Hi
I'm curious as to what type of locks people think are best, and why, for locking up their trailer to prevent theft when not in use.

There seem to be a few basic styles, one with a big bar that goes over the hitch on the trailer and a ball that goes into the bottom of the hitch,
http://tinyurl.com/t2wje
others have a ball that go into the bottom of the hitch and a metal pin that presses into the front of the hitch, and a third that slips over the lip of the hitch and a looking pin that goes up into the bottom of the hitch.
Masterlock has a couple styles here:
http://tinyurl.com/yydysk

I just don't want my trailer leaving my house some night without my knowledge and just trying to figure out the best lock.
What style do you prefer or if you know anyone using one that was defeated, which style was it?

I'll also be running a cable lock through some of the wheels and maybe take off a wheel (a trailer with a missing wheel going down the road would probably get a cops attention if he notices.
thanks!
Bruce

 

I own one each of the first two you mention. Both of them seem to work just fine for me. I could cut either one off with a sawzall and a good metal blade. You really can't stop a thief if he wants to steal it, just slow them down or make it not worth the trouble.
Joe

 

You could also put your stabilizer jacks down. This will slow them down a bit. If you have a between the wheel type of chock you could also lock that. Mine has holes in it for a lock. I really don't have to worry about thieves where I live. If they have the ***** to come into my yard or anyone elses yard they will be shot before they leave! It is a nice neighborhood!

 

No stabilizer jacks....forgot to mention it is a car trailer.
Where it is, it is hard to see from the road plus you have to drive through part of the neighbors yard and my yard to get to it. I just want to make it as hard as possible if someone would decided they need my trailer.

 

Remington makes a series of theft prevention devices - anywhere from 12 thru 20 gauge. Very effective.

 

Effective, but you have to be home all the time for that type to work.

 

Anything you use to make it difficult would probably work....to make it easier just to go find a different yard. Just a motion detector that turns on a light would prob. work as well. Next best thing is a big barking dog staked near hitch....or a recording of one!

 

I actually do have a solar powered motion activated light I was planning on putting out near it (inside of a locked fenced part of my yard so they can't just turn the light out too easily...trailer won't fit in that part of the yard though)

 

I'd get one that goes thru the wheel and locks it the spring.

 

If you are THAT worried about it, I'd get both...one as above AND a hitch lock...don't matter what kind.

 

how about a mastetrlock through the pin hole in the hitch handle

 

I use a lock in the ball of the coupler, a lock through the latch, a lock on the receiver pin (comes as a 3 part set). Then a large cable lock around both rear wheels and a spring on one side. I use locking lugnuts on each wheel. If I was leaving the trailer for any amount of time I would remove all the wheels on one side and leave the locks on. If you have a trailer jack with a wheel, remove the wheel.

 

why not jsut dismantal the whole trailer?
better yet find a new place to keep it.

 

If I really wanted your trailer, I'd just winch it up on another one and drive away. Don't matter how many locks you have, once I got it, I can cut them off at leisure.

 

Yeah, admittedly some locks are made of steel as hard as a saw blade, but I've never seen one yet as hard as a welding torch.....