Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler YJ radiator

Theft Prevention for Jeep YJ - What Do You Use?

SquareFace

SquareFace

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Joined
May 21, 2025
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47
Location
Illinois
It seems pretty easy for someone to steal a YJ, especially since they’re older and have simple ignition systems. What does everyone do to prevent this from happening?

I’d love to hear about:
  • Steering wheel locks (like The Club) – worth it or just a visual deterrent?
  • Hidden kill switches – where do you hide yours (without giving away secrets)?
  • Removable steering wheels – anyone running one?
  • Alarm systems – any brands that work well on older Jeeps?
  • GPS trackers – anyone install one for recovery if it does get stolen?
  • Any other creative solutions?
I’d like to keep my Jeep safe without making it too inconvenient to drive. Let me know what works for you!
 
SquareFace said:
It seems pretty easy for someone to steal a YJ, especially since they’re older and have simple ignition systems. What does everyone do to prevent this from happening?

I’d love to hear about:
  • Steering wheel locks (like The Club) – worth it or just a visual deterrent?
  • Hidden kill switches – where do you hide yours (without giving away secrets)?
  • Removable steering wheels – anyone running one?
  • Alarm systems – any brands that work well on older Jeeps?
  • GPS trackers – anyone install one for recovery if it does get stolen?
  • Any other creative solutions?
I’d like to keep my Jeep safe without making it too inconvenient to drive. Let me know what works for you!
Click to expand...

Hidden kill switch and air tag
 
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If they really want it, they’re just going to drag it onto a trailer and haul it away anyways. However, I do have a hood lock cable that disrupts the starter when active, as a deterrent.
 
SquareFace said:
@machoheadgames, pretty easy to install? Any chance you have a link?

A kill switch is beyond my scope of knowledge
Click to expand...

It’s the hornet hood lock, and it’s not any easier than a kill switch to install. You install a relay that plumbs into the starter wire, much like a kill switch would. They don’t make them anymore and I can’t find any on eBay, so I don’t really have a link.
 
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machoheadgames said:
If they really want it, they’re just going to drag it onto a trailer and haul it away anyways. However, I do have a hood lock cable that disrupts the starter when active, as a deterrent.
Click to expand...

Yeah if they want it bad enough anything can be overcome. But the average teenager or smash and grab junky are not usually that hard to foil.
 
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I use a locking bar I found on the internet that loops around the brake/clutch pedals on the bottom and the steering wheel on the top when I am in town or at a jeep event with it, don't need anything at home as I park in the garage and park my truck in from of the garage door. I am thinking of adding a kill switch and mount it under the dash somewhere out of sight as back up

2Lock.jpg
 
I installed a hidden kill switch when I did the auto to manual transmission swap. Doing the swap, I had to make a few wiring changes, one of which was grounding the Park/Neutral wire that allows the vehicle to start when the auto trans is in those two positions. Instead of just grounding it with the harness, I ran it to a hidden toggle switch and it has worked great.
 
i recently took my wrangler with a standard shift to be detailed. the detailed shop did not have one person on site that could drive a stick shift, i had to go back and move it, which at that time,i just keep on moving and took it to another shop. "hard to understand"
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler YJ radiator
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