real door locks

You can do anything you have the money and inclination to do. You just have to decide it it's worth it in your mind. To my mind, there is just no sense in spending big money on a lock when the surrounding parts are easily defeated.

And there's always the possibility that someone seeing that fancy lock and reinforce door will wonder "What the heck is in there that is so valuable?".

IOW, save your time and money.

Why? It just locks into a quite flimsy RV door frame mounted in a pretty flimsy RV body. I think the lock mechanism is as robust as the rest of what's involved to keep the door closed and locked. A good yank and it's gonna open, only now open and damage more expensive-to-repair stuff. So maybe the door lock should be the weakest link to prevent even more expensive damage to the RV.

Door locks and latches on motorhomes tend to be a little better/sturdier than those on many trailers in as much as they must meet passenger vehicle standards (i.e. avoid popping apart in a crash).

There's nothing stopping you from putting a residential deadbolt on your RV door. A surface mounted one (a rimlock) would probably be the easiest style to deal with since the door is hardly thick enough for a tubular or mortise lock.

The dead bolt side of the lock is actually pretty effective.
After watching a locksmith try to drill out a broken dead bolt for
Over an hour, it gained more respect in my book.

How much effort is it worth to put a heavy duty lock on a cardboard box?
Regardless of the lock or the reinforcement. Your still dealing with a cardboard box.

packnrat, I have a residential deadbolt on the side door of my class C. It works great and I would easily put one on any camper I own in the future. It is easy to close, and I know it will stay closed which is important with 2 little kids running around.

Edit:
I don't lock my kids in BTW. I just don't want door popping open if the MH flexes (like the old camper we used when I was young) or if they bump into the door while they're playing and fall out

If you are trying to prevent someone from breaking in, forget about it. A 5th wheel trailer and a MH in the storage facility where mine is were both broken into. They just broke the windows, reached in, and opened the doors.

The deadbolt on mine is decent. not the best but not the worst either. The snap bolt is.. Well easily broken and then you can not open the door without tools.

Look online "RV LOCKS AND MORE"

Jack Spratt wrote:
The dead bolt side of the lock is actually pretty effective.
After watching a locksmith try to drill out a broken dead bolt for
Over an hour, it gained more respect in my book.

over a hr, not just his drill bit was dull.
the area where the key goes in with the pins is not hardened, cheap pot metal.
i am less than a cheap lock picker. and can get into many lower brands quickly. most all master locks all fall into this.

and less than reputable "lock smiths" do the drill and sell to get a bigger pay out. picking said does not pay as well.