ProPride 3P hitch and trailer security?

[Zybane]

Ordering a 3P and curious about trailer security with it. Since the ball is permanently mounted to the 3P head, in theory the only ways to steal a trailer with a 3P would be to:

1. Use a stinger. This is a proprietary design correct? With the amount of Hensley's and ProPrides on the road, you would think it would be exceedingly rare that someone would steal your trailer with a stinger.

2. Jack up the front of the trailer and place the weight of the head on an item designed for theft and secure the chains. Most trailers can be stolen this way but it does take some effort. Here, wheel chock/locks and audio alarms etc can be quite useful.

3. Remove the 3P. I haven't installed one yet, but it would seem like this would be a timely endeavor.

Can anyone else think of ways that a 3P trailer can be stolen and how to protect? I was thinking of maybe drilling a hole on either side of the hitch head receiver to put a receiver lock on there with locking pin to boot.

[Ridgerunner3]

I have a Propride hitch on my trailer. I don't know if Sean builds any sort of locking device. You could have one fabricated by a welding shop. However, I think locking the wheels together on each side with a heavy hardened chain threaded through the wheel spokes on each side is probably a good approach. I don't think any sort of hitch disable device will slow down a thief for long. Chains and locks around wheels may not either.

[SteveSueMac]

There are ways but it's probably not best to post them in a forum 😄

Besides - the setup itself would have most thieves walk to the next trailer. They want to be able to do something quick, not spend time fiddling around. However - a really determined thief will take anything.

Good insurance is a must.

[ghaynes755]

Don't sweat the small stuff and theft of trailer IMHO is small stuff. So rare as to be infinitesimally not relevant. Odds are probably better to win the next $1.5B lottery

Enjoy your Classic and go camping.

[LesMesa]

To prevent theft through point 1, I put a large padlock around one of the latches (not sure what these are called), which attach to the stringer. For me, this is an extra theft deterrent, as the potential thief would have to remove the 3P, or use a device you describe in point 2 to then steal the trailer. If someone is determined to steal an Airstream, they will find a way.

I was somewhat concerned about someone stealing the 3P while in storage, as these hitches aren't cheap. I called Propride, and they suggested running the chains through the hitch and padlocking them. I haven't bothered with that as someone with the tools to remove the hitch from the trailer, could disassemble, or break enough parts to unlock the chains.

There are a quite a few expensive looking boats and campers, not to mention diesel pushers in the storage unit where I keep my Airstream. Most of the boats and campers do not appear to have any kind of lock on them. Maybe theft from storage isn't really as issue, or people tend not to be too worried about it?

[Tim A.]

We happen to have a Hensley hitch, but the way we lock it up would work just as well with a ProPride.

We use two combination padlocks (which cannot be opened with the beer-can trick) to secure the stinger in place and keep the stinger from going into a tow vehicle's receiver.

Have the stinger in the hitch and close the over-center latches. Put the loop of one lock through the safety-pin hole of a closed latch, close the lock, and you have secured the stinger in place.

Drill out the safety clip hole of a hitch pin to be large enough to allow the loop of a lock to pass through. Insert the pin in the hitch-pin hole of the stinger and put lock number two through the enlarged safety-clip hole and close lock. Now the stinger can't go into a receiver.

To keep from banging your legs on the stinger, rotate it to one side.

Tim

[cwf]

I have seen the highly effective results using these. A couple around perimeter I certainly respect....

[rmkrum]

Just be sure to point them in the right direction.....otherwise your AS will resemble a shiny silver colander...


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[cwf]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Just be sure to point them in the right direction.....otherwise your AS will resemble a shiny silver colander...


Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

Yup.. That's why the highly trained read the writing...

[ColBill]

Really good Insurance is the right answer; 30 years in law enforcement has taught me that bad people do bad things and if they get mad because you made it so hard to steal your Airstream, they take a hammer and cause you more grief than stealing it (easy to do with an Airstream). Never keep precious momentos in your trailer (things that cannot be replaced by insurance). Take pics of everything in the trailer and explore technology that might be able to help you recover the trailer. Thief's love easy targets of opportunity; don't be one. I do like the claymore example and winning the lottery postings--don't let bad people run your life and ruin your fun.
Colonel Bill

[TinkersToy]

I use a lock on the ball clasp and a lock though the stinger Chanel on my Hensley. It's not full proof but hopefully deters most thieves and it's simple and inexpensive. I included a photo of the setup.

[dkottum]

Fifty years of camping we don't worry about it. A bear took our food once and raccoons our freshly caught fish. If we feel someone might steal our Airstream or parts off from it, we are parked in the wrong place.

[greghoro]

I worry more about someone walking off with my stinger.

Don't like keeping it in the back of my SUV and definitely not sticking out of the receiver or hitch head.

Greg

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by greghoro

I worry more about someone walking off with my stinger.

Don't like keeping it in the back of my SUV and definitely not sticking out of the receiver or hitch head.

Greg

With the stinger in the hitch, the over-center latches closed, and a lock through the safety-pin hole of one of the latches, it will be very hard for somebody to filch your stinger. If you are really anxious, you could use a second lock through the other safety-pin hole.

For the rest of the story, please see my post above.

Tim

[JDnBeastlet]

Installing the ProPride took me several hours but removing it is a matter of minutes. Three steps.

1. Spring bars
- Unbolt the U-bolts that connect the spring bar links to the spring bars

2. Yoke tail
- Remove the bolt, collar and nut that support the yoke tail

3. Coupler
- Unlatch the coupler and drop the main hitch unit (probably needs a helper or a jack)

During the camping season I keep the tools needed for this procedure in the trailer. In case our truck becomes incapacitated during our travels I want the trailer to be towable and moveable by whatever recovery vehicle CAA/AAA sends.

[dkottum]

The quickest way to steal an Airstream is to wrap your safety chains around the crook's receiver/ball assembly, raise or break the jack and drive away taking the various coupler locks, ProPrides and Hensleys with them.

You could slow them down for 30 seconds with a chain through the wheels and over the axle, but portable cutoff saws are fast.

Insurance and good parking is your best bet, supplemented with an electronic warning/locator device.