Anti theft idea

[JasenC]

Just received the Curt A frame hitch coupler which is a weld on unit, a quick search on Amazon and E trailer shows that most all the Mfgers only offer weld on units.
Got to thinking of drilling 6 staggered holes (3 per side) through the side flanges and bolting it to the tongue so I can remove it when not I'm using the trailer, it would be pretty much undefeatable security.

Anyone think this would be a bad idea?

[Shadow Catcher]

Ours is a Bulldog Hitch and is attached with randomly place bolts and yes it could be removed, I use a Gus Hill lock and 14 years on we still have it.

[halfdome, Danny]

Safety comes first.
I think over time the drilled holes could become sloppy.
I have my coupler with two 5/8” high grade bolts bolted to my removable draw bar and I still welded the coupler to the removable draw bar.
Danny

[Cathy P.]

If you are trying to keep someone from stealing the trailer, realize that they can pull it onto a flatbed trailer and drive away, as this happened to us with a 2,000 lb. folding camper, nice one and the first new camper we had bought! We use the wheel chock locking thing, so the wheel will not move after that happened. I had seen someone driving around a flatbed truck looking all over a few days earlier, but I had no idea they were "window shopping". We were in AZ living in the rural area, but had neighbors all around it, and it disappeared in the middle of the night. Thieves are so bold!

[saywhatthat]

if doing so I would put some orange paint on it cuz as soon as you get used to it being gone you're going to come around the corner and be saying some strange words

[JasenC]

I had been thinking a similar a thing awhile back by chaining the wheel to axle, your idea sounds easier.

[Philip]

If you have a square tube used as the hitch mount like your pic shows. Do not bolt threw that tube without slugs welded in to stop the tube from collapsing when the bolts are tightened. Thats why you see most tubing has welded couplers on them. For a factory it is a lot faster welding. Drilling and installing slugs takes time and manpower. The added risk for bolts loosening up or breaking while being used on a hitch is another issue.

If someone wants your trailer there isn't much, you're going to do to stop them. No hitch. Throw a chain around what is left of the tongue and take off with it. A lot of the good thief's just use a roll off truck. They do it during the day. Most people do not think anything about a commercial roll off truck loading something up and taking off.

All you need to do is enough to show your insurance company that you tried to prevent a theft. A hitch lock is a good op0tion. Maby a chain secured threw a wheel and locked to the trailer frame.

In case you don't know. "Slug" = a round piece of metal drilled for a threw bolt or threaded to accept a bolt that is welded into round or square tubing to stop collapse of said tubing when a fastener is tightened threw it.

[Wrecit]

I got to agree with Danny. Any time you put holes in box steel you reduce it's strength. Throw in the fact that you do not know the torque spec to make this work properly and just "cranking the bolt down tight" combined with general road vibration can cause the nuts to loosen and then "wobble" out your holes to me says over time you could run into catastropheic failure.

If this is a safe idea then there will be a product on the market already. If it can't be found then there's probably a reason

[RJ Howell]

We've deceased this on several forums and I mention what my Repo friend told me.. "I don't bother with the hitch.. takes too much time." His recommendation, even though he can still defeat it, is the chain through the rim and around the axle. He said it takes him longer and should deter most casual thieves. Chain must be hardened and wrap so that the axle mount has to be removed to replace the tire. Grinding makes noise, he uses pneumatic and it's big (something a casual thief wouldn't have).

Greatest determent I read about was detailing your unit uniquely. Make it stand out!

Just another humble opinion...

[Cosmo]

I am seeing lots of reports of car owners tracking their stolen vehicle and recovering the vehicle that they had stashed an Apple Air Tag in!
$30 on Amazon https://amzn.to/3JAbk14
https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/10 ... en-vehicle

[GTS225]

What Cosmo posted is great, but.......it requires an Apple device to "see" it, thus has it's limits.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+doe ... e&ie=UTF-8
Kinda leaves us Android users out in the cold.

Just sayin'.....Roger

[JasenC]

Looking at boots on Amazon, they can be had for from $30-$100 but most of those boots look like a cordless angle grinder could make quick work of them. A big hardened steel chain would probably be more secure.
One could just toss it on jack stands and pull the wheels in the off season, which would be a good thing for the tires.

[JasenC]

What Cosmo posted is great, but.......it requires an Apple device to "see" it, thus has it's limits.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+doe ... e&ie=UTF-8
Kinda leaves us Android users out in the cold.

Just sayin'.....Roger

That's not a bad idea at all. I don't think the Apple is really any different then a Tile or Cube, well other then camping out for 3 nights in front of BestBuy to get the latest model.

[tony.latham]

I am seeing lots of reports of car owners tracking their stolen vehicle and recovering the vehicle that they had stashed an Apple Air Tag in!
$30 on Amazon https://amzn.to/3JAbk14
https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/10 ... en-vehicle

I’ve got one stashed in my teardrop. It’s cheap insurance so to speak.

But there are two issues. Preventing theft and recovery afterwards. Fortunately, I live and camp where the crime rate is low.

At the moment, I’m in a place of no crime. 9’000’ in the middle of the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness. Zippo.




Tony


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[JasenC]

Beautiful view Tony.

Keep yer eye on them squirrels, they'll rob you blind.