How do you secure your hitch at campground?

[NutmegsCamper]

Originally Posted by 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.

Would you happen to have a list of these states to help us better prepare for our travels?

[dcasr]

Originally Posted by cloud49er

Want to avoid leaving the hitch on TV, so how do you secure your hitch at campground so you can take day trips and hikes and still have a hitch when you get back?

________________________________

We added a longer hitch shank so we can put the GMC tailgate down while hitched up, so when we want to go away from camp leaving the hitch and attached RockTamer mudflaps attached is way to much stuff on the back end.

We were thinking we could unhook from the trailer, then reattach the heavy hitch and mudflap combination to the Airstream coupler, lock it on, then put the locking pin through the hitch shank hole, and drive away. I do have some logging chain, and I could lock the hitch to the side of the front A frame. Perfect? No. One of these would stop most thieves but not all. It will slow them down and cause them to make a fuss with a hammer and saw. My Airstream looks good but is 33 yrs. old; now if it was pretty new and worth over $100K then I might need to rethink.

See you down the road.

[DonRich7878]

Originally Posted by 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.

For the sake of convenience often neglect to remove tow hitch. Which states is this practice considered illegal?

[Dick tracy]

locked in the front TT locker.

[nvestysly]

I don't have a picture to show you so I'll try to describe what we do...

I remove the hitch (shank/trunion/ball) from the receiver on the tow vehicle, place the ball into the coupler socket on the trailer, lock the coupler, place the pin into the shank and lock it into place. The hitch hangs/dangles from the A-frame of the trailer. I turn the hitch as far as possible in one direction (sort of like the hitch is jack-knifed) to get it out of the way.

I didn't have to purchase any extra equipment. It's easy to perform the task. It's a pseudo theft prevention device since the hitch is locked to the coupler and the pin is locked in the shank.

[richard5933]

Originally Posted by 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.

I suspect that this is an urban legend. After doing quite a bit or searching online, I have been unable to find a single state or province law quoted related to this topic.

The only thing I have found related to the legality of leaving a hitch in the receiver when not towing is if it blocks the license plate. Most jurisdictions have rules prohibiting obscuring or blocking the rear license plate, so if your hitch ball blocks it when not towing I can see this being a problem.

All that said, I am most definitely not an attorney and would fully welcome anyone showing me specific laws which prohibit leaving the hitch in the receiver.

As to the wisdom of doing this, I always pull the hitch and stow it. The extra protrusion from the rear of the Suburban creates a big danger in my opinion, both to our shins and to anyone driving behind us in a parking lot. Last thing I want is to come out of a store to see the hitch and rear of our truck smashed sideways by someone not paying attention to it sticking out.

[thealy63]

Originally Posted by richard5933

This is my solution. Originally intended to mount on a rear bumper to hold a bike rack. Attachment 432429

This is a great idea. I have ordered and cannot wait to get it installed.

Thanks!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

It is a bit interesting to look back over the years at this sort of thing.

For maybe 40 years, we camped out in tents. In a tent, nothing is locked away. The only thing between "your stuff" and somebody else is a flimsy piece of cloth. You go out and about each day.

In all the years doing that, we never had anything "wander off" from our campsite. Not anything not ever. We did have the rental car broken into once in a parking garage, but that's a whole different story ....

Simple answer ( and far too simple ... ) turned out to be that stuff was safer back in the tent than locked up in the car. ...

Bob

[ETroup]

I suspend the ProPride hitch stinger in this bracket mounted to the trailer A frame and secured on the backside with a locking hitch pin.

[Troutboy]

30+ years of tent camping and 6 years of AS camping…. Never lock it up, always organize and place stuff in tent etc, never anything stolen…. I put the equalizer hitch under the trailer by the aframe, its not that out of site. I keep the bars on the bar attach point (i just balance them with the “J” pin)…. Never had any issues, boondocking or in crowded state parks…..

Agree risk is super low and if someone really wants the hunk of metal, then I am going to be driving somewhere to figure it out or just putting the trailer on the hitch ball….. Maybe I have too much faith in the goodness of people, lol

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by sbreech

Would you happen to have a list of these states to help us better prepare for our travels?

None...unless it blocks the license plate.

BUT... here in Western NY I would recommend removing it in Winter.




Bob
🇺🇸

[PC Conner]

Since our 27' SerendipiDee has dual wheels, I run chains through the spokes on both wheels and through the hitch with the hitch between the wheels. 22 years in the Army and a lot of 1SGs making sure everything is secured, can't get away from that training. Maybe overkill, but never had a problem.

[JJTX]

I lock mine to the trailer chains with a hitch shank pin lock and leave it behind.

[steilkurve]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

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

Never remove it either.