Trailer Theft

[Ressoldier]

My question is about trailer theft and maybe you help. I know you can lock the receiver to the hitch. I know you can lock a pintle hitch when it is off the hitch. How do you prevent theft of your trailer when it is all hooked up? What's to deter someone from just uncoupling your trailer and drive off? Thanks for any input.

He is asking how do you keep it from being stolen after you have it hooked up.

Honestly if it is hooked up and they really want to steal the trailer they will just take the combined vehicle/ trailer. It is a lot quicker to drive off with a vehicle then it is to unhook the trailer, maneuver it to the new vehicle hook up and drive off. Bseides the later is way to obvious on top of really time consuming.

 

[Goose2448]

If your only using the trailer loaded, say when moving, the weight alone should be enough to deter a thief. Its hard to move around a loaded trailer. I dropped a loaded one one time, I had put the low side of a movable hitch in, and it started scraping with the load. Had to use a 15 Ton Floor Jack, Jack Stand, and 4 big guys to get it back off the ground. I was the stupid one for trying to fix it, with out unloading the trailer first.

 

[Verkstad]

Q

 

[Titanium-Wolverine]

Who steals million pound military trailers that you can buy for 500-1000 bucks, and takes a tank to pull.

 

[Tobiasinla]

Who steals million pound military trailers that you can buy for 500-1000 bucks, and takes a tank to pull.

I am more worried about a M416 or M101 walking away when I am out pulling it, and making it where they need some tools to get it. lt might be interesting to see the metal thieves trying to take a M105 with a Ford Ranger....... Will have to look into locking the chains some way.

 

[MRAP DREAM GIRL]

Seem all the suggestions in this thread make perfect sense and I'm going to combine everyone I can. I have had a heavily loaded trailer stolen off a truck before. Must have taken three big guys at least, End result was a loss of more than $20,000 in tools.

As stated several times, their are scumbags in this world that can basically get anything if they really want it! Don't remember seeing the right to steal other peoples stuff in the Constitution

 

[koolex11]

The way I see it, everyone has a battery-powered sawzall nowadays. The only thing that can deter a thief with a metal cutting blade is a chain or cable large enough to make it take a long time. That said, you can probably get through 1/2" chain in about 60 seconds. I don't know about those fat bike cables, but I guess they are worth looking into.

 

[koolex11]

One deterrent I use,
I devised a method to lock the rear outriggers in the down position, and the front landing leg can be locked too.
As mentioned its just another deterrent. But I think its clever and unusual and that can be 1/2 the battle when placing deterrents.

Interesting points: lock the landing legs and the brake handles and most people won't be able to figure out why the darn thing won't move! That would take some serious time to figure out, but also time for you to set 5 locks every night!

How about a tire boot?

 

[Jump Start]

A 9 mm works good

 

[Titanium-Wolverine]

A 9 mm works good

LOL,,,,,

 

[islandguydon]

Thief

The way I see it, everyone has a battery-powered sawzall nowadays. The only thing that can deter a thief with a metal cutting blade is a chain or cable large enough to make it take a long time. That said, you can probably get through 1/2" chain in about 60 seconds. I don't know about those fat bike cables, but I guess they are worth looking into.

I agree with Koolex11, a neighbor across the lake had his RV stolen from his storage spot, the thief left his 18v Milwaukee saw zall on the ground next to where the chain was, and a cut link. A thief will get it if they want it. Check this out. The Deputy said it would do no good to run for prints, because anyone could have left it there......how silly is that...?

 

[Jump Start]

Do they still have the saw? I would have the police run the S/N and see if the theif ever sent in the warranty info.

 

[islandguydon]

Jump Start, I Don't know, I stay away from out cops here. I do not like them, they do not play fair. I am not as lucky as most, Charles told me what the cops said.

The Deputy's here in Oakland County Michigan have their own agenda and they just do not give a hoot. They practically accused the 64 year old woman, of an insurance job. Thats my 2 cents

 

[Ratch]

When I leave a 101 trailer connected to the TV out on a corner far from sight (IE with a "For Sale" sign), I run a chain from the trailer drawbar to the TV receiver with a padlock.
I also don't use extended safety chains normally, so you can't unhook the safety chains unless you turn the combination hard in one direction, or finagle it just right after unhitching (I have it down to a science now, but it's not quick or easy).
If the trailer's loaded and heavy, I don't really bother with a lock. You need more and bigger tools to unhitch it at that point if I don't have a crank landing leg on it. Or, you have to reposition the load, which still won't make maneuvering by hand easy.


When I have multiple trailers parked unhitched, I run a chain and padlock through the frames or leaf springs if I'll be away for any longer than usual workday periods. I also have camera's on the approaches to my house, which is coincidentally where some trailers are parked. Hey, I'm from NY, people break in to your house to take food out of your fridge...

As far as trusting other people to notice shady activity, I've sold a few of these trailers in parking lots. No one has ever said anything if they even noticed a couple guys unhooking a trailer from a parked truck and moving it to another truck... Most people don't expect to witness anything worth reporting or interfering with, and use of tools almost legitimizes shady activity to strangers. How many times have you seen someone working on a car and thought they were trying to steal it?


edit: Forgot to mention, another way I've locked the lunette when unhitched is to wrap the safety chains through it and padlock them. That requires at least a cutting tool. That's usually how I park them when I visit my dad in NY...

 

[Jump Start]

Thanks for the post islandguydon I just wanted to say it is ashamed the way this country is going, the good are bad and the bad are viewed as the victim. Sad when man sees good as evil and evil as good. They see darkness as light, and light as dakness, Bitter sweet and sweet bitter.
Glad this is not my eternal home.

 

[islandguydon]

God bless ya man. Good luck.

 

[goldneagle]

Seem all the suggestions in this thread make perfect sense and I'm going to combine everyone I can. I have had a heavily loaded trailer stolen off a truck before. Must have taken three big guys at least, End result was a loss of more than $20,000 in tools.

As stated several times, their are scumbags in this world that can basically get anything if they really want it! Don't remember seeing the right to steal other peoples stuff in the Constitution

No that takes a legislation from Congress to do. It's called income redistribution!

 

[harleyhouse]

When I am not using my trailer, I pull the pins from hitch channel and remove the coupler / pintle.
No hitch no haul!

This just keeps the honest people honest.
I had a canoe stolen from under my cottage in Erie several years back.
The thieves cut the lock on the door, sawed the chain on the canoe and walked away with it.
leaving a new MTH tractor with the keys in the ignition sitting there.

I guess I kept it to nice. I think it was a neighbor who told someone about how like new it was,
and they made it theirs

 

[12vman]

A 9 mm works good

for what????




squirrels???

 

[Valence]

They make a lock assembly for a lunette. I will try to attach a picture.

$27 at anythingtruck.com

I have used this locking system for over 7 years. I like the fact that the lock is recessed into the pocket. I think it is a #5 lock size.

Old thread bump... but thanks for the link! It stinks that shipping to UT is $17.00+ for a $27.00 item! But I've used this for the past 2 years on my M105A2 and am considering buying another for my Pioneer Tool trailer.