Cinch pins or locks?

[twigster]

I am going to be towing our CRV with a Roadmaster base plate and sterling towbar. Do most of you use the cinch pins or replace them with locks?

[thmitch79]

LOCKS! It's peace of mind when you come out of a rest stop in a busy area to know your toad is secure. Of course you still have to go around and make sure it is 😉

[Popsie]

othertonka wrote:

Popsie wrote:

docj wrote:
When we had a Chevy Malibu as a toad we used an unchipped key for towing and knew that no one could start the car and drive off. So we used hitch pins without locks. With our new CR-V we need to used a chipped key in order to comply with the directions for towing, so now we use locks.

We have an unchipped key (half the price of a chipped key - really the same key, but they don't program the car for it). We use the chipped key to go through the drill to ready the transmission, then turn off engine, put it in park, pull the chipped key, insert the unchipped key and turn it to the towing position - then lock the doors with the chipped key.

I think you might be asking for trouble with the CRV by turning the key off and putting the transmission in Park to change the key. When you put the blank key back in and move the shift lever from PARK to Neutral, you have to go by REVERSE to get back to Neutral. According to the CRV's owner manual you should only go to neutral from DRIVE and never shift from reverse to NEUTRAL. Now weather if it matters when the engine is not running when you do this, I don't know, but myself as a CRV owner, I am not willing to take that chance. Take a look in you owners manual index under "towing behind a MH" and go to that page and read it your self.
Now back to the locks question, I use a set of locks, 3, all keyed alike so you only need one key for all locks, keep one on each key ring. Here is what I use
LOCKS

I asked my dealer about your concern, and since the motor is off when the key is changed out, nothing happens in the transmission. I've been doing this for 3 years, which included about 13 months of RVing with no problem.

[tenbear]

I use locks for the hitch and cinch pins for the tow bar. I always check that the pins are in place after a stop and I carry a couple of spares. Never have found the pins undone or missing. If we are stopping for more than a few minutes I remove the key from the toad.

[Hikerdogs]

We've towed over 100,000 miles and only used locks a couple times. If you tow in dusty conditions or through construction zones the locks have a tendency to get dirt and grime in the key slots and are difficult to remove. Similar situation when driving through rain and snow. With the rain and snow you also have the potential additional problems of the locks freezing up or rusting.

Whenever we stop for a rest or do some shopping we always check the pins in the tow bar to make sure they're all there and no one has removed anything. In 8 years we've never had anyone remove or loosen anything.

[et2]

teddychamp wrote:
DO NOT LOCK. Last year I was towing a 2006 Saturn Vue with the Hitch Locked. The second day of towing I noticed smoke behind me. When I got out to check the problem, I noticed heavy smoke from under the hood of the Saturn, so I ran to get my fire extinguisher from the RV. By the time I got back, flames where coming out by the Grill from the Saturn. Now I had to run back to the RV to get the Key for the Hitch lock that I had with the RV ignition keys. When I got back with the key the heat from the fire was so extreme that I had problems to unlock the Hitch. I finally was able to unlock the hitch with the help from other motorists with fire extinguisher, restart the motorhome and drive to a safe distance. Beside light burns on my forehead and left arm I was able to save the RV and belongings. The Saturn was a total loss. From now on, I will only lock my new tow in unsecured areas when parked for a longer time. Do not lock when towing.!!!:S

Sorry to hear of your loss. But I can't help thinking if you were on a incline what would stop your burning toad from rolling back into traffic or over you? I'd wouldn't have thought about doing that with locks or without. That's what insurance is for. Not worth injury to myself or others.

[dons2346]

I know of a person who had all locks. His toad caught fire and he couldn't get the locks open so the toad and coach burned up.

Pins for me, I just check them before I drive off.

[teddychamp]

DO NOT LOCK. Last year I was towing a 2006 Saturn Vue with the Hitch Locked. The second day of towing I noticed smoke behind me. When I got out to check the problem, I noticed heavy smoke from under the hood of the Saturn, so I ran to get my fire extinguisher from the RV. By the time I got back, flames where coming out by the Grill from the Saturn. Now I had to run back to the RV to get the Key for the Hitch lock that I had with the RV ignition keys. When I got back with the key the heat from the fire was so extreme that I had problems to unlock the Hitch. I finally was able to unlock the hitch with the help from other motorists with fire extinguisher, restart the motorhome and drive to a safe distance. Beside light burns on my forehead and left arm I was able to save the RV and belongings. The Saturn was a total loss. From now on, I will only lock my new tow in unsecured areas when parked for a longer time. Do not lock when towing.!!!:S

[othertonka]

Popsie wrote:

docj wrote:
When we had a Chevy Malibu as a toad we used an unchipped key for towing and knew that no one could start the car and drive off. So we used hitch pins without locks. With our new CR-V we need to used a chipped key in order to comply with the directions for towing, so now we use locks.

We have an unchipped key (half the price of a chipped key - really the same key, but they don't program the car for it). We use the chipped key to go through the drill to ready the transmission, then turn off engine, put it in park, pull the chipped key, insert the unchipped key and turn it to the towing position - then lock the doors with the chipped key.

I think you might be asking for trouble with the CRV by turning the key off and putting the transmission in Park to change the key. When you put the blank key back in and move the shift lever from PARK to Neutral, you have to go by REVERSE to get back to Neutral. According to the CRV's owner manual you should only go to neutral from DRIVE and never shift from reverse to NEUTRAL. Now weather if it matters when the engine is not running when you do this, I don't know, but myself as a CRV owner, I am not willing to take that chance. Take a look in you owners manual index under "towing behind a MH" and go to that page and read it your self.
Now back to the locks question, I use a set of locks, 3, all keyed alike so you only need one key for all locks, keep one on each key ring. Here is what I use
LOCKS

[docj]

deleted

[Popsie]

docj wrote:
When we had a Chevy Malibu as a toad we used an unchipped key for towing and knew that no one could start the car and drive off. So we used hitch pins without locks. With our new CR-V we need to used a chipped key in order to comply with the directions for towing, so now we use locks.

We have an unchipped key (half the price of a chipped key - really the same key, but they don't program the car for it). We use the chipped key to go through the drill to ready the transmission, then turn off engine, put it in park, pull the chipped key, insert the unchipped key and turn it to the towing position - then lock the doors with the chipped key.

[docj]

When we had a Chevy Malibu as a toad we used an unchipped key for towing and knew that no one could start the car and drive off. So we used hitch pins without locks. With our new CR-V we need to used a chipped key in order to comply with the directions for towing, so now we use locks.

[rockhillmanor]

pompomgirl wrote:
We once came out of a restaurant and found that someone had pulled the pin out of our trailer hitch, which would have caused us to lose DH's 1912 Model T. Since then we have kept all hitches locked. We just got a Roadmaster and immediately agreed we would use locks on it.

X2.

I use the Locks on my Toad. AND always locks on the tow bar hitch.

Just like you would lock any type of trailer you were towing. The thieves and vandals are out there, don't want to hand them my Toad on a silver platter! :B

Not to mention I've read a couple of posts of the years where pins have come out.

[pompomgirl]

We once came out of a restaurant and found that someone had pulled the pin out of our trailer hitch, which would have caused us to lose DH's 1912 Model T. Since then we have kept all hitches locked. We just got a Roadmaster and immediately agreed we would use locks on it.

[bocanut50]

I prefer pins over locks. I want to be able to disconnect Toad in a hurry, If I have to. I considered them, but changed my mind.

YMHO,YMMV