Another junk hitch lock

[GordonThree]

Ridiculous how weak the lock on this Master brand hitch lock is. Looks like a decent design if it had a better lock.

Clicky

Master two-fer

Clicky

[Jarlaxle]

B.O. Plenty wrote:
Any lock can be easily cut off in a few seconds with a cordless grinder and a cut off wheel. I buy cheap locks to deter the opportunists knowing if someone really wants it...it's gone anyway.

B.O.

Naah. My hitch pin is tool steel (same as a semi trailer kingpin) that even a carbide wheel will barely scratch.

[Tvov]

I use a hitch pin lock to give me some assurance that it won't work its' way out on long trips.

[trailerbikecamp]

To prevent theft of my fiver, I place it farther back in the campground, makes others easier and more inviting.

As for the boat, a pickup is too wide and doesn't have the agility to get it around the corner of my garage, it takes something much smaller and more agile, with a tighter turning radius. The only other way is to take down the fence and drive it through my neighbor's field. His protection is provided by his livestock, and Browning.

[keymastr]

those 2 foot drawbars intended to allow you to lower your tailgate with the trailer attached are the thieves best friend. They just use chain wrapped around the trailer tongue and off they go. Takes far less time than it takes you to properly hook up. 30 seconds is all it takes and it doesn't matter what hitch lock you have.

[mx727]

Years ago I used a hitch lock on a utility trailer. Then I found that it seized over the winter. I realized, the only person prevented access was me....

[B_O__Plenty]

Any lock can be easily cut off in a few seconds with a cordless grinder and a cut off wheel. I buy cheap locks to deter the opportunists knowing if someone really wants it...it's gone anyway.

B.O.

[Dutch_12078]

Some years back I used to help out a friend in the repo business from time to time. We picked up a number of TT's, 5'vers, and boats on trailers that had various hitch locks on them. We just snatched the trailers with a chain through the tongue or around the tongue jack to hook the boom cable on to, and 5'vers with a custom adapter on the stinger that clamped around the pin, lock and all. Even wheels chained to the frame didn't slow us down much. We just slapped a set of dolly wheels underneath and rolled out with it. Once back at the shop, the resident lock picker could take her time opening the locks.

[irishtom29]

In Chicago I had friends who were burglars, car thieves and chop shop operators. These guys could break into anything. None displayed an interest in stealing RVs.

[seaeagle2]

In the boating world, Kicker motors are a very high theft item, approximately 40% of 15 hp outboard motor sales are to replace stolen ones. There are many different types of locks. One type I tried had the following tidbit in the instructions, "the only way to prevent your outboard from being stolen is to sleep with it."

[BC_Explorer]

dodge guy wrote:
"Another junk hitch lock" I didn't realize this was a major problem?

Hitch locks are only designed to slow a thief down. If they want it, they'll get it.

Yes, any lock is there to slow a thief down.

However the point of these videos on lock picking glaringly demonstrate that manufacturers such as MasterLock and Reese are not selling security, instead they are peddling snake oil and people need to be aware as how too easy these locks can be picked.

As I mentioned in the other thread I linked to, I was able to watch a couple of videos then pick a few locks with very little practice. If I can pick a Masterlock in less then a minute, so could the average thief. And it is much quieter and discreet then the grinder method.

[dodge_guy]

"Another junk hitch lock" I didn't realize this was a major problem?

Hitch locks are only designed to slow a thief down. If they want it, they'll get it.

[BC_Explorer]

I'm a big fan of Bosnianbill and also the LockPickingLawyer on Youtube.

Bill also recently did a video on the Reese Hitch Lock which is another junk lock.

A Locksmith (Wayne Winton) has a channel on Youtube. His videos demonstrate brute force attacks on security chains and locks.

Some recent discussion on locks and security here.

[downtheroad]

Realizing that it is probably a waste of time....this is what I put on ours (if I even remember to do so).

[DutchmenSport]

Any lock that uses a normal traditional key can be picked just as easy as those videos describe. That's basic lock picking 101 there. That's why some locks are now created with different types of keys, some round, some flat with etching lines, all kinds of methods for attempting to make a lock more secure.

The bottom line is, every lock has it's vulnerability. Even the most advanced, electronic, computerized, sophisticated bank safe in the world has it's vulnerability. You've just got to know where it is and how to do it to by-pass the honest way of opening it!

What we are counting on is, the average person who might be tempted to simply walk by and do a "snatch and grab" won't do that, because it take a second longer to take something. That second gives the "honest" person an opportunity to rethink his actions and stay "honest." A true thief will get anything!

But, if the OP can design and build a better one, that's truly thief proof, I'd buy it in a heart beat!