Secure your hitch

[RollandB]

I received a sad call from a client yesterday who had his older Pullright Superglide stolen from his truck while parked in his driveway. It something I've thought about doing for sometime with mine but before I back out of the garage today I will have an extra bike cable and padlock securing it. At least some idiot meth head will really have to work to get mind!

[Cummins12V98]

KeithAS wrote:

austinjenna wrote:
I just drilled larger holes in the pins and put padlocks on them, easy and cheap.

Any problem with rusting after drilling through the chrome or nickel coating?

I drilled out my pins on my 2005 Companion and moved them to my 2015 B&W RVK3600. After 10 years they are fine.

They are Zinc or Galvanized steel.

[cdlaine]

or you could keep the bed covered when not hooked up ? out of sight ,
out of mind.

Charles

[austinjenna]

austinjenna wrote:

I just drilled larger holes in the pins and put padlocks on them, easy and cheap.


Any problem with rusting after drilling through the chrome or nickel coating?

Nope. Actually I think the pins might be aluminum..either way its been like this for 12yrs or so on mine without any problems.

[b_pilot]

I never thought of anyone stealing a fifth wheel hitch, although I had my fifth wheel trailer stolen off of a storage lot. I have a Pullrite Super Fifth with the removable head. That would be easy to steal and they cost about 400 dollars to replace. I have a GPS locator in my fifth wheel and a heavy duty kingpin lock so I guess I had better find some locks for the hitch. There is always someone who thinks that they need your stuff more than you do!

[Gray_Fox]

Yes I also lock the hitch to the rails and also lock the head to the hitch. When we have the trailer hocked to the truck I also lock the handle so you can't pull it out to unlock the pin of the trailer. so far I've been lucky i guess..

[KeithAS]

austinjenna wrote:
I just drilled larger holes in the pins and put padlocks on them, easy and cheap.

Any problem with rusting after drilling through the chrome or nickel coating?

[ramgunner]

fj12ryder wrote:


I can't believe that some guy is walking down the street and sees a hitch unlocked and says to himself: "I think I'll unbolt that 200-300 lb. thing from that truck bed with the tools I just happen to have handy, and tote it down to the local pawn shop."

Meth is a heck of a drug. It causes people to make very irrational choices, that to them seem perfectly normal. He may have thought exactly that.

[austinjenna]

I just drilled larger holes in the pins and put padlocks on them, easy and cheap.

[mmanske]

waltbennett wrote:
Tabs (instead of the standard clips) that allow padlocks to lock down a hitch are available on Amazon for under $20 http://smile.amazon.com/Hitch-Plates-Fifth-Trailer-Hitches/dp/B00CFRERXM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1455390964&sr=8-3&keywords=5th+wheel+hitch+locks Maybe you could find them cheaper, and you'll still need to buy a set of padlocks, but these work.

x2

[bpadamson]

We have the BW slider, so it would take 3 or 4 drunks to drag it out at a campsite. And it is torqued to the goose neck at 80 lbs so they need a good wrench besides bolt cutters.

[Learjet]

here is how I secure my Patriot 18K

[laknox]

richfaa wrote:
I don't think there is a ready market for 5th wheel hitches I have never seen one in a pawn shop.IMO the people were looking for a hitch for their truck t o pull their 5th wheel ot had a "client" who they knew would pay for one. My guess is a theft by a fellow Rv'er.

Craigslist is where it ended up, for sure...

Lyle

[fj12ryder]

Old Duck wrote:
I'm a believer someone wants to steal your stuff they will, but with locks to secure it, many will walk go to the next one to steal theirs

This is true in lots of cases, but how many hitches do you think are stolen by thieves on the spur of the moment? I firmly believe that thieves that steal 5th wheel hitches, plan to do so and equip themselves accordingly.

I can't believe that some guy is walking down the street and sees a hitch unlocked and says to himself: "I think I'll unbolt that 200-300 lb. thing from that truck bed with the tools I just happen to have handy, and tote it down to the local pawn shop."

OTOH I do lock my toyhauler basement storage doors while traveling to discourage causal thieves who operate on spur of the moment, easy to carry, thefts of opportunity.

[laknox]

Since I have the Turnover Ball base for my Companion, they'd also need wrenches and a deep socket to get the base, if they want it somewhat fast, so I'm not all that worried about it. If one were to =really= want it fast, they'd need a deep socket and breaker bar to simply twist off the u-bolts. If they tried this on the draw-down bolt, they'd damage the base to the point that it would be useless, IMO. Yes, the head is easy to get and I =should= put at least one lock on the pins, as does Cummins, but have never gotten around to it.

Lyle