Forum Discussion
15 Replies
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Locks of any type either dissuade a thief to go for easier pickings OR slow them down
With the availability of high powered battery tools.....locks barely slow them down anymore.
Sadly true !
The best you can hope for is to make opening the lock so difficult/time consuming the thief will go elsewhere. Given time, every lock can be defeated.
2 things to consider when buying a lock. The hasp/shackle system and the actual lock cylinder. The hasp/shackle need to be protect as much as possible against shimming, bolt cutters and grinders. Many name brand locks are easily picked, even by amateurs. Some manufactures actually use zinc for the outer lock body or inner lock core. Less than 5 minutes with a cheap propane torch will melt zinc.
If you want a good padlock look for a Abus Discus.- U-haul padlocks are great! Even the mini version that works in a trailer coupler. The "U" is hardened and I could not even get a cut started. The body is brass, and also hardened, and took me about 10 minutes with a porta-band to cut through, after I lost my keys.
- There is a reason 1/4, 3/8,1/2, 3/4 etc socket sets are NOT made of aluminum...even hardened military grade aluminum...nor are grade 3-5-8 fasteners...
Lower tensile strength metals are EASIER and CHEAPER to machine/forge/cast/etc...and are NOT as tough as hardened high alloy steel
Again...locks, etc just keep honest folks out and just slows the baddies down...
Telling the many, many types of locks out there...telling that there are folks out there stealing trailers...do they keep them, or do they sell them? - Grinder right to that aluminum puck. If you can keep the grind wheel from fouling on the soft aluminum, it should melt through in under 15 seconds.
- Well this is interesting....
Proven Lock shows how to break several locks off your trailer
While the price tag of this Proven Lock is a bit of a, gulp, the video showed me how to break the Master Lock ball coupler lock I have now...
While the hardened steel can slow down the Saw-zall, they did not bring the potable 4 1/2" grinder with a cut off wheel out. Granted the grinder is going to make noise... and someone can hear that.
If someone really wants your camper, what ever do is only going to slow them down. Or send them along to easier pickings who did nothing or a cheaper lock.
H'mm. have to think this one through - Who's willing to send their $300 super lock to the LockLab?
- http://provenlocks.com/products/model-2516-fits-2-516
I am supposed to receive this lock today. Check out the demo videos of the different locks being removed by force, sometimes in seconds.
Dave - When my brother passed away a few years ago, he had 20-30 different trailers around his place. He also had a large collection of keys. I was able to match a key to most of the trailer locks. The ones he had are much sturdier than this one, with a lip that actually was on the outside and clamped on the lip of the hitch.
He has a trailer with a walk-behind Toro mower on it and I couldn't find the key for the lock. While having a sale, I had a guy ask me about the mower. I told him that I didn't know if it even ran because I couldn't get the trailer lock off and move the trailer out of the shed to look at the mower.
He asked if I wanted him to get the lock off. I said "Sure, if you can".
he walked away and about 3 minutes later, he walked back up to me with the lock in his hand.
I never asked how he did it, but I knew then, that these are a waste of money.
If an honest guy can get one off that quick, a crook will be just as quick. I had planned to sell the locks, but ended up throwing them all away. - X2
Old-Biscuit is smack on target.
Add that many of these types of security things only provide the mental security lots of folks are looking for - Honest people don't need locks to keep them honest.........otherwise they aren't honest to begin with :S
Locks of any type either dissuade a thief to go for easier pickings OR slow them down
With the availability of high powered battery tools.....locks barely slow them down anymore.
