Trailer security

[Richard Davis]

I've never used a trailer before, but have a new Scamp on order. If I unhook the trailer from the SUV to go hiking or fishing or whatever for the day, what keeps someone else from backing up to my brand new trailer and hauling it away?!! (I won't always be leaving it in organized campsites where fellow campers might act as deterrents). What do other people use to protect their trailers? Wheel locks? chains? a song and a prayer? Sadly, my house has been broken in to too many times to simply put my trust in ALL humanity -- it only takes one thief!
Thanks for any suggestions. Richard

[Joe Z]

Lots of different things but a cable with built in lock thru the spoke of the rim and around the frame pulled nice and tight so they can't slip it off and put another tire on is one option...... cable around frame to tree is another. chain is no good and too easy to break a link.
Front safety chains wrapped around the crank jack so it can't be moved is another and a pin coupler lock is still another.
If your worried about inside .... a box of head lice opened on the table would get me out of there LOL
Joe

[Alf S.]

Hi: Richard...Welcome...Let me hum a few bars ssorry!!! Security is there for the honest folks!!! We always padlocked the coupler down/closed and also the safety chains together... but some one could still back in and wrap a chain around the tongue of the trailer and haul it... BUT that is the EXCEPTION and you can never have total insurance against loss.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Mike Magee]

I have been pondering this too. I like to have some deterrent, make a thief work for it at least. In the past I always put a hitch lock through the hole on the coupler handle. But the Burro's coupler handle is different, can't do what I did before. I guess I may have to put a bike cable through the wheel spokes and around the axle... grub around in the dirt, yuck.

[Booker B.]

We padlock the coupler closed like Alf and we use a hitch coupler lock.

However, as with house security, there is only so much you can reasonably do. If someone wants to break in or steal the trailer then they will. A pair of pneumatic cutters will take care of any cable or chain you rig up. We just make sure there is nothing exposed that is tempting to steal - we don't take laptops or tv's with us. We camp near other people and if we are going to be gone for a while we will introduce ourselves to our neighbours.... and of course, never leave your beer cooler outside!

[Kent I]

LIke others I have had to trust others. One time when I was going to be away for several days and had to leave a trailer in the parking lot of an apartment complex, my mothers, I just jacked up the trailer, blocked it with lumber and took off a wheel. Not a lot of work but a great discourager.

[Harry Young]

Good topic...

I use a ball lock made by master lock.

http://www.drillspot.com/products/66228/Ma...KA_Trailer_Lock

Then I put a lock thru the hitch lock on the trailer doubling the No factor.

Mostly, I always camp in the rough, I park under or near the trees and run a case hardened chain to it from the frame. The Generator spare tires ect. go with me in the pickup locked in the shell if I leave camp. I leave the curtains open at the trailer so everyone can see there is nothing of value in the trailer, also the park ranger who stops in can see everything is O.K too. I hope this saves windows breaks by removing the incentives to break them.

The one time my trailer was being stolen it was in tow, we parked at a Walmart to pick up supplies in Showlow Arizona, when I came out the thieves had slipped the hitch out of my receiver with the ball still locked on the hitch while the safety lock was still padlocked down, they were trying to fit my receiver with its ball into their receiver when I walk in on them. Now I have a locking receiver pin with a key in the receiver too. Live and Learn

Beyond the one time, I have had more people help me in camps, pay sites or not than hurt me or steal.

The camp crowd work together often and watch one anothers stuff, when running into town I will offer to pick up something for the camp next door if they are short something, often they agree to watch the camp for this service...in the future they will run in for me while I watch their camp.

Harry

[Roy in TO]

I'm wondering if the "Motorcycle Club" can be used on the spoked rims? Possibly catching the arm of the axle ... any thoughts?

On sale at princess auto this week for $9.99 http://www.princessauto.com/moreinfo.cfm?T...59&SCAN=CAN

Adjustable tempered steel motorcycle club. Extend from 8-1/2" to 11-1/2". Fits most motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. Made by the manufactures of the "Club".

[Harry Young]

I could see where that might deter a thief if he saw it first...but if he just hooks up to tow quickly to steal it I can also see the damage it would do to a fiberglass wheel well...just a thought. I would use it with any other hitch lock as a back up effort.

Harry



[quote]I'm wondering if the "Motorcycle Club" can be used on the spoked rims? Possibly catching the arm of the axle ... any thoughts?

On sale at princess auto this week for $9.99 http://www.princessauto.com/moreinfo.cfm?T...59&SCAN=CAN

Adjustable tempered steel motorcycle club. Extend from 8-1/2" to 11-1/2". Fits most motorcycles, scooters and mopeds. Made by the manufactures of the "Club".


Attachment 17420

[Erik J]

i have thought about changing the tongue design a bit on mine. in doing so, i would make the hitch removable like the hitch on your bumper.
just have the modified receiver slip in and either bolt on or have the disconnects just like your trailer hitch mount.
just a thought
it would be difficult for someone to work around while trying to steal it.

[Raya]

Erik,

Hmm, that sounds like a pretty good idea; especially for you out "jeeping." I don't know if you noticed it, but there's a thread started by a fellow who was outfitting a previously-gutted Compact II to use similar to you (except that he takes it on rough roads when out bushwacking).

He had a receiver put on the trailer toungue like you're saying, but in his case it was so he could mount different couplers. A typical one for highway driving, a ring type for rough roads, etc.

Could combine two purposes that way.

R.

[Bill K]

Raya,
would you point me in the right direction to read about putting a receiver on the tongue of a trailer ?
I missed that one.

Thank You

Bill K

Erik,
I don't know if you noticed it, but there's a thread started by a fellow who was outfitting a previously-gutted Compact II to use similar to you (except that he takes it on rough roads when out bushwacking).

He had a receiver put on the trailer toungue like you're saying, but in his case it was so he could mount different couplers. A typical one for highway driving, a ring type for rough roads, etc.

Could combine two purposes that way.

R.

[Raya]

Bill,

Here's a link to the thread. It's been awhile since I read the whole thing, but I'm 99% sure it's in there where he talks about (and shows photos of) his hitch set ups.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...st&p=127078

Edited to add: Okay, start here at post #27 for the hitch stuff specifically:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...st&p=128218

Raya

[Frederick L. Simson]

What do other people use to protect their trailers?

My primary line of defense is TWO hitch locks, one for the ball, and one for the bail.
That is augmented by "locking" wheel chocks that are operated with a wrench.




For single axle trailers, I might recommend a Wheel Clamp.

[peterh]

Theft is not as big an issue when you have a Scamp 5th wheel -- very few people have the goose-neck ball setup needed to tow it -- but I do worry about our Surfside "project" trailer.

One of the things I plan on making for the Surfside is a little tilt/shake detector circuit. Connected to its own battery inside the trailer (separate from the battery on the tongue, which could be disconnected), when it's turned on it will simply apply the trailer's electric brakes when it detects movement. So the would-be-thief gives the trailer a pull, the brakes come on and lock the axle, the guy tugs again . . . and again . . . maybe disconnects the battery on the tongue, tugs again . . . and again . . . then gives up because the trailer has an axle problem or something.

It's a lot more subtle than an obvious ball-hitch lock or other device that can be cut off or otherwise subverted.

[John Hussey]

Theft is not as big an issue when you have a Scamp 5th wheel -- very few people have the goose-neck ball setup needed to tow it -- but I do worry about our Surfside "project" trailer.

One of the things I plan on making for the Surfside is a little tilt/shake detector circuit. Connected to its own battery inside the trailer (separate from the battery on the tongue, which could be disconnected), when it's turned on it will simply apply the trailer's electric brakes when it detects movement. So the would-be-thief gives the trailer a pull, the brakes come on and lock the axle, the guy tugs again . . . and again . . . maybe disconnects the battery on the tongue, tugs again . . . and again . . . then gives up because the trailer has an axle problem or something.

It's a lot more subtle than an obvious ball-hitch lock or other device that can be cut off or otherwise subverted.

Now that's an interesting and novel approach...I could find no info Goggling so have you any more info on it?

[Bill K]

Raja,
Thank You for the links, I am reading the whole thread. It is very interesting.

Bill K

Bill,

Here's a link to the thread. It's been awhile since I read the whole thing, but I'm 99% sure it's in there where he talks about (and shows photos of) his hitch set ups.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...st&p=127078

Edited to add: Okay, start here at post #27 for the hitch stuff specifically:

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...st&p=128218

Raya

[peterh]

Now that's an interesting and novel approach...I could find no info Goggling so have you any more info on it?

It's something I came up with, not something you'll find in a store. It's based on the idea of an old-fashioned car alarm that wails on a speaker for a period of time after the car is bumped or moved. You can't buy the old alarms anymore, so I need to design the circuit, test and install it. When I work out the details I'll post them in the forum.

[Richard Davis]

I'm not sure how best to post this so that all responders can see it, but THANKS TO EVERYONE! These ideas have been very helpful! I've ordered a 13 foot Scamp, so it wouldn't take much to haul it away. I know you can't prevent someone from stealing from you if he wants what you have badly enough, but at least I won't feel like a fool when it happens if I take some precautions. These suggestions now make that possible. So THANK YOU all very much! Richard

[Steve Outlaw]

Here's another thought. I don't think that it is likely that your trailer will be stolen. However, in the unlikely event that it is, one of these on board would go a long way toward finding and getting it back.

http://www.opengpstracker.org/index.html

This is sort of a poor man's lojack, and I can see many other uses for it....

Steve