Do you lock your coupler when you leave your trailer?

[Thomas G.]

I'm curious how many of you feel a need to lock the coupler on your trailer when you are away from your camper. It seems like it would be pretty brazen to just hook up and take off with a camper, but people have been stealing copper from live wires around here, so apparently nothing is off limits.

[Daniel A.]

Yes mine is locked even at home or on the road, for the two seconds it takes to lock. Looking at what construction sites lose a trailer seems easier.

[honda03842]

We lock ours while driving and when parked.

[Darwin Maring]

The better question would be: Why don't you lock your Coupler?

And just like Norm and Ginny, we lock ours all the time.

A couple of years ago it was reported that people were finding that someone had tampered with the coupler while the owners were on the road and away from their vehicle.

Be Safe, Not Sorry.

[Robin G]

yupper's! I am not gonna make it easy for someone to just take the trailer. Even at home stored in the barn, it's locked! This is like mine, but a heck of a lot cheaper than what I paid. Found this example on Amazon.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

If you are not morally opposed to shopping WalMart, they sell a simple brass hitch lock. About $8.00.
I have mine locked all the time.

[rabbit]

You really should have a crosspin in the latch anyway so how hard is it to use a crosspin with a lock. However I don't use the big ball and bail shown above; I think that casting is about as easy to break with a BFH as my little tinpot lock would be to cut with a bolt cutter. Guess you could jack it on bottle jacks and store at least one tire and rim inside but then some Peckerwood or Peckerwood Jr. would knock it off the jacks onto the hubs. I actually worry more about chock removal on pads that have some incline, say downhill to a lake!! Trees make good backup stoppers I suppose. And I worry about the same thing at home on my inclined driveway. So far I haven't put anchor blocks iin the ground but I've thought about it.

jack

[Lil M.]

Originally Posted by Robin G

yupper's! I am not gonna make it easy for someone to just take the trailer. Even at home stored in the barn, it's locked! This is like mine, but a heck of a lot cheaper than what I paid. Found this example on Amazon.

I have the Reese Coupler Lock on my Scamp sitting in my side yard. I keep it locked all the time when it's not hooked up to the minivan. I'd hate to lose my little baby.

I don't have a locking mechanism when I'm towing tho. What's available/preferred for that situation?

[Steve Outlaw]

Always, even at home. Also the two utility trailers that are there, actually they are probably more likely to be stolen.

[greendragon]

U bet . If thay want it ther going to have to work for it

[rabbit]

Lil, ChinaMart has an el-shaped x-pin which is locked with a small weather-sealed cylinder lock which engages grooves in the pin and they have a simple steel x-pin with a wire bail which prevents it from sliding out of the latch. I have both but only use the locking crosspin now. Eastern Marine has the pin with the bail. I am at peace with those who use the Reese boat anchor; if it's as sturdy as it is heavy, it may be OK but I'll bet the all-brass version mentioned above is tougher. Locks remove temptation for honest men and slow down the rest.

jack

[Thomas G.]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies thus far.

I have a UHaul, which uses a screw type coupler as opposed to the over center type. Any recommendations for the best lock for this type of coupler?

[Mike Magee]

Yes. I use the kind Robin pictured. Why provide temptation?

Tom, not positive but I think that over-the-top kind will still work with yours. The bar doesn't have to go over the hand nut; it might be long enough to go behind. If you find one you can borrow to try on, that would be best.

[mary and bob]

Tom, I have the lock that Robin G shows above, got it from Uhaul when I ordered some hats & mugs, price was about $25. I thought by now you would have designed a locking device we can use while towing, been thinking about it myself. Maybe something to fit over the knob that we can lock down. Or maybe we don't need one. All my other trailers have the flip down latch, and I put a padlock through them, more as a safety thing than anti-theft. Bob

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

........ I thought by now you would have designed a locking device we can use while towing, been thinking about it myself. .....Bob

I guess I could weld on an upright bracket next to the coupler screw handle and put a long shank padlock between that bracket and the handle. That would work parked or hitched.

[Daniel A.]

Originally Posted by Lil M.

I have the Reese Coupler Lock on my Scamp sitting in my side yard. I keep it locked all the time when it's not hooked up to the minivan. I'd hate to lose my little baby.

I don't have a locking mechanism when I'm towing tho. What's available/preferred for that situation?

Both Master Lock & Dead Bolt are two names I'm sure there are others.

[Kevin K]

Lock your chains also. All they have to do is wrap the chains around their ball hitch and off the go.All they have to do is drive 1 block away then work on all the locks.

[Robin G]

Thomas, I agree with Mike, I think it would work.




I do lock my coupler under tow as well. just a small lock so it won't flip up and jump off the ball.

[David Tilston]

But what about the hitch? Without a lock on the hitch, all they have to do is pull the cotter pin and pull out the hitch pin to take the trailer.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Wow! Thanks for all the replies thus far.

I have a UHaul, which uses a screw type coupler as opposed to the over center type. Any recommendations for the best lock for this type of coupler?

Look at the square knob on coupler... there may be a hole in one corner in which to attach an ordinary padlock which is intended to prevent unscrewing it.