Trailer Security

[Mindi]

What is the best way to secure your trailer when parked at the ramp..? does anyone have a device which can stay on while towing..? It seems to me that it is surprising that more trailers arent pinched given new ones are now typically over $3K.
The U fitting with a crossbar and padlock is what I have used....sometimes..but always figure a padlock is only good until a couple of decent hammer hits.

[Gorms83]

Ive got one of these, works really well

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ryimwbqmx_l1tM:http://www.etrailerparts.com.au/Safety%2520Trailer%2520Lock%2520(2).jpg (http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.etrailerparts.com.au/Safety%2520Trailer%2520Lock%2520(2).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.etrailerparts.com.au/1759.html&h=250&w=241&sz=21&hl=en&start=3&usg=__z_UekWaWGZ7DqWoL1wOOFrnhMuk=&tbnid=ryimwbqmx_l1tM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtrailer%2Block%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26 safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DX)

[DR]

i use a Hitch helmet. It stays on while towing & is left on at the ramp..

look here & scroll down for a description & pic..
http://www.clubmarine.com.au/internet/clubmarine.nsf/docs/MG16-6+Theft

[The-easyrider]

Yeh thats the same type( trailer safety lock) I use with a good quality pad lock I tow with it no problems every now and then might need to strighten it up in the vice if I have had to do a realy tight u turn , once I lost the key for the one on the camper a couple of hits with hammer did nothing same with cole chisle and pinch bar , had to use the grinder

[wilcara]

This is really good, security is something I tend to think very briefly about. The recent posts regarding a couple of members having their trailer ripped off has made me to start thinking. My trailer was costed out at $7000 so I don't want to lose it.

I also want to be able to secure my rig a little better when in my shed at home, it would be too easy to drive away with it. Believe it or not I also never even considered how in that article that DR posted (above) a thief only has to slide out the pin on the Hayman Reece hitch to knock off the lot. It never even entered my head - d'oh!

I like the wheel clamp idea, easy and will work at home and in the trailer park. Ripper, thanks.

[peterbo3]

Hitch Helmet. Best by far. A determined thief will get it off but not in a short period of time. Plus that battery grinder will be noisy.;D;D;D;D

[wilcara]

Doesn't stop the hitch pin removal though?

[Jeremy]

same topic, but a bit of a tangent....what about securing rollers etc? I am putting a new retrievermate worth $350 on my trailer. Just bolted on. Anyone had any problems with rollers etc being taken? How to prevent?

Jeremy

[The-easyrider]

Havn't lost any rollers but have heard of others that have so I keep a couple of spares in the car ,It amazes me that some fools would risk being beaten to within an inch of their life to pinch cheap bits off trailers, I once lost a complete bearing buddie and the cap off another.

[Benno1]

Doesn't stop the hitch pin removal though?

could get one of these Wilcara...they come in different fish to i think...:)

O.T...we use one of the normal trailer locks...its served us well...i do like the looks of the helmet lock tho...will do a bit more research on that one me thinks :D

in regards to getting the rollers knocked off...i suppose welding the nut would stop anyone from undoing it...(wouldnt welding gal increase the problem of rust tho???)...but then the question arises about maintanence...when it comes time to replace them etc???...grinding the nut off etc...but i spose in the scheme of things the cost of replacing a nut VS replacing a roller is nothing really...*rant over* :P

[TheRealAndy]

I have one of these: http://www.arkcorporation.com/enlarge/balls_hitch/security_locks/security_locks_atl155.html

Note the hitch pin is included

I figure if that does not stop them then nothing will, that is why my trailer is also insured for replacement value.

[The-easyrider]

there was a guy on here once Iam sure that made up a lock that was simple he just used some 16mm reo bent to a j shape which he hooked over the trailer spring and poked the end out through a hole in the wheel rim then a pipe bell and a pad lock looked pretty bullit proof , think I might knock one up as silly season is coming and it seems to bring out the vermin. will post pics of finished item

[Pazz01]

Up here in Cairns I have only heard of it happening on one occassion. It was at the russell river. We had the vehicle and trailer backed up against the light pole so the trailer was touching the pole, so if they could undo the trailer, they couldn't get a vehicle close enough to the front to hook up. Bloke parked next to us got his brand new trailer stolen and asked us if we had seen anything. He was not impressed. This did happen a fair while ago.

On a little bit of a tangent, we also got an electric winch stolen from the bullbar of the cruiser while at the ramp - during the day. The ramp was full. Was not impressed. Won't steal it now, bolts are welded.

But if they want it they'll do anything to get it.

Pazz

[honda900]

If you want a simple deterrent while parked at the ramp, I have a large stainless padlock on the end of the safety chain, connected directly to the towbar (after the dshackle), working on the basis that it might just deter them enough to look somewhere else or otherwise they are going to look pretty sus standing around in a carpark with a set of bolt cutters.

Regards
Honda.

[peterbo3]

The hitch pin removal will not help them. The hitch helmet prevents the trailer being hooked up to another vehicle. Plus my trailer is really heavy. But if the scumbags are keen, they will get through anything. Then my good buddies at Suncorp get involved.

[PADDLES]

i agree with honda, a visible deterent hopefully will make them shift on to the next trailer. if they really want your one though, they'll get it.

[Ratman]

They remove the hitch pin and put the jockey wheel down and push it off the vehicle. Then they wind the saftey chain around their tow ball and off they go to another location where they do a better job with no witnesses.

[the gecko]

Im with honda, I use a padlock instead of a D shackle on the safety chain. I also use a removable jockey wheel, not the attached ones. There will be a lotta noise if they take my trailer. It will take an angle grinder.

The key to good security is making the next trailer look easier to steal than yours. Thieves have little time, and will take the easiest target.

The hayman reese pins are a bugger. You can put a padlock thru where the spilt pin goes tho. maybe you might want to drill out the hole a bit first.

Andrew

[blue_mako]

My mate lost the key for the trailer lock and we got a hacksaw blade in and cut through the lock in less than 3min.

[Mindi]

there was a guy on here once Iam sure that made up a lock that was simple he just used some 16mm reo bent to a j shape which he hooked over the trailer spring and poked the end out through a hole in the wheel rim then a pipe bell and a pad lock looked pretty bullit proof , think I might knock one up as silly season is coming and it seems to bring out the vermin. will post pics of finished item


That would be great ..sounds interesting...can you explain a bit more..? not an engineer so not quite sure what you are describing

[Mindi]

I have one of these: http://www.arkcorporation.com/enlarge/balls_hitch/security_locks/security_locks_atl155.html

Note the hitch pin is included

I figure if that does not stop them then nothing will, that is why my trailer is also insured for replacement value.

Andy


Looks good..where did you buy, does it stay on while driving..? and how much.

[Dirtysanchez]

I welded an extra length of 20mm gal chain to my draw bar, just long enough so when I get there I can put a very meaty padlock through the loop on the towbar where you attach your saftey chains, and I lock the 20mm chain to it, so the trailer is locked to the vehicle. Just out of curiosity I put a spare link of the chain in the vice and went at it with a hacksaw.... took me 4 minutes to cut through..

Should be enough of a deterrent I hope :o

[FNQCairns]

My trailer is home made, is painted in gal with a brush, bits of surface rust showing through now, has skids, rollers looking a little old, lights come off and go into the car, winch cable has a little colour but I could tow with it around the world. There is no substitute for relative piece of mind :)

cheers fnq

[Cheech]

that is what I did.


Im with honda, You can put a padlock thru where the spilt pin goes tho. maybe you might want to drill out the hole a bit first.

Andrew

[mattyd]

I use a high vis. yellow wheel clamp on the trailer (again a good visible deterrent to move onto the next one!).

Also a small padlock on the tow ball release mechanism.

[freddofrog]

Doesn't stop the hitch pin removal though?
I also have a padlock locking my hitch pin. So if they can get past that plus my helmet hitch then that’s what insurance is for. Btw, at home when not connected to the car, a spare towball goes in the helmet hitch so the trailer is basically secured 24x7.

[gone_fishing]

unfortunatly some people will steal anythying these days
the best deterant is high vis secuity like helment hitch pratical actions eg try not to park in behind the trees etc limit oportunities dont leave bags jakets etc on the seat chuck em in the boot
havent met a padlock that didnt come of with a bar and 4lb hammer and thats less than a minute
ps dont forget home security in my experience more boats traliers get pinched from home
at work were starting to use removeable tow hitchs no good at the ramp good for home
i guess try to be practical and vigilent

[fish-n-dive]

What scared me reading this thread is that a thief could just unbolt the hitch from the trailer and quickly put a new 20/30 dollar one on and be gone with a many thousand dollar trailer..........

I'd be getting spot welds on those particular bolts as well as on my electric winch bolts......... I would also be putting on a wheel clamp and some sort of locking device over the ball assembly............

The logic being 2 fold;

1: Makes someone else's trailer easier to steal......(sorry everyone else)

2: Makes the Insurance company happy that I did all that I could to prevent a theft......

[tunaticer]

Instead of using the standard type padlocks with the U shaped top, buy the C shaped locks that have a straight internal slide pin that you cant pry open or get to open by hitting them. A lot safer form of padlock.

http://www.stronglok.com.au/images/Warehouse%20Lock.jpg

http://www.cisa.com/EN/products/Pages/Padlocks.aspx

Once you have the lugs or chain loops in the space where the pin is it makes it very hard to get access top the bolt to cut.

I have noticed recently a few people are using cable motorbike alarms on thier trailers to deter theives. A decent knock to the trailer sets off a very very loud alarm.

Jack.

[Heath]

A simple thing council's could do if they were serious about attending to the issue is to install those anti ram raid posts down the side of each parking bay. 2 each side would do.
Then the bastards couldn't move the trailer to the side. They would have to move the whole vehicle if they wanted to get to the trailer.

[PADDLES]

at the end of the day it's damn inconvenient to have something pinched, but paying for good insurance lets you go boating without having to worry about someone stealing thousands of dollars worth of trailer from you.

[Kevaclone]

Im with honda, I use a padlock instead of a D shackle on the safety chain. I also use a removable jockey wheel, not the attached ones. There will be a lotta noise if they take my trailer. It will take an angle grinder.

The key to good security is making the next trailer look easier to steal than yours. Thieves have little time, and will take the easiest target.

The hayman reese pins are a bugger. You can put a padlock thru where the spilt pin goes tho. maybe you might want to drill out the hole a bit first.

Andrew

You should never rely on the padlock in place of the "D" shackle
for safety and LEGAL reasons
I use a padlock along side the "D" (two chain lins down and into the same hole the as "D"
it's a very heavy OZLOCK padlock and no amount of bashing with a 4lb lump hammer will remove it



The hayman reese pins are a bugger. You can put a padlock thru where the spilt pin goes tho. maybe you might want to drill out the hole a bit first.

There are locking hitch pins available as well and will help stop the scum removing your hitch even when you have a lazy moment and don't remove it when parked anywhere without a trailer


Kev