Help...lost trailer receiver lock keys.

[lrrowe]

I have seemed to have lost my keys to my hitch receiver lock. The lock is similar to this:


All I know what to do is to either try and cut it which i do not is possible,
grind the opposite end from the lock, which again I think will not work,
try to beat the key end to death with a heavy hammer and even though I have done that with heavy hammers on typical padlocks before, I do not think it will work on this setup,
and finally, talk to a friend with a cutting torch to see if torch cutting is doable.

Does anyone habe sucessful experience with this problem?

[dales133]

Drilling the barrel works on most locks but you'll need to step up drill sizes.
How do I know? I used to have to break into about 25 houses a week for evictions or lock outs.
It probably will cut with a grinder though

[Shadow Catcher]

I have on occasion used a 4.5" angle grinder with a cut off wheel to remove a lock, an alternative is a bolt cutter.

[lrrowe]

Dales133 and Shadow Catcher,
Thanks.

I will try the drilling first and then the grinding wheel. But first, I am going to look one day for the keys. I learned back in November, when I mispaced the keys to our hunting camp setup, that locks are almost useless. I broke two of them.

[dales133]

Yep if you want to get in you can get in

[felixx]

Locks only stop honest people, crooks will always break in.

Have you called a lock smith?

[dales133]

Wouldn't be worth paying a locksmith they don't cost that much

[lrrowe]

I agree. Locksmith costs at least $65. A new lock, $15. Plus when it is open it goes in the trash anyway bc I have no keys. You watch, once I cut it, the keys will show up. Murphy's law loves me.

[Verna]

Seriously, if you could read the number on the tumbler, they don't use that many different tumblers. You could get lucky and find a new lock with the same key. I found one for my brother's hitch that is the same as mine.

[lrrowe]

I did wonder about that. Will try to look into that. But again it shows how unsecure our locked items are, doesen't it. I will post some photos later on how I broke my locks before in order to get into my trailer.

Back to the timbler number. I do not have too many stores around that carry the lock. I do most of my shopping online. But I do think I got it from Advance Auto so i will try there first.

[Verna]

Lowe's is where we got the 2nd one. WalMart has them, also, in addition to Auto Zone. As someone else said, locks are for honest people and to slow the dishonest down. I look at it as it's not as easy to steal my teardrop or boat if you can't just reach down and pull the hitch out of the receiver easily.

[Dale M.]

I have on occasion used a 4.5" angle grinder with a cut off wheel to remove a lock, an alternative is a bolt cutter.

Never seen a piece of steel resist the grinder (for long).... If you don't have one, stop by a fabrication shop, should take about 30 seconds to remove it...

Dale

[Dale M.]

Lowe's is where we got the 2nd one. WalMart has them, also, in addition to Auto Zone. As someone else said, locks are for honest people and to slow the dishonest down. I look at it as it's not as easy to steal my teardrop or boat if you can't just reach down and pull the hitch out of the receiver easily.

In our area, idiots just steal the inserts.....

Dale

[dales133]

We had a brand new boat trailer stolen from a boat ramp 5 hours from home during Xmas holidays once.worst thing was the boat and trailer were made 5 hours in the open site direction.
If I'd found them I literally would have beaten them to death I was so furious at the lost time and hassles we went through as it was evening when we returned....bastards

[lrrowe]

Still no, keys have shown up. And the lock does not have any ID numbers on it. So I have decided to grind or drill it off after I make one more trip with the CT to help my son move.

I found this combo lock set which i will order soon. It has a lock for the receiver and one for the trailer tongue. The beauty of this combo is that there are four keys, all fitting both locks. Now I should be able to find one of four keys when it time to unlock either one of them. That should keep Murphy away.