adding door deadbolt

I have long held that locks just help keep honest people honest. A thief is a thief and unfortunately they are sneaky. Our old 1983 has the Bargman type lock with the pins and a Schlage above it. I agree about path of least resistance. Forcing that door would be way more work and noise than taking out a window.

Jose

My bounder came with a cheap imitation of a Kwikset Deadbolt lock. I changed it to a schlage when I found they were making the 1.125" drive in bolts. The bolt is longer than old POSSE deadbolts was and I had to drill the steel frame around the door. Thieves may get in with a pry bar but they are going to make a lot of noise and destroy the door entirely. I don't think a screwdriver is going to work. I have to agree with those who say that thieves who want in can break in, I just want to slow them down and hopefully get some really good 1080p videos.

Several RV's at a dealer's storage lot near our Adirondack cottage were burglarized by lowering a small child down through a broken out roof vent so he could unlock the door from the inside.

Wow I got beat up pretty bad with my comments.... I guess I should refrain from offering any of my experiences from over the years... I see this was a statement from me and not my usual quoted experience...

I have not done much around the large motorhomes but have dealt with many of the smaller trailers including the fifth wheel type. I have actually been asked by neighbor campers if I could get into their trailer for them a couple of times over the years. Using the same key solved both of those problems haha... I guess with my working around the campers working out of my big truck toolbox gets me in trouble... "Hey go ask that guy - he has tools...."

I had one incident where my door lock would not work and I was able to send one of the camp ground kids up through the storage door which had a section that opened up directly up to the bedroom area for a dirty clothes drop. They were able to open the lock for me from the inside. I also have another incident on the same trailer later on where I opened the door using a large flat screwdriver after the main lock quit working again... Was very amazed how easy it was to gain entrance.

My OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer which I use the most when camping you can gain entrance by slipping your hand behind the VELCRO around the window flaps where it ties into the mounted door assy after you get setup. You can just simply reach inside and open the door from the inside. I do this alot when carrying in supplies from town. It is quicker than putting down all of the bags and finding the keys in your pocket.

I was trying to help with my comments. Guess it was my time to be in the barrel... That certainly will not happen again about gaining entrance using a large flat blade screwdriver in a statement...

"Sorry about that Chief" as Don Adams would say...

This is the second time this has has happened this week on different subjects. May have to check my meds... May have outlived my welcome...

Roy Ken

dougrainer wrote:

JesLookin wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

RoyB wrote:
Probably just enough to keep the honest thieves out. Havent seen a RV yet I couldn't just stick a large flatblade screwdriver in the door jam and easily pry it open. All the aluminum supports bends rather easy and goes back into its original form...

We lock up everything but anything that is important to use always goes where we go in the truck...

Lots of the same info like this on the various posts you read about Rv Security...

Has nothing to do with going out of the country... If they want to get inside they will get inside real easy...

Roy Ken

I doubt you have 36 years of RV experience. I have yet to see a Motorhome or Towable RV door with the standard lock and deadbolt locked be opened by a pry bar or a screwdriver. What I have seen is destroyed doors from the thieves that ruin the door thinking they can get in like a residential door lock and they then break a window to get in, OR they break the window in the door to get access to the inside latch assbly. The standard locks/deadbolts on RV's, IF ENGAGED, will keep thieves out. Doug

That is how they broke into our old 5er. On both the front & back doors, the standard lock and dead bolts were locked. They simply pried open both doors, ruining both the doors and jams. They did that to our's and the other 12 campers parked at the storage facility.

In 36 years, I have never seen it and in 36 years I have repaired/replaced hundreds of burglarized RV's doors and windows. NOT once has the RV come in with the entry door jerry-rigged because they broke thru the door and then the door would not close properly. They ALWAYS had a window that had to be replaced also, because that is how they finally got in. Doug
Copy and paste this link. THIS type lock is on almost all Towables and older motorhomes. Look at the 2 screw pins and the u shaped slots they go into Those screws essentially keep the door from being pried apart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/331638836682?rmvSB=true

That is not the lock used on most of the towables being sold today.
But that is irrelevant. The point is thieves will find their way in with or without an additional deadbolt.

dougrainer wrote:
The standard locks/deadbolts on RV's, IF ENGAGED, will keep thieves out. Doug

Correction, the standard lock will keep thieves from getting in that DOOR, not necessarily the RV.

A neighbour had his TT fitted with an extra deadbolt. They knocked out a window instead.

As was stated above, locks only stop honest people.

To the OP, what other country are you going to and who advised you'd need additional locks there?

JesLookin wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

RoyB wrote:
Probably just enough to keep the honest thieves out. Havent seen a RV yet I couldn't just stick a large flatblade screwdriver in the door jam and easily pry it open. All the aluminum supports bends rather easy and goes back into its original form...

We lock up everything but anything that is important to use always goes where we go in the truck...

Lots of the same info like this on the various posts you read about Rv Security...

Has nothing to do with going out of the country... If they want to get inside they will get inside real easy...

Roy Ken

I doubt you have 36 years of RV experience. I have yet to see a Motorhome or Towable RV door with the standard lock and deadbolt locked be opened by a pry bar or a screwdriver. What I have seen is destroyed doors from the thieves that ruin the door thinking they can get in like a residential door lock and they then break a window to get in, OR they break the window in the door to get access to the inside latch assbly. The standard locks/deadbolts on RV's, IF ENGAGED, will keep thieves out. Doug

That is how they broke into our old 5er. On both the front & back doors, the standard lock and dead bolts were locked. They simply pried open both doors, ruining both the doors and jams. They did that to our's and the other 12 campers parked at the storage facility.

In 36 years, I have never seen it and in 36 years I have repaired/replaced hundreds of burglarized RV's doors and windows. NOT once has the RV come in with the entry door jerry-rigged because they broke thru the door and then the door would not close properly. They ALWAYS had a window that had to be replaced also, because that is how they finally got in. Doug
Copy and paste this link. THIS type lock is on almost all Towables and older motorhomes. Look at the 2 screw pins and the u shaped slots they go into Those screws essentially keep the door from being pried apart.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/331638836682?rmvSB=true

JesLookin wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

RoyB wrote:
Probably just enough to keep the honest thieves out. Havent seen a RV yet I couldn't just stick a large flatblade screwdriver in the door jam and easily pry it open. All the aluminum supports bends rather easy and goes back into its original form...

We lock up everything but anything that is important to use always goes where we go in the truck...

Lots of the same info like this on the various posts you read about Rv Security...

Has nothing to do with going out of the country... If they want to get inside they will get inside real easy...

Roy Ken

I doubt you have 36 years of RV experience. I have yet to see a Motorhome or Towable RV door with the standard lock and deadbolt locked be opened by a pry bar or a screwdriver. What I have seen is destroyed doors from the thieves that ruin the door thinking they can get in like a residential door lock and they then break a window to get in, OR they break the window in the door to get access to the inside latch assbly. The standard locks/deadbolts on RV's, IF ENGAGED, will keep thieves out. Doug

That is how they broke into our old 5er. On both the front & back doors, the standard lock and dead bolts were locked. They simply pried open both doors, ruining both the doors and jams. They did that to our's and the other 12 campers parked at the storage facility.

That's just it no matter how sturdy/strong the lock is,the door and door frame are just soft aluminum and can be pried open very easily.
The additional deadbolt may keep an honest person out but it won't stop a thief.

dougrainer wrote:

RoyB wrote:
Probably just enough to keep the honest thieves out. Havent seen a RV yet I couldn't just stick a large flatblade screwdriver in the door jam and easily pry it open. All the aluminum supports bends rather easy and goes back into its original form...

We lock up everything but anything that is important to use always goes where we go in the truck...

Lots of the same info like this on the various posts you read about Rv Security...

Has nothing to do with going out of the country... If they want to get inside they will get inside real easy...

Roy Ken

I doubt you have 36 years of RV experience. I have yet to see a Motorhome or Towable RV door with the standard lock and deadbolt locked be opened by a pry bar or a screwdriver. What I have seen is destroyed doors from the thieves that ruin the door thinking they can get in like a residential door lock and they then break a window to get in, OR they break the window in the door to get access to the inside latch assbly. The standard locks/deadbolts on RV's, IF ENGAGED, will keep thieves out. Doug

That is how they broke into our old 5er. On both the front & back doors, the standard lock and dead bolts were locked. They simply pried open both doors, ruining both the doors and jams. They did that to our's and the other 12 campers parked at the storage facility.

I added a Home Depot dead bolt to my Bounder. Most residential dead bolt locks have provisions for various door thickness.

Richard