Fasteners for Door Hinges

[Capebuild]

I'm in the process of installing the doors and using these heavy duty freezer hinges. I'm using stainless machine screws which mate with T nuts on the interior. After installing the first door it dawned on me, if someone wanted to "get into" my trailer (when the doors were locked).... as in "break in" ....all they'd have to do is unscrew the hinge Phillips head screws holding the hinges to the body.
Any thoughts on this? When you (members) install hinges do you take precautions like using one way screws, carriage bolts of some variety, or just not worry about it, not think it's an issue?

thanks

John

[halfdome, Danny]

John, I see you're using Phillip's head which are very common.
Using #2 Robertson or anything unusual might be a deterrent as long as the thief didn't have his battery powered sazall with him.
Smooth head bolts might be a good choice too, but may come in chrome.
I have stainless piano hinges which has no security issues.
The typical teardrop door handle can be unscrewed when locked, and used to open the door.
They could also break a window to gain entry.
Danny

[Wrecit]

Honestly if you are really worried about it I would get a countersink bit and ream the heads out. You can get a nice appearance if you take your time when you do it.

It will be a bit of a pain if/when you need to do a repair but a Dremel with a cut off blade and a flathead screwdriver will enable you to take them out.

[Tom&Shelly]

Seems to me you now have a good way to get in without damage in the event you lose the key.

Tom

[Capebuild]

Thank you for the thoughts.

The typical teardrop door handle can be unscrewed when locked, and used to open the door.

I did catch that and drilled a small hole at the end of the shaft and put a cotter pin in the hole, so even if the 2 screws were removed, it would be difficult to remove the handle. That'll show em'.

I think what I might do is just remove 2 screws on each hinge half and replace them with stainless carriage bolts, swap out the corresponding T nuts for hex nuts. That'll also show em'.

I don't know that I like the idea of 1 ways screws, in case I need to remove the hinges at some point.

I suppose if someone really wanted to "get in", they're gonna do what they're gonna do.

The supplier sent 4 keys. I would hope between my wife and myself we don't loose a key. I think all these camper handles are keyed alike anyway. I can just borrow the camper's key in the next site.

thanks again.
John

[tony.latham]

Any thoughts on this?

If someone thinks you've got something inside worth stealing--and you lock it––they are probably going take a big f**cking screwdriver, jamb into the door and force it open. That's what burglars do.

We never lock the doors and we frequently leave our teardrop in remote places while we go off and explore. If someone wants to steal the two Kindles --then so be it. I won't have to rebuild a door.



I can reinforce my philosophy by telling this story; Jerry Wright, from Missouri, built a teardrop using my book. (It's a beauty.) After months of building it was stolen from a storage facility. The good news? It was recovered by the cops. The bad news is he'd locked the doors and they'd jimmy'd the crap out of one of his commercial doors.

Tony

[pchast]

1 0r 2 security screws in each hinge leaf could make a difference...
https://www.mcmaster.com/screws/

But I agree, I don't lock mine other than to hold the doors closed in
transport.

[Capebuild]

If someone wants to steal the two Kindles --then so be it. I won't have to rebuild a door.

But I agree, I don't lock mine other than to hold the doors closed in
transport.

Good points. Anything of value (like our laptops) we can throw in the car when we go away from the trailer.

Thanks again for the thoughts on this.

John

[JasenC]

John, there's a number of different styles of security/tamperproof screws, check McMaster, Fastenal or Amazon.

[bdosborn]

I think all these camper handles are keyed alike anyway. I can just borrow the camper's key in the next site.

All baggage/compartment doors are keyed the same, door handles are usually all different. Check the number on the key, if it's CH 741 then it's the same as everyone else's.

Bruce

[swoody126]

https://www.mcmaster.com/torx-machine-s ... -screws-7/

[working on it]

John, there's a number of different styles of security/tamperproof screws, check McMaster, Fastenal or Amazon.

* I initially designed and built my 4x8 squareback trailer for my wife to have a secure place to store her stuff and sleep in, while "solo" camping with her girlfriends. I built it of strong materials, bolted and glued together, and used heavy-duty hinges, hasps, latches, and locks to assure security. I used two latches where one should do, and three hinges instead of two...the same principle was followed for bolts, nuts, and added padlocks (for added security).

* She never used it, so I do. But the extra measures I took keep the trailer super-tight and solid, after 9 years of use. I used mostly carriage bolts for construction, with the round-head facing outwards on door hinges and latches (except where the head width made me put a narrower acorn nut facing outward), so nobody could detach a door once locked, without power tools. The same was done for the two windows, but with "Tamper-pruf" one-way security screws instead of bolts.

door hinge & stainless hardware.JPG (86.3 KiB) Viewed 835 times

tamper-proof & security screw types.JPG (73.7 KiB) Viewed 835 times

[KCStudly]

Another method, using the hardware you already have, would be to peen the threaded end of the bolt where it comes thru the t-nut after assembly. That way the outside looks nice and and you can still dremel off the peen and turn the bolt out if need be.

[Staryder61]

I'm in the process of installing the doors and using these heavy duty freezer hinges. I'm using stainless machine screws which mate with T nuts on the interior. After installing the first door it dawned on me, if someone wanted to "get into" my trailer (when the doors were locked).... as in "break in" ....all they'd have to do is unscrew the hinge Phillips head screws holding the hinges to the body.
Any thoughts on this? When you (members) install hinges do you take precautions like using one way screws, carriage bolts of some variety, or just not worry about it, not think it's an issue?

thanks

John

John, reading this. My thoughts went here. Instead of using a phillips head screw driver and take the time to unscrew 6 screws.
Wouldn't it be easier and faster, to take a flat tip screw driver, pop one window open, and reach in and unlock the door? (IMHO)
Just thinking

Nothing is secure if they want in.. My Grandfather, that was a cop told me years ago "Locks are only to keep good people honest."

[Capebuild]

Thanks a lot, everyone..... for your thoughts on this. I think I'm just going to leave things as they are, using the Phillips head screws.... and see how it goes. If someone wants to get in bad enough
they're going to get in. We won't have anything of any "real" value in our trailer so If someone wanted to enter I'd rather they not destroy the trailer itself wanting in. We've tent camped for many years and never had anything stolen or tampered with. One day we'll get a Partner stove, so my thoughts may change........


Thanks again.

John