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I'm planning a trip to a high crime town in March to a horse show, I want to leave my bumper pull trailer there, and I want a coupler lock. I googled a few, there are so many designs. Do you have a favorite one and why?
My trailer is parked at a storage lot that is fenced so I wouldn't call my situation anywhere close to risky as far as crime goes. I use just a lock on the coupler lever.
On a utility trailer I've used the Master Lock Trailer Coupler Lock that goes into where the ball inserts into. It worked OK. It will deter the casual thief but if someone really wants your trailer they'll find a way.
True security against motivated thieves is very difficult. However I believe that you can add layers of security and make your rig unattractive to steal by locking wheels on each side, locking the coupler with something that can't easily be taken off with a sawsall.
I have built in locks for the doors, it'll stay locked. The good part is there will be many trailers there, and security presence is normally there to hopefully deter thieves, although my friend 's truck still got broke into last year there.
Ever had to move a trailer stuck in mud? Who needs a hitch? I can twist up your safety chains and tow your trailer away perfectly with the coupler thing locked up still. I giggle when I see those things, a rubber rattle snake would work better.
Although......we have had success with motorcycle brake clamp locks. Not because they lock the wheel, but because they have a horrible death screaming alarm when the bike gets rocked. I have no idea if such a thing exists for trailer tongues.
Generally I take a digital game camera to hobby stuff, and toss it in a nearby tree or shrub. Pics of everyone who walks past my trailer.
I concur with many of the comments that if a trailer thief wants your trailer, there's very little you can do to stop that. So, the best we as owners can do is try and make it as difficult as possible to steal. Use many devices. Mine is never a stand-alone except at the secured storage facility and at the policed race events, aside from that its always attached to the truck and secured, as best as can be done. I too travel thru some "lowly" places, places where what I've got, others would like to have, and on many trips stay over a night in hotels, so as a final deterrent, I always carry the Glock.
Ever had to move a trailer stuck in mud? Who needs a hitch? I can twist up your safety chains and tow your trailer away perfectly with the coupler thing locked up still. I giggle when I see those things, a rubber rattle snake would work better.
Great. Now I need to put a lock on my safety chains too.
Great. Now I need to put a lock on my safety chains too.
I do if in doubt. Been from Long Island to California, Alberta to Houston and haven’t had a problem to date. Lock on the coupler, safety chains locked to a pole, chains through the wheels. All hardened locks and chains, not the cheap one from Harbor Freight or the big box stores.
I'm 100% sure that I'm missing that horse show....
Alternatively, a hitch ball with the shank sawed off and a hardened coupler lock is about as good as anything up front. And a chain between the wheels and around the axles with a hardened lock is about as good as anything out back.
As stated, the goal isn't to prevent trailer theft, but to make someone else's trailer easier to steal than yours.
But if I'm that worried about my stuff getting jacked or damaged, smart money doesn't go.
If someone wants to steal your trailer they are going to. Its difficult to completely secure a trailer. The best defense is to make it to hard or too time consuming to steal it. Especially if there is the risk of being discovered by security if they spend too much time.
That said, I have one of these on my trailer. Real-time GPS Tracker - GPS Tracking Device - ElectroFlip I use the movement feature to alert me if it moves from where its parked. So I have a way of knowing if someone takes the trailer and a way to track it if they do.
