What lock not to use

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

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.

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?

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.

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.