correct size allen head sockets, plus be able to snake a long arm with the correct size wrench onto the backing nut. They'll move along to another easy target.

Can confirm, they would be a son of a bitch to remove. Lots of bloody knuckles and cussing installing mine which makes me feel good that my truck wouldn't be worth the trouble of trying to steal the cats now.

 

[Bluesman]

I spoke (emailed) with the guy at Talons and he said he wants to make a cat plate for the Powerboost that is one piece so you do not need the brackets. I hope he does. He did say it would require a lot of material so it could cost $100+ more but it would be nice. Ask the guy about this if you have a PB and maybe the more interest that is shown, the sooner he will design one.

Nothing will be absolute but usually a visual deterrence is all that it takes to have the crook move on to the next guys unprotected truck.

That would make it harder to install.

 

[Harry Dangler]

I have the 2021 King Ranch Fx4 PowerBoost and pretty happy with it. But I don't get to park it inside the garage and I'm wondering how hard it is to steal the vehicle or just the cat?

Since it is the Fx4 I'd imagine the skid plates will be at least a minor deterrent, but probably only a mild one.

Since folk tend to steal the cat rather than the whole vehicle I'm assuming it is not all that easy to steal the entire vehicle given the current electronics and modern tracking. But I could be very wrong about that as I don't come anywhere close to being expert.

I have enhanced concern because a neighbor reviewed video from about 3 a.m. which showed a vehicle stopping at about my house and that of the next-door neighbor. They sat there for a while and then drove on.

My best guess is that they figured we weren't a great target for them so they went looking for something else. It's also possible they'll just come back some other night to commit the theft.

So I'm curious as to whether the skid plate could make them more interested in stealing someone else's cat?

Is there a way to disable the vehicle so that it is unusually difficult to steal?

also don;t forget your tailgate and tail lights as they are easy targets for theft, it takes about 30 seconds to steal them and at 1100.00 dollars apiece for the tail lights ( no idea what a new tailgate might cost) I imagine the thief makes a pretty good profit. There is a post on the subject here

 

[OleCuss]

also don;t forget your tailgate and tail lights as they are easy targets for theft, it takes about 30 seconds to steal them and at 1100.00 dollars apiece for the tail lights ( no idea what a new tailgate might cost) I imagine the thief makes a pretty good profit. There is a post on the subject here

I don't think I have a way of preventing the tail lights other than that the area is lighted.

The tailgate is somewhat less vulnerable from my perspective.

In part due to Army service I prefer to park tactically (I don't back out of the driveway, I back into it). So I park with the tailgate sufficiently close to the house that you cannot open the tailgate. That should make it at least a little more difficult to steal the tailgate. Actually, it will probably help just a little for the tail lights - but only a very little.

 

[Ben.K]

Anything parked out on the street runs a risk of being stollen, truck, cat, or anything else for that matter. A F-350 and a F-250 have both been stollen from my neighborhood in the past couple of months with the most recent happening a few nights ago. The thieves come in the middle of the night with a tow truck and winch the pickup onto the flatbed and off they go. I am located in Dallas and I am told that lots of stollen vehicles make their way South of the border.

As for the catalytic converters, I used to live in LA and I had 2 of them stollen (over 2 years) off my old Honda Element when I had left the vehicle parked on the street instead of in my driveway. After the second time I had a muffler shop weld rebar cage around the cat and back around the frame. I think I paid less than $150 for the material and labor which was much cheaper than the $2K that I was charged for another factory unit. Never had an issue after the rebar cage was welded up. Ended up selling the Element to a friend and he hasn't had any issues either.

If and when my F150 gets built and delivered I will be doing some sort of skid plate, cat cover or rebar cage. Cheap insurance. If someone wants it bad enough they will figure it out but might as well make it as tough as possible.

 

[Harry Dangler]

I don't think I have a way of preventing the tail lights other than that the area is lighted.

The tailgate is somewhat less vulnerable from my perspective.

In part due to Army service I prefer to park tactically (I don't back out of the driveway, I back into it). So I park with the tailgate sufficiently close to the house that you cannot open the tailgate. That should make it at least a little more difficult to steal the tailgate. Actually, it will probably help just a little for the tail lights - but only a very little.

Right on I won't be able to park my truck in the garage when I get it so the was my thoughts exactly
also snakebitten suggested the replacing the tail light screws with security screws and add a tailgate lock
Cheers

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