How do you secure your hitch at campground?

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by Eduprey

I use these 2 brackets to secure my hitch receiver and sway bars.

How is that a form of security…as opposed to simply marketing it to passersby “Here…I’m available.” I don’t see any lock.

[Mollysdad]

Call me crazy, but I've never removed mine.

[Kittycatcat]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

I simply get it out of sight and slide it under the trailer behind the wheel.
Simple and quick.
12 years never an issue.

This is also our method - tuck the hitch more or less out of sight under trailer. Equalizer bars put in back bumper. We do use the Proven lock occasionally, depending on how I feel. :-) So far so good in 18 years & 3 trailers.

[TinShanty]

I leave the Equalizer hitch lock-pinned to the TV. (I’m too lazy to remove it…)I don’t lock bars but could with bike lock/cable. I do bike lock the bbq but that’s it. Chairs, table, firepit, etc, are on their own….Yeti lives in back of TV. Again, too lazy to take out….Never had an issue, but, I’ll take my chances 😎

[Eduprey]

My brackets do not ‘secure” my hitch parts, just keeps them off the ground and accessible. Been trailering since the 70’s - never had one stolen

[ChrisnPatty]

Why do we remove the hitch from the TV?: Because when we are bouncing around on the unpaved roads we often like to explore outside our campsites, the hitch is often a low point that bottoms out in the gullies in the dirt roads.

Why do we secure our hitch at the campsite?: Because losing it would make for a very difficult drive home if lost at a remote location.

How do we secure our hitch?: A U-shaped kryptonite bike lock fits well through one of the holes in the shank of our Blue Ox hitch. A chain run through the a-frame and the kryptonite secures it to the trailer. We leave it visible, this hitch is not worth the effort it would require to remove - move on down the road.

[IrkdScientst]

Originally Posted by TrotGlober

Newish to RVing, but I've been curious about this seeing the lengths some go to secure it. I threat modelled it out in my mind and came to the conclusion the effort to lock it up isn't worth the (assessed as low) likelihood it gets stolen.

But, definitely curious... exactly how often WDH hitches get stolen?

It's not too likely to be stolen, but if it is, you are going to have a Really Bad Day.

[TrotGlober]

Originally Posted by IrkdScientst

It's not too likely to be stolen, but if it is, you are going to have a Really Bad Day.

Sure, but to what end do you spend time mitigating low-occurrence events? What complexity and risk do the mitigations themselves introduce?

In my example, the worst case is I make do with the non-WDH adjustable hitch I keep in my TV to hit the road, well within the limits of my vehicle & towing gear, and replace the WDH components at my leisure.

On the other hand, consider what happens if you lose the keys for the lock or it otherwise quits functioning. Also probably not too likely to happen, but if it is, you are also going to have a Really Bad Day.

[IrkdScientst]

Originally Posted by TrotGlober

Sure, but to what end do you spend time mitigating low-occurrence events? What complexity and risk do the mitigations themselves introduce?

In my example, the worst case is I make do with the non-WDH adjustable hitch I keep in my TV to hit the road, well within the limits of my vehicle & towing gear, and replace the WDH components at my leisure.

On the other hand, consider what happens if you lose the keys for the lock or it otherwise quits functioning. Also probably not too likely to happen, but if it is, you are also going to have a Really Bad Day.

Fair point. You always have to balance the risks according to your own situation. In my case, the WDH is a hard requirement. Finding a suitable replacement out in the middle of nowhere would be challenging. Everything gets locked up in the vehicle, out of sight. (And if I lose the keys to the vehicle I'm dead in the water anyway.)

[cloud49er]

Thank you everyone for all the great ideas! I think they are all good, give me & others many choices for what works best.

[trailerKat]

Our Reese hitch assembly with rock guard mud flaps was stolen off our truck parked our driveway.they didn't get the bars which were in the garage. The thieves also got a neighbor's hitch. Happened 3 days before our departure for a rally. No sign of cutting or otherwise destroying the hitch lock. We later learned that lock had very common key sets, and after scrambling to get replacement hitch, ball and rock guards found a different brand of hitch lock of better design and uncommon key set.

We no longer leave it on the truck but remove it and store in the garage. Ok, you're wondering why not just park the TV in the garage? It's a GMC Savana van that is just a bit too tall to fit without letting air out of the tires which we do to fit it in for the winter.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by trailerKat

Our Reese hitch assembly with rock guard mud flaps was stolen off our truck parked our driveway.they didn't get the bars which were in the garage. The thieves also got a neighbor's hitch. Happened 3 days before our departure for a rally. No sign of cutting or otherwise destroying the hitch lock. We later learned that lock had very common key sets, and after scrambling to get replacement hitch, ball and rock guards found a different brand of hitch lock of better design and uncommon key set.

We no longer leave it on the truck but remove it and store in the garage. Ok, you're wondering why not just park the TV in the garage? It's a GMC Savana van that is just a bit too tall to fit without letting air out of the tires which we do to fit it in for the winter.

Those hitches are in a Pawn Shop somewhere.

[gamakai]

How often is a hitch or TT stolen from an occupied campground?

[ibosket]

Despite horror stories, including from my brother-in-law who had his stolen once, I’ve trusted campers to not disturb our stuff when we leave the camp and after years and years we haven’t had an incident. My attitude is that bad things can happen no matter what precautions are taken sometimes - and I think the vast majority of people just want to camp and be good citizens.

[TimT]

I remove it and place in my truck for the duration of of my stay….I also place a lock on my trailer hitch to prevent theft.

[TinkersToy]

Just an FYI - it’s illegal in some states to leave the tow hitch in place when not towing. May not get cited, but insurance adjusters love reasons to reduce accident compensation. I remove (also protects our own shins) and store in the truck bed which has a locking cap.

[cazual6]

let's look at the root cause of the problem. in my years of glamping, nothing ever got stolen. granted you don't want to be the first one, but glamping in general is safe.

lastly, may want to revisit your location of choice if you are concerned.

[Gene]

If I absolutely have to take it off the truck, like going into a very urban, busy area with tight parking, I put it in the truck bed. I built an open box for it years ago, but after a while I stopped caring about the box. The truck bed gets beat up by stuff, but that's why I have a truck and not a pretty SUV for towing.

The hitch is locked to the receiver when installed. I am sure the lock is fairly easy to pick, but it is just another level of safety. Campgrounds offer many opportunities for thieves, but few things are taken. All those storage doors on RV's have very simple locks with keys common to almost every RV. Nothing inside is very safe either, and most of it weighs less than a hitch. All those chairs, rugs, etc., left outside are enough to start a used camping gear store if you want to ravage campgrounds.

Campgrounds are pretty safe, but of course the determined or stupid thief will some day, maybe a thousand years from now or today, show up and take your hitch. So far on this thread the only stolen hitch was from someone's driveway, not a campground or city street.

[Coyotetrack]

Same here. I have never bothered to lock it up. We have lots of other stuff around camp that is not locked either. So far no problems.

[Airhead59]

I just put the hitch and sway bars in the "basement" under the bed.