Visit our Popular Forums

Craig · 09-23-2002, 06:23 AM

What can be done to prevent an AS from being towed, for security purposes. I have my TT parked in my backyard, and was just thinking about how anyone could drive up, hitch up, and pull away.

RoadKingMoe · 09-23-2002, 06:54 AM

As a minimum, put a ball with the shaft cut off up in the coupler (so the trailer can't be towed with a smaller ball) and a padlock on the coupler latch.

You could also sink a large metal loop (rebar for example) deep in concrete in the ground and run a Kryptonite cable through the loop and the tongue A-Frame.

Pahaska · 09-23-2002, 07:31 AM

Anything that will take a lot of time, creates noise, or requires tools adds to your security.

Padlocks can be cut off. Better to buy one of the coupler locks that cover the entire coupler (about $35). The key lock itself is completely up inside the coupler where it is virtually impossible to harm. The lock fills the coupler such that a smaller ball cannot be used.

If your trailer has duals, one of the padlockable, expanding chocks that fit between the wheels is useful in several ways.
1. When you are using the trailer, it reduces the motion
2. It chocks the trailer better when up on levelling blocks.
3. If it is set good and tight, it is really difficult to remove.
The expandable chock I have makes it very difficult to get a bolt cutter on the padlock hoop.

If you have a power jack, lower the tongue way down and cut power to the jack. Adds to the time and tools it would take to get the tongue up on a hitch.

A friend padlocks a piece of very heavy chain through the openings in a wheel.

Inland RV Center, In · 09-23-2002, 08:25 AM

Craig. Removing the wheels is another way to delay a theft. But if it's in your yard, run city power to it. Now you could install a "car alarm" that has a motion detector.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com

RoadKingMoe · 09-23-2002, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pahaska
Anything that will take a lot of time, creates noise, or requires tools adds to your security.

Strongly agree!

Quote:

Padlocks can be cut off. Better to buy one of the coupler locks that cover the entire coupler (about $35). The key lock itself is completely up inside the coupler where it is virtually impossible to harm. The lock fills the coupler such that a smaller ball cannot be used.

Good idea. Master makes a padlock specifically for the coupler latch that has the loop sheilded, and it's even harder to get to the locking bar on a Diskus lock. An 80lb Hensley hitch head locked into the coupler and cabled through the A-frame and overcenter latches is also a bit of a deterent. <G>

Quote:

If your trailer has duals, one of the padlockable, expanding chocks that fit between the wheels is useful in several ways.
1. When you are using the trailer, it reduces the motion
2. It chocks the trailer better when up on levelling blocks.
3. If it is set good and tight, it is really difficult to remove.
The expandable chock I have makes it very difficult to get a bolt cutter on the padlock hoop.

I use chocks on the side on the ground and one of those lockable expanding chocks on the side on leveling blocks. Only way to go on that side.

Quote:

If you have a power jack, lower the tongue way down and cut power to the jack. Adds to the time and tools it would take to get the tongue up on a hitch.

A friend padlocks a piece of very heavy chain through the openings in a wheel.

Better yet, run it through adjacent openings on two wheels... one's going up while the other's going down and they won't rotate very far.

Good ideas!

53flyingcloud · 09-24-2002, 08:31 AM

In addition to all of the above 'excellent' suggestions, you might try removing the "break away key", as well. This should lock your brakes on the TT.
Just my 0.02 worth.

RoadKingMoe · 09-24-2002, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by towner
In addition to all of the above 'excellent' suggestions, you might try removing the "break away key", as well. This should lock your brakes on the TT.
Just my 0.02 worth.

Wouldn't the electric brakes drain your trailer batteries in a heartbeat?

Inland RV Center, In · 09-24-2002, 10:39 AM

It will also burn up your magnets, in a heart beat, AND, it can also detemper the "spindles," if your coach is plugged into city power.
Result, new axles!!
You can leave the breakaway switch pin pulled for no longer than 5 minutes.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com

53flyingcloud · 09-24-2002, 10:49 AM

Whew...
The things you can learn every day~!

I think that's one of the "best aspect" of this forum is that, you can learn from other's past mistakes.

RoadKingMoe · 09-24-2002, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Inland RV Center, In
It will also burn up your magnets, in a heart beat, AND, it can also detemper the "spindles," if your coach is plugged into city power. Result, new axles!! You can leave the breakaway switch pin pulled for no longer than 5 minutes.

Man... sounds like this is something that needs to be secured from destructive pranksters.

Inland RV Center, In · 09-24-2002, 01:29 PM

Maurice. It does happen, all to many times.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com

OklaOverland · 01-12-2016, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

Anything that will take a lot of time, creates noise, or requires tools adds to your security.

Padlocks can be cut off. Better to buy one of the coupler locks that cover the entire coupler (about $35). The key lock itself is completely up inside the coupler where it is virtually impossible to harm. The lock fills the coupler such that a smaller ball cannot be used.

If your trailer has duals, one of the padlockable, expanding chocks that fit between the wheels is useful in several ways.
1. When you are using the trailer, it reduces the motion
2. It chocks the trailer better when up on levelling blocks.
3. If it is set good and tight, it is really difficult to remove.
The expandable chock I have makes it very difficult to get a bolt cutter on the padlock hoop.

If you have a power jack, lower the tongue way down and cut power to the jack. Adds to the time and tools it would take to get the tongue up on a hitch.

A friend padlocks a piece of very heavy chain through the openings in a wheel.

Do you have links to where you can purchase the brands that you recommend?

ghaynes755 · 01-12-2016, 05:48 PM

Craig that must be one bad neighborhood �� Personally thieves are after easy low hanging fruit. Ransacking your trailer, maybe. Hooking it up and driving it away, pretty unlikely. If that were popular the would do it from a storage yard or campground. While there is the occasional post about a stolen trailer here on the forums they are about as rare as a balanced budget. Ok maybe once a year. Lock the ball and sleep at night.

Protagonist · 01-12-2016, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

If you have a power jack, lower the tongue way down and cut power to the jack. Adds to the time and tools it would take to get the tongue up on a hitch.

Wouldn't it be better to raise the tongue and cut power? Anybody can use a tow vehicle's scissors jack or bottle jack to raise a lowered trailer tongue far enough to hitch up— and that's a good Plan B to keep in mind if your tongue jack fails for some reason. But a tongue jack that is extended— and stuck— far enough to drag the ground even after hitching up makes it harder to tow the trailer away.

lahrfarm · 01-12-2016, 08:36 PM

Buy a cable lock, if you have tandem axles, cable lock the two wheels together. If you have a single axle, run cable lock through rim and around axle. it is much harder to cut a cable lock than a paddle lock

Siegmann · 01-12-2016, 08:37 PM

If you are depending on a coupler lock, also secure the break away chains into short loops with the best lock you can find. Otherwise they can be pulled forward and use to tow the rig way.

Siegmann · 01-12-2016, 08:46 PM

If you really think your rig is a target for theft, and expect an experienced thief... well, they will get it.

One more bit of insurance was suggested elsewhere on this forum. If you have the rig plugged in, buy a cheap cell phone and load a "find my phone" app on it. Hide it somewhere inside where you can plug it in to 12v to keep it charged.

ArtisanAir · 01-12-2016, 08:50 PM

Do exactly what the city does when they don't want your vehicle (or trailer) to move.......

cwf · 01-12-2016, 09:00 PM

All you can do is slow them down. But if you make it hard enough they may choose another to pick on.

kb0zke · 01-13-2016, 07:32 PM

Channing is right. Suppose someone took several of the suggestions here all together. Raise your trailer way up in the air and remove all of the wheels. Put a lock on the hitch. Put some chains around the axles and hook those chains to something set in a large concrete block buried a few feet down. A determined thief can still steal the trailer, but it will take a few hours of work. Of course, it will take you a few hours of work to get it in that position in the first place, and then when you want to use your trailer, it will take you a couple of hours to get it back on the road.

Some thieves are after a coach for resale. Others are after one to strip. Still others are after the stuff inside. No one security plan will stop all three. The best security system is a nosy neighbor.