Locks a visual tour

[Ron Dickey]

A rear thing to hear but as people become homeless and out of work many go to the parks to live.

I tend to trust most people but the few who do cause problems can make a camping trip not fun anymore.

I am writing this because of a few and so far a very few have reported trailers missing, etc.

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en ... 49&bih=937

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en ... eel%20lock

other things you can look up

removable tungue Fair type trailers are required to have them
window tinting, window art, glass window art,

then there is the dog Just make sure they are in at night I have heard of dogs coming between food and wild animals.

In the time I have been camping with my trailer in several states I have ha no problems.

and I hope it stays that way.

but being carfule what you leave out in plain site might attract them just through a blanket over them. Out of site out of mind.

[kirkman]

Nice. Thanks!

[S. Heisley]

If you use a wheel lock, make sure it covers the lug nuts. Otherwise, all the thief has to do is remove the wheel and replace it with a spare and the trailer is ready to roll! You've shown us good locks that prevent that. The same goes for the coupler lock. If the locked coupler bolts on, the thief can remove it and replace it with one of his own and he's home free. Thanks for the ideas!

[akula1]

You know what they say. . .

All locks are good for, is to keep honest people honest. If someone wants something bad enough, they will figure a way to get it.

The trick is to stay somewhere safe, and make friends with the person next to you, to keep an eye out for problems and ex's.

[Shadow Catcher]

This has been discussed here with some detail and what it largely boils down to is, that if you can get a bolt cutter on it, a lock is toast. You need only to search YouTube to find out how to defeat most locks.

[Ron Dickey]

No theif wants to be slowed down. Locks cut by a pro can be quick but the less they see the less the will go for it.

They just want to go ....they are watching their clocks, and lose time looking listening for any sound around. the more the locks the slower they go.
My trailer sits out side my house a log under the tongue wheel up I also wrap the coupler with towels and rope. The guy who wants it will need to spend a lot of time to get it. I keep it covered most of the time too.

another way to detour them is to turn the trailer around backward or to the side.

I always wanted an alarm that sounded like a big guard dog.

So Park next to a real expensive unit so they will leave you alone

I know you make to look real nice for you but cover stuff or hide it so it does not look that good to others.
But in a gathering you are usually safe we all keep an eye out, and invite the local constable or ranger to our meals.

[stevem50]

there is a special place in hell for theives. all you can do is hope to slow them down enough that they pick an easier target. that being said, many companies have garantees (how do you spell that word?) against theft.
kryptonite has the "new york" series of locks and on guard makes them as well, if your stuff get stolen they will cut you a check if your lock got cut. i have never tried to claim one, but, i still have all my bikes and trailer...

[stevem50]

locks help, but a big loud dog don't hurt either....

[rowerwet]

wire a car horn to the brake lights (well hidden) with a disconnect switch inside the (locked) TD, cops find that stuff interesting, along with trailers with no lights...I did just that (cross wire horn and brake with a hidden switch in one really nice truck I had, gave me much more peace of mind.

[planovet]

locks help, but a big loud dog don't hurt either....

Very true

[Engineer Guy]

A couple of sobering stories came to my attention from general reading, and from the Locksmith who 'picked' off the Lug Nut Lock from my [used TT] Spare Tire I'd not been given a Key to.

1. One new' Trailer Thief approach is to put a stout Bolt on their own Receiver. They drop the Trailer Tongue Coupler onto that vertical Bolt; strap it down securely 'enough'; and drive away. Thieves then mess with Trailer Lights, and a more secure temporary towing setup, nearby.

This reportedly works, even with 'loose' Balls locked into Trailer Couplers. That is, a 2" Coupler with a 1 7/8" Ball locked in has enough slop to allow a vertical bolt to fit in. I won't argue this point; I'm just reporting it for consideration.

2. A similar technique is to lash the Coupler to a Receiver so that it's secure enough to get to another location nearby for further securing. To the creative Thief, some type of welded-up 'Y' or vertical 'L' on a Receiver would permit towing away a Trailer w/the Coupler removed temporarily.

To freeze Steering Wheel Locks, cold agents - as used to frost Cocktail Glasses - have been used for years. Metal then snaps when hit hard.

Given the number of Trailer Plug Adapters now at Auto Stores, adapting from a standard 7 Pin Bargman to other Plug configs would be fairly simple and fast.

3. Using a SawzAll, this Locksmith had Clients where a rectangle around the Trailer Door Lock had been cut away in no time. In another case, the Thieves went after pricy Electronics inside by cutting a Human-sized access hole in the Trailer Wall. As with Houses, breaking out Glass is simple. Hit and run in little time...

SOOOOO, I'll stick with securing my Wheel to the Frame with stout Chain and a 'Hockey Puck'-shaped Lock; stick with an older TT for now; and be smart about where I park.

A pal gave me a Metal Sign saying 'Trespassers Will Be Shot. Survivors Will Be Shot Again'. I've never put up such Signs, or 'Protected By ADT'-type Signs, because I can't see tipping off Thieves. Similar 'stealth' thinking I like is mentioned above: connect a Horn to the Brakes, etc..

I assume the stories above happen to Home-sized 5th Wheels and fancy TTs. So, parking 'next' to a fancy Rig, as mentioned above, is not a bad idea, perhaps...

On these TV Shows with 'Bait Cars', the Vehicle runs for a short period, and is then immobilized so that Thieves can be arrested. Not a bad concept to flesh out... I take some precautions and walk [hike] away carefree w/o fear. That's no way to live or Camp.

Wazzamuthatodo?

[absolutsnwbrdr]

wire a car horn to the brake lights (well hidden) with a disconnect switch inside the (locked) TD

Interesting idea! Might have to tackle this sometime.

[pete42]

Slow
I have lived here most of my 69 years growing up we did not lock our homes when we visited our neighbors
we were taught to knock wait to be invited in I still live by that code even when visiting my brothers.

I have lived in this house for the past 37 years I have never locked my garage and most times the house is unlocked.

all I ask from anyone is if they break-in to please craw over to the entrance where the floor is tiled
so that rocky my pit bull doesn't get their blood all over my carpet.

[Aaron Coffee]

I have thought about locks but havent bought any yet. I live down a 1/8 mile driveway with trees and a barn blocking the view of the house and garage and lean to from the highway.
Did have a scare once, while leaving the yard, I glance in my rearview mirror and didn't see my TD in the lean-to, did a double take then realized I had put the TD in the lean-to a little farther than usual when I put it away last.
Wonder id putting the serial number in a hidden spot would also be a good idea, if the trailer was ever stolen and later found, as it would be fairly easy to relicense a trailer as a homebuilt.

[dh]

IMHO hockey puck bolt cutter resistant locks arn't worth a @$%#. The shackle is somewhat protected, but the body is the weak link. Once I was helpig a guy I worked with move. We both worked 2nd shift, and prefered moving after work when it was cooler out. Well, with about one more load to go, the key broke off in his hocky puck lock on his storage unit. Well I grabbed my grinder with a cut off wheel, he grabbed his generator, and we had that lock off in under a minuite. I cut right through the body of the lock, at 2:30 AM, running a generar, and drew no attention. He did have all his ID and lease agreement on the unit just incase, but officer Friendly never showed up.