Securing the Teardrop

[DaveWeinstein]

So, this may be a silly question.

But if you decide to go for a drive around the area, do you leave the Teardrop in the camp site, or do you hitch it back up and drive with it? If the former, what is to keep someone from simply making off with it? Or does that just not tend to happen?

--Dave

[TPMcGinty]

I leave my Teardrop in the campground when I go out site seeing. I just close the coupler handle and run a padlock through it. I use a padlock instead of a safety pin for this reason. I know that the lock will only keep the honest man honest, but I figure what the heck.

[teamredjeep]

They also make hitch locks. Heavy lock with ball that goes in hitch and has a loop that goes over trailer hitch/tongue. I think mine is made by Master.

Mike

[TPMcGinty]

They also make hitch locks. Heavy lock with ball that goes in hitch and has a loop that goes over trailer hitch/tongue. I think mine is made by Master.

Mike

I had one of them and it worked well. I don't carry it any more because I was starting to carry to much stuff and wanted to make more room in my Tongue Box. The padlock I use not only locks the coupler when the Tear is unhooked but it also locks the Tear to my Jeep when I'm towing.

[Shadow Catcher]

We have discussed this more than once and basically it b oils down to, if they want it bad enough they will get it, including having it hooked to your car. At best you can slow them down, and how much you slow them down is dependent on, How is it secured? if you can get a bolt cutter on it it is toast including any lock shackle and chain including big nasty boron bike chain.

I switched to a Bulldog hitch and one of these you can not get a bolt cutter on it and there is a collar lock that prevents the coupler from being opened on the car.

[jonw]

I leave the trailer but always lock the coupler release handle with one of these trigger style coupler locks - both when on the tow vehicle and when parked by itself. You can get these at Home Depot, Autozone, eTrailer.com, etc.

One of the things I like about this lock is that there is no room to get a bolt cutter into it. You'd probably need to use a hacksaw if there is enough room, but the time it would take to cut through the bolt and the chance they would be seen I hope would discourage anyone from trying.

[Vedette]

That is the lock we use too.
Locked while attached to TV.
But we also have the ball that fits up into the coupler that locks it In place.
We feel a little Fortunate, in that our TD is highly recognizable and different from the norm, so it would probably be of very little use to some else. Unless they had a real desire to go to jail???
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[Oldragbaggers]

We have one of these Master locks that fits up in the coupler. The beauty of it is there is no shank that can be cut like on a padlock or locking coupler pin. The thing is super heavy duty and I can't imagine anyone getting it out of there without using a sledge hammer and destroying the coupler in the process.



I think we got it at AutoZone or some similar place for about $25.

[twinight]

Keep in mind that the coupler is only held on by 2 bolts. Even with the ball lock in place, the coupler can be unbolted and replaced as well.
I'd recommend a spare tire lock on the bolt to keep wrenches at bay.
I use one to keep my hitch mounted bike rack from walking away.

[PKCSPT]

I have a padlock on the hitch and a cable that is "supposed to be " resistant to being cut that I run through the tires and around a tree or post, or through the tires and frame making it hard to move. If they want it bad enough to cut them off they want it more than I do I guess. I rarely lock the door though. I figure if they want anything inside I'd rather they just opened the door verses ripping it off. Nothing of value in there anyway. They can have the blankets if they need them.

[Redneck Teepee]

I don't think we will ever out smart a thief, if they really want it they will get it..... The only thing we can do is send them to an easier target.... I think for the most part if you eliminate the use of bolt cutters you are some what safe from theft, or immediate easy theft anyway..... I am a big fan of the "Hockey Puck" style locks and have them in use on almost everything that I lock up.... I modify my coupler locks to accept that style for a little more piece of mind ................................................................................................................................................................................................[/url]

[working on it]

I use a hardened standard lock to secure mine to the TV. If I need to drive somewhere, as I had to at DinoValley SP (the only place where my phone would work was at the park headquarters), I snapped on my Reese coupler lock.

reese.jpg (12.81 KiB) Viewed 1062 times

Neither lock would stop a determined thief, but I was confident that since I was parked where my "if stolen" trailer would have to be towed past other South Central folks (most of whom had seen my trailer by then), certainly one would raise an alarm. If I camped totally alone, there would be none to notice! It makes me want to install an alarm that would send a message though my smartphone (again, if it would receive a signal!); I had a remote-signaling alarm on my '86 S-10 years ago. It would let me know though a pager if anyone tampered with my truck. All but one signals were false, but one time it was a theft attempt. I arrived on the scene in time to "discourage" the would-be thief. No police were summoned, nor needed. I was much younger, then.... I'm sorta surprised that nobody on the forum has installed (or advertised its' presence) such a system on their trailer, since many are high-dollar outfits, and many are very high-tech as well (solar, GPS installs, TV/satellite dish, you name it). The 12vdc battery on the trailer would power any auto security system as well.

[Martiangod]

locking is a pain with the best coupler...the bulldog 7000lb
As you can see, a cheap pair of side cutters will render locking with a padlock useless.\



So I too use



as well as



And if i'm real paranoid about where the trailer is parked a long ATV kryptonite cable lock through the wheels



But if i'm in a camp where the simple padlock through the flip is not enuff, then I think it time to move somewhere safer

All that other stuff is for storage situations

[teamredjeep]

My kayak, Jeep trailer and the TD we ordered al have receiver tongues. Anytime I want a little security I take the hitch out of the trailer and lock the receiver pin in the tongue. They would need some special equipment but I agree if someone wants it bad enough they will find a way. All my trailers go off road from time to time so I like being able to change to a 360° rotation hitch from a conventional ball.


Mike

[eggsalad]

I got a 7' coated aircraft cable at HF. At home, I use it to lock my trailer to a fence post. If I have security issues at a campground, I could lock it to the picnic table - try stealing one of those!