I had my pickup in for some service and the mechanic along with another customer pointed out to me that I needed to protect my new 5th wheel hitch from being stolen. I had not considered this threat before now, but with the number of drug addicts and low lifes around, I guess I should take some precaution.
If you have yours locked down, how did you do it? Mine has these four pins that keep the hitch attacked to the bottom rails.I don't see any way of chaining it down.
It's a Curt 20,000lb model.
2005 Montana Big Sky 3670RL DWIGHT AND BETSY LILLY In loving memory SIX FERRETS--FUZZY, SILLY, PUMPKY, BABY, RANDY & RUDY (deceased)
Boo Boo, Yogi, and Sadie our two poms and Papillion rebels
leave a really big and nasty dog tied up in the back of your truck with a sign around his neck that say's "go ahead and try"
Relaxin, hikin, canoin, enjoyin life headin down the road with a 29' reflection, canoe, camera, & hammock. 2022 GMC extended cab 6.6 litre gasser. Rug rats grown and gone, just me and my beautiful little lady.
To prevent theft I use cable ties. The pins that came with the hitch have a hole and a cutter pin that goes through the hole. I put a cable tie around the cutter pin ends and pull it tight and then cut off the excess cable tie.
I lock the head to the base with two padlocks on my B&W and one on the handle. I do this more for the jerk that could pull your handle while at a rest stop than theft.
The entire truck is more vulnerable and desirable than the hitch. A thief will steal the entire truck and not fool around with the hitch! If your worried put an alarm on the truck and forget about it. There is little to no black market for hitches. They are not worth much, are too hard to handle and there is very little demand/market for a stolen hitch. It's not like everyone can use it.
I use these hitch lock plates that are sold on Amazon by Hitchworkz. They are easy to use and can be used with your existing hitchpins. $19.95 is not a bad price to keep someone from stealing my thousand dollar fifth wheel hitch.
You should be more concerned about someone stealing your fifth wheel trailer than the hitch. My 36th foot Everest 5th wheel was stolen from my storage lot. You can check out my story here. I've nere heard of anyone having a hitch taken out of their truck. But then I'd never heard of a large 5th wheel being stolen either. If scum bags want something, they will go to any lenght to get it.
After reading one reply, I thought it made the most sense. I'm calling the insurance agent and making sure that a replacement hitch is included in the event of theft. It would be an inconvenience to find the hitch missing, but it only took two days for the original to be delivered.
2005 Montana Big Sky 3670RL DWIGHT AND BETSY LILLY In loving memory SIX FERRETS--FUZZY, SILLY, PUMPKY, BABY, RANDY & RUDY (deceased)
Boo Boo, Yogi, and Sadie our two poms and Papillion rebels
Curly2001 wrote: Why risk theft when a couple of locks will at least slow em down. It will also keep the kids from pulling the pins and then NOT being able to tow home unless you keep spares...which I doubt you do. Curly
I have said the same thing in past threads ang the oh you are paranoid!
My main concern is someone pulling the handle pin. I always have locked that.
3 dog nights wrote: If they want it they will take it. That being said it's going to take more than 1 or two of them. Unbolt mine from the rails and you've got 300# of dead weight.
I took mine out of and put back in today,, with 1 rail off it stilled weighed around 250lbs, with both rails on prob 300+ let see them remove, if they want it that bad they are going to have to work for it. I also have the pins padlocked and thru bolted
Had the back of my truck ransacked while parked at a dealership overnight were they took thousands of $$ worth of new car wheels.
They rummaged through a container box that had spare sewer hose and connectors..they took nothing.They rummaged through the bed of the truck that contained other camping stuff ..they took nothing.They did not bother the hitch.
If they want it they will take it. That being said it's going to take more than 1 or two of them. Unbolt mine from the rails and you've got 300# of dead weight.
Bob & Lynn 2 Chihuahua's, Ella, Gracie
was-2013 Open Range 424RLS,06' Chevy 3500, dually, Duramax/Allison
also was - 2015 Winnebago Adventurer 37F, towing 2003 Jeep Wrangler
now - 2021 NoBo 19.5, 2019 Honda Ridgeline RTL (Talk about downsizing!)
