Trailer tongue locks

[D2Cat]

How about setting the trailer up so the brakes are locked (until they are unlocked) ?

 

[mcmxi]

I keep one on the trailer tongue storage box as well. I easily have over $1,000 worth of chains, ez binders and ratchet binders on the trailer at all times. They get locked up for storage (I even lock them up when on the job at certain "city" locations). Last job site featured a "used" condom and I actually ran over a crack pipe with the truck while parking...

I'm fairly sure that you have to leave your equipment in harms way more than most since you have a business to run. My trailers are either at my house, behind a vehicle, or at a friend's place if I'm doing work for them, so I can be less rigorous when it comes to preventing theft. And the crime rate is quite a bit lower up here compared to many parts of the country.

 

[lynnmor]

How about setting the trailer up so the brakes are locked (until they are unlocked) ?

There is no good way of doing that with electric brakes.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Trailer locks are like swimming with sharks. You only have to out swim the guy next to you.

 

[mcmxi]

Trailer locks are like swimming with sharks. You only have to outside the guy next to you.

Outswim .... but that's a good point. Many forms of security are simply intended to put off the casual criminal e.g. the smash and grab kind, so the more layers the better.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Outswim .... but that's a good point. Many forms of security are simply intended to put off the casual criminal e.g. the smash and grab kind, so the more layers the better.

Stupid machines telling me what I should have typed. Never in my life have I used "ducking" in a sentence

 

[D2Cat]

Stupid machines telling me what I should have typed. Never in my life have I used "ducking" in a sentence

Well, you just did!

 

[Biker1mike]

Nice to be lower middle class. None of my trailers have ever been worth stealing.
I did have a cheap lock on the camper until I forgot the key. Took longer to run the extension cord than to cut the lock off.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Well, you just did!

Are you ducking sure?

 

[leveraddict]

I've been using these for the past 3 years. Have several, all keyed the same like a coke machine. They've been great so far.

TMC10 - TRIMAX Locks

7/8" Span - Key Coupler Lever/Door Latch Lock • Machine Forged Chrome Steel • Protective Rubber Bumper • Cap to help protect from grime and corrosion.

trimaxlocks.com

I have something similar to the TMC10. A neighbor showed me that loosening the big nut under the hitch will enable the hitch to mount the ball. Not safe for towing but can still hook up and steal!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

if paranoid....jack up trailer NOT seen from road ,set on blocks, remove rim(s).
Unlikely thief brought his own rim(s).

next time thief returns, he'll have a 'tilt -n- load' tow truck though....

 

[CGMKCM]

FWIW. Folks on the Airstream trailer forums that store trailer at storage facilitys swear by this lock company.

Proven

 

[Elliott in GA]

FWIW. Folks on the Airstream trailer forums that store trailer at storage facilitys swear by this lock company.

Proven

see my post #15 - chain the trailer tongue to a hitch, and tow it away to another location then use an angle grinder I would spend my money on a lock to immobilize the trailer (chaining the wheels)

 

[GreensvilleJay]

You could change the brakes from electric to air ! That'll slow the thieves down a bit....

Just remember every lock has a key and thieves tend to be smarter than JQ Public, though I can STOP them from driving away ANY vehicle that has 'push button go/run' for less than $50.

 

[fried1765]

I have a Fort Knox for the ball couplers on my trailers. Also have a lock on the ball keeper, also have a padlock on the chains, also have a flip on the jack and have a padlock on it so that it can’t flip up out of the way. I had a duelly pickup back up to one of my trailers in the middle of the night to try to take it. At the time I just had a cheap Reese lock on it but it kept him from taking it. You can break the Reese hitch off in about 15 seconds. That made me a little bit paranoid. The goal is to make it so difficult for them to take that they just leave.

All any thief needs, to steal a "locked trailer" (wheels, coupler, or whatever), is a fully charged 20V DeWalt 4-1/2" angle grinder.
Currently on sale at Lowe's.....$99

 

[D2Cat]

All any thief needs, to steal a "locked trailer" (wheels, coupler, or whatever), is a fully charged 20V DeWalt 4-1/2" angle grinder.
Currently on sale at Lowe's.....$99

Well, he'll probably need a cutoff wheel also!

 

[fried1765]

Well, he'll probably need a cutoff wheel also!

Yah really think so?

 

[Elliott in GA]

All any thief needs, to steal a "locked trailer" (wheels, coupler, or whatever), is a fully charged 20V DeWalt 4-1/2" angle grinder.
Currently on sale at Lowe's.....$99

Actually, there are some highly angle grinder resistant locks like:

https://www.litelok.com/collections..._id=667061295090&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaign}&utm_content=152818801818&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjMKqBhCgARIsAPDgWlzWFhRDTgkPbt-enca9OTonFDXPDlGpgxqquy8ck204cWY3inuuQlAaAiSGEALw_wcB&gad=1

The demo on a bike youtube channel (not affiliated with the maker) showed the lock resisted 2+ grinding wheels, and it still was not defeated.

It is not that you cannot eventually defeat a lock - you can, but paying a reasonable price for a lock/chain that immobilizes the trailer until a thief spend some time making a lot of noise and sparks is worthwhile. The Kryptonite lock does that; the Proven lock does not (just chain the trailer to the hitch) at nearly twice the price.

 

[fried1765]

Actually, there are some highly angle grinder resistant locks like:

https://www.litelok.com/collections..._id=667061295090&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign={campaign}&utm_content=152818801818&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjMKqBhCgARIsAPDgWlzWFhRDTgkPbt-enca9OTonFDXPDlGpgxqquy8ck204cWY3inuuQlAaAiSGEALw_wcB&gad=1

The demo on a bike youtube channel (not affiliated with the maker) showed the lock resisted 2+ grinding wheels, and it still was not defeated.

It is not that you cannot eventually defeat a lock - you can, but paying a reasonable price for a lock/chain that immobilizes the trailer until a thief spend some time making a lot of noise and sparks is worthwhile. The Kryptonite lock does that; the Proven lock does not (just chain the trailer to the hitch) at nearly twice the price.

I was thinking more like locking/defeating a lock on a remotely stored shipping container.
Noise and sparks would not bother such a thief in the least,.... where no one could see or hear him.
He could bring his 20V grinder with cutoff disc,......and just have at it!

I do not own, or want a motorcycle.
I do have a 14K -20' equipment trailer, but exposure is limited, as it is normally stored out of view, in a (weakly) locked building.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

I use these on one of my tandem trailers. A lock fits through the top nut flange.

Most thieves are either opportunists, or they are professional thieves. The professionals will have knowledge of your situation. And those dirtbags will know, that you have exactly what they want. Bobcat on a trailer, etc. The opportunist thieves are different. They will walk by and see some easy steal and do it. No real planning.

Putting any kind of lock on your hitch is better than nothing to deter the opportunist thief. Usually they are tweekers or inbreed back hills freaks. Sometimes it's your neighbor out on parole. Sometimes it's a family member hooked on meth. They see your tractor on a trailer at your kids birthday party and figure it's an easy dollar. Put on a lock.

The professional thieves will get it no matter what lock you use. Unless you have cameras that they can't disable or believe that you will shoot them dead.