5th wheel hitch security

[TravelinDog]

I'm a new 5th wheel owner and I'm wondering if I should worry about having the 5th wheel hitch stolen out of the truck if I leave it mounted on the rails.
It's just so darn heavy I can only remove it with help from my son. Otherwise I have to leave it mounted in the truck.

[valhalla360]

humblerb wrote:
Just to derail a bit.
Have you ever taken your tailgate off?
Took a truck in to have the tailgate repainted after it got keyed.
The body shop guy reached under the bumper and unplugged the wires (a thief wouldn't bother with that step) then he opened the gate and lifted up. Came right off.
Less than 30 seconds, including unplugging.
If you will look at it, there is a round slot that the gate slips in. Whenever I get a new truck, first thing I do is get a hose clamp and install around the round piece.
Won't stop a thief, but the time required to go get a screwdriver and take the clamp off is enough to make him leave mine alone and go on to the next one.

Of course, there is a lot bigger market for tailgates.

Pretty much every truck has one and it's pretty common to damage them. As mentioned, it's really easy to take the tailgate off.

The vast majority of trucks don't have a 5th wheel hitch. It's also much more of a project to remove a 200lb hitch from the middle of the bed.

[humblerb]

Esacnj wrote:
A little off the subject but I don't lift the hitch. My truck is too big to fit in my garage however the garage door is large enough for me to back the bed into. I purchased an electric winch from harbor freight and installed two eye bolts into my garage door header and hang the winch from them. I back the truck bed under and raise the hitch high enough to pull the truck out and then lower the hitch onto a dolly and wheel it around. Works great.

You just solved a problem I have been studying for quite a while.
Can't get my truck in my shop. Never thought about mounting the winch from hooks at the header.
That will work perfectly for me.

[humblerb]

Thermoguy wrote:
People will take anything... Friend had the tailgate of their Ram stolen while at a hotel in OKC. So, you never know. I don't have mine locked in any way, but you need the right tools to steel it. I do have a locking bed cover which I close when not towing.

Just to derail a bit.
Have you ever taken your tailgate off?
Took a truck in to have the tailgate repainted after it got keyed.
The body shop guy reached under the bumper and unplugged the wires (a thief wouldn't bother with that step) then he opened the gate and lifted up. Came right off.
Less than 30 seconds, including unplugging.
If you will look at it, there is a round slot that the gate slips in. Whenever I get a new truck, first thing I do is get a hose clamp and install around the round piece.
Won't stop a thief, but the time required to go get a screwdriver and take the clamp off is enough to make him leave mine alone and go on to the next one.

[jjj]

I have the rail locks, they are a pain when removing hitch but that's ok for a little more security,also have head unit locked to the base.

[laknox]

ford truck guy wrote:
moral of the story - Don't mess with a mans fresh water lever. ! ! :B

Could also have been that we camped about 25 miles from the nearest fresh water and the idiots might have had to make 2 or 3 trips with my "blue cubes" to bring me more, then manually fill the tank via the gravity fill, might have had something to do with it, too. 🙂 7 gallons of water isn't all that light, even for people in good shape!

Lyle

[ford_truck_guy]

moral of the story - Don't mess with a mans fresh water lever. ! ! :B

[Cummins12V98]

DANG!!!

[laknox]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

laknox wrote:
I've been more worried about someone messing with the latching handle than stealing my hitch. Hell, I'm more worried about someone stealing the catalytic from my T&C van in my driveway.

Lyle

I agree, the latching handle is a BIGGIE that can cause real damage.

Frankly, I worried more about some of my prankster in-laws who might have pulled the fresh water drain on my old Komfort, while we were boondocking. 😕 It was easily in sight, marked and on a 1.25" pipe, so it drained =fast=! Could be that I always carried my 9 in my fanny pack that stopped them. Could be that they might have woken up to 5 flat tires, too. 🙂

Lyle

[Cummins12V98]

laknox wrote:
I've been more worried about someone messing with the latching handle than stealing my hitch. Hell, I'm more worried about someone stealing the catalytic from my T&C van in my driveway.

Lyle

I agree, the latching handle is a BIGGIE that can cause real damage.

[laknox]

I've been more worried about someone messing with the latching handle than stealing my hitch. Hell, I'm more worried about someone stealing the catalytic from my T&C van in my driveway.

Lyle

[larry_barnhart]

I never worried about our airhitch getting stolen but did have it locked so any dumbass that wanted to mess us up couldn't. chevman

[TravelinDog]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

TravelinDog wrote:

mooky stinks wrote:
5th wheel rail lock

Thanks, that will work just fine.
I don't mind spending $50 to keep my $2000+ hitch safe. 🙂

What hitch are you running that's 2k and rides on rails?

It's PullRite Superglide 20k.
Parts were just over $2300 but Campingworld wanted over $1600 labor for installation so I did it myself with help from my son.
I must say it was not an easy job.

[opnspaces]

MFL wrote:
I've been on this forum for a while, and can't remember anyone saying the hitch was stolen from their truck.

I would second that I can't remember ever reading about anybody on this forum having their 5th wheel hitch stolen.

[Cummins12V98]

TravelinDog wrote:

mooky stinks wrote:
5th wheel rail lock

Thanks, that will work just fine.
I don't mind spending $50 to keep my $2000+ hitch safe. 🙂

What hitch are you running that's 2k and rides on rails?