Upgrade trailer tongue lock? Chain through the wheels?

I use that yellow lock that Dakota98 uses. But a word to the wise -- when you unlock it, make sure you are ready to catch the big yellow piece, which falls straight down when the key is turned. And make sure that your toes are not underneath it, in case you clumsily drop it anyway.

Please do not ask how I learned these two valuable tips. :(

The trailer hitch lock pictured above, a friend of mine lost a key to it, and I managed to remove it fairly easily since one of my keys fit it.

I use a trailer hitch lock. It mainly is there to tell a thief that this rig is secured. From there, I use two pair of security chains (one on each side) with stout Abus padlocks. I use Abus padlocks because the cylinder is decently weather resistant, and it takes an average speedpicker 10-12 hours to get that mechanism open. Again, not 100%, but good enough to keep the rig from seeing meth lab duty.

There are many degrees of security. For me, my rig is insured, so two pairs of wheel chains combined with a basic hitch lock is sufficient as a deterrent.

However, for my cargo trailer that I plan to get eventually, I plan to buy two sets of "locking winter wheels" from the UK. This way, even a thief manages to bust all the locks off, they still need four wheels to move the trailer, and any thief that brings that much equipment is going to get the darn thing anyway.

jefe 4x4 wrote:
I think the commercial solutions above could be easily foiled by a big crowbar.
Whenever I must leave one of my trailers unattended, I will pull a chain thru the slots in the wheels to the axle or frame.With my tandem axle trailer I chain both wheels together, or use a very heavy duty cable equipment lock.

jefe

Thanks Jefe. A crow bar wasn't the tool of choice for the thief in the above video.

Interesting story about your friend. But cant a cable or chain through the wheels be just as easily defeated with cable cutters or a cordless grinder with cut off wheel?

I think the commercial solutions above could be easily foiled by a big crowbar.
Whenever I must leave one of my trailers unattended, I will pull a chain thru the slots in the wheels to the axle or frame.With my tandem axle trailer I chain both wheels together, or use a very heavy duty cable equipment lock. Either way presents a visual as well as physical barrier between your stuff and the bad guys. I'll also use the cable lock when I have my Honda 2K generator on the trailer under the jeep. But you can't see that deterrent under cover of darkness.
I read a friend's email about leaving his tandem axle trailer in front of his house overnight. He cable locked (1/2 inch steel wire rope with plastic cover) the wheels together on the curb side. Come the morning he looked out the window of his abode to discover his trailer was AWOL! He ran out to the street and spied a pair of black skid marks from locked up wheels wandering down the street. He jumped in his truck and followed the skid marks a couple blocks away to find his tandem axle trailer abandoned right in the middle of the street. Apparently the would be robbers had second thoughts.
jefe

Thanks people.

I think I know which ones best.

Amplock

But one thing to consider.. A thief doesn't care if I put a lock on the coupler, he simply hooks the safety chains up and goes. Wheel locks are the only thing that's going to keep my trailer from being stolen, IF someone actually attempts it.

Then again, the price of a amplock isn't much compared to whats at stake. And locking your wheels sounds difficult

newman fulltimer wrote:

Dakota98 wrote:
I use THIS ONE $17 on Amazon

It's not real heavy duty, but works for me.

& yes, leave the camp looking like someone is there. Leave drink cups out on a table also.

Big pry bar under the silver part on the side give it a twist it shatersright apart just like a padlock

OK, I give, Trackrig's first option appears better.

I did say it's not real heavy duty. :W

Sounds like you been there & done that. :B

Dakota98 wrote:
I use THIS ONE $17 on Amazon

It's not real heavy duty, but works for me.

& yes, leave the camp looking like someone is there. Leave drink cups out on a table also.

Big pry bar under the silver part on the side give it a twist it shatersright apart just like a padlock

I use THIS ONE $17 on Amazon

It's not real heavy duty, but works for me.

& yes, leave the camp looking like someone is there. Leave drink cups out on a table also.

To go with monkey44s post:

Clicky

And another type:

Clicky

Bill

Check out the tongue casing locks -- it fits over the entire ball component and locks into the ball from beneath the tongue. More expensive than a padlock, (about $30 / $40) but you need a torch to get it off.

Here's one - but search Tongue Locks on the web - lots of styles.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/master-lock-tongue-trailer-lock/pid-13427?N=547047756&kwid=ps_cse&cid=CSE_Shopping_000517672