padlocks?

[nikwax]

My paranoid side wants to make sure that my trailer is secure while I'm not around. I have a padlock on the hitch, but I've seen a towtruck operator break through a name brand padlock in a matter of minutes, which leaves me wondering if there is a good quality padlock out there that wll fit on the hitch? Should I be locking the wheels up as well?

[McBrew]

A quick search on youtube will show you that nearly any lock can be picked in a matter of seconds by a pro. My suggestion would be to find or make a locking mechanism that allows only minimal access to the key hole -- just enough room to get the key in and turn. This allows less room for lock picking tools.

[SuperTroll]

In my Special Forces days I received professional instruction from a Farm instructor on picking locks and I can tell you locks will keep honest people honest....you can delay, possibly deter, but anyone who truely wants your trailer will take it....

best bet?....buy a GPS tracker for a few hundred dollars and wire it to your internal trailer battery....then you can track your trailer anywhere it goes..they can steal it, but can they KEEP it?

[fornesto]

I believe that most theives are more interested in what's inside the trailer than the trailer itself. Teardrops are very unique and would be tough to resell and would be very obvious on the highway, unlike a white Honda Civic. It's like steeling a Van Gogh painting - who do you sell it to? A thief would most likely see it as a liability and not a score. The DVD player, tools, cash, and power inverter inside, however, are a juicy steal and would be very easy to resell. I'd focus my attention on this matter.

That said, I've not heard of much theivery at campgrounds.

$.02

[oklahomajewel]

One idea is when you camp with our teardroppers, we're good about 'watching' out for ya.

I do not have locks on my galley latches, just rings to keep it from bumping open. In two years, I've not had anything swiped from inside.... even parked at a Lowe's or Wal mart or grocery , in or out of state.

I have a simple key hitch lock and keep it locked at the campground and at home...

I like the gps tracking type idea,... if they steal, then go steal it back !!!

[McBrew]

My father was towing a Mercedes sedan on a tow dolly from Florida to Maryland a few years ago. He stayed in a hotel in Georgia... and when he went out to the car in the morning, the tow dolly was gone! They took the Benz off and left it there in the parking lot. It would have been netter if they took the Benz because it was insured. He ended up paying about $1,200 somewhere down there for a tow dolly to get it back to Maryland.

[Dale M.]

Padlocks on the lever that engage the latch for the ball are especially vulnerable.... Long handle bolt cutter can usually snap a "hardened" steel shackle on any average consumer lock. If some body want it bad enough you cant stop them........

But I store a (very desirable) "car carrier" flat bed trailer in a semi public place.... I use a lock assembly that BLOCKS the ball socket and I use large cable lock through the wheels.. So far its been there every time I needed it for 4 years now.....

Consider making it less desirable to steal by simply removing a wheel and chaining wheel to a tree, or some sort of "boot" that locks over a wheel so it cant roll. Some have even resorted to putting a receiver on tongue so "hitch" can be removed..... If wheels have holes in them you can run a long steel rod through one wheel, to other and put lock(s) into it keeping wheels from turning....

These are just ideas to inflame you paranoia..... (just kidding) but the more complicated you make it, the less chance it will be bothered... Thief are usually a crime of opportunity...

Dale

[EffieRover]

There is quite a bit of thievery going on at the Red House camping area in Allegany State Park. My folks had their canoe swiped from their campsite; friends had their tables, folding chairs and cooler taken. In different years. And I've heard other stories. It's unfortunate, but my family stopped camping there when I was a kid between that and the college-kids-with-kegs crowd that seemed to overwhelm the place. AFAIK Cain Hollow is not yet invaded and, in fact, that end of the park is where we now camp when we go there.

We bought a bike chain lock which we use to lock our canoe to a) a tree or b) our friend's canoe (if you can load them both up while awkwardly chained together, you've earned them). Our theory is that camping theft is an activity of opportunity, not planning. Deterrents work on the basis of not having lock-picking tools or bolt-cutters handy at the time. YMMV.

[Big Guy with a Little Guy]

Put up a sign that reads, "God is watching".

Or maybe, "Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do ya?"

[halfdome, Danny]

I do the usual locks on the hitch & hitch receiver pin. When unhooked from the tow vehicle I run my chains through the tongue wheel mechanism and padlock the chain to the hole where the wheel mechanism engages in the up position for towing . I do this to both chains since I have 3 keyed alike locks that came with my trailer security kit. I have a ball socket device & it's locked with a disk lock. My tongue wheel is welded to the chassis. I lock the chains to the tow vehicle when towing. Danny

[Wimperdink]

Insurance with theft coverage. If they want it, they will get it. Thieves are professionals too.

[BPFox]

... if they steal, then go steal it back !!!

O.J. tried that now he is on trial again!!!

[Rigsby]

My dad has a british caravan that he payed over £15000 for, so he has to have it insured, and the insurance stipulates that a hitch lock and wheel lock are used at all times. When he is at home he also removes the wheels and puts it on stands that bolt on in place of the wheels, he also has an extended truck u bolt sunk into the concrete driveway to which he chains the axle to. This also prevents the caravan moving in high winds. When he is away from home, the awning is up on the van so towing it away would be a bit of a chore for any thief
steve

[4123]

I put a removable tongue on our teardrop. I did the welding myself but any weld shop can do this for you. It makes it that much harder to steal without anything to connect to.

[cccamper]

I put a removable tongue on our teardrop. Any weld shop can do this for you. It makes it that much harder to steal without anything to connect to.

Hey I like that!

I bought a hmmm The Claw I think.(Makes me think of Jim Carrey in "Liar, Liar") By The Club. With us it's the question of....do you want to do NOTHING, or at least make it a little tougher and not simply give it away. We can slap it on to go in for lunch or use in the campground or even our "relatively" safe driveway.

e