Coupler Lock by reese

[tekman741]

Hello all,
My trailer is parked at my in-laws and they are having health issues and no one is there during the day. I go over once a week and do a walk around the trailer. It's covered, has two locks on it a oversized shackle by master lock thru the coupler with safty chains, and a ball coupler lock by reese. Yesterday I see the reese lock dangling, someone got it unlocked and reversed the shackle. I'm guessing a true thief would have a universal key but no bolt cutters?. Their key did not work on the master lock? There was some scrapping on the outside where the key gets inserts but it could have been me with my key. Anyone have suggestion or experience with the reese lock. Could someone have pride it off with out bending anything? I'm in process of buying a cabin so The TT may get sold soon therefore I'm not buying another lock if you asking.

[popeyemth]

JBinOR wrote:
Out of curiosity, could a guy hook up his emergency brake line to a stake in the ground. Obviously not a deterrent, but they would not make it very far at all.

Great idea!
Also maybe hooked to a wheel so if it turned it pulls the pin.
A reversing pully would have to be mounted as the pins pull forward toward the hitch.
Downside is they would abandon the TT after the tires started smoking and skreeching and you would recover the unit with flat spots on the tires and melted magnets in the brakes.

[JBinOR]

Out of curiosity, could a guy hook up his emergency brake line to a stake in the ground. Obviously not a deterrent, but they would not make it very far at all.

[mlts22]

From what I've seen, hitch locks don't help much. Some thieves have methods to get around it (smaller hitch ball, just use the safety chains, etc.) That is why I use stout wheel locks.

On a different thread, I asked a similar question because I'm looking at buying an enclosed cargo trailer for additional storage when dry camping, and it would be stored in the city proper (thus issues about break-ins). The parking enforcement boots mentioned above are pretty sturdy, although anything will open to a cordless angle grinder.

My take is that I have insurance on the trailer. However, I'm going to make a thief fight for it so there is one less meth lab in central Texas. Brinks "J" locks were pointed out (as I mentioned earlier), with the included crappy disk lock tossed and a genuine Abus one put on. If I am concerned that isn't enough, I'll spend the 300 bones and go with the Sold Secure Gold "winter wheels". Any thief who manages to steal a trailer after getting those off is desperate enough that nothing will stop them anyway.

[Handbasket]

I'm lucky enough to have never had a reason to research locks. How easy is it to defeat a 'boot'-type lock like the police/ meter maids use for illegally parked cars? Not suggesting the OP buy one, just curious.

Jim, "Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes!"

[tekman741]

popeyemth wrote:
IMHO if someone unlocked the ball coupler they weren't a petty thief trying to steal a battery or LP tank they were seriously preparing to tow the unit.
Best free defense is to alert the neighbors as the OP did.
Good Luck, Mike

My thought exactly,, Neighbor called me last night while wife and her father where at the hopital visiting her mom. A truck pulled in to the drive and he shined a light and yelled the cops have been called. He went into the house, and the truck left. He also was going down this morning to make a report out. No idea if they got someone but good stuff. Should hear more later today.

[popeyemth]

IMHO if someone unlocked the ball coupler they weren't a petty thief trying to steal a battery or LP tank they were seriously preparing to tow the unit.
Best free defense is to alert the neighbors as the OP did.
Good Luck, Mike

[tekman741]

beemerphile1 wrote:

tekman741 wrote:

...ball coupler lock by reese. Yesterday I see the reese lock dangling, someone got it unlocked and reversed the shackle....

Would that be the same lock that the YouTube videos show being opened in less than 10 seconds?

never saw this video. Don't have that much time to watch videos just look at rv.net

[mpfireman]

Locks are good for those quick grab items or whatever, but if they REALLY want your trailer, they will find a way to get it. Propane tanks are an easy grab item, and your outside storage locks are a joke, as most RV keys will open them. Do not leave any item in your unit that is valuable.

[B_O__Plenty]

Any lock will work just so you can tell the insurance people you had a lock on it. Key word is INSURANCE....

B.O.

[Campfire_Time]

The old saying is that "locks are for keeping honest people, honest".

That said thieves by nature do not want to work hard. All you can really do is to make things as difficult as possible forcing potential thieves to move on to an easier target.

From your description, my guess is that the two locks you have made them take too long and they were scared off. That's good. The bad part is that now that they know what's there, they might be more prepared and come back.

[mlts22]

Reese has a wide array of coupler locks. Some appear to me fairly easy to be picked. Others use a key similar to the Abloy/Abus type (which are impossible to pick without a specially designed tool), and still others use a round Ace lock. I think Reese even has a hitch pin where one supplies their own padlock.

[beemerphile1]

tekman741 wrote:

...ball coupler lock by reese. Yesterday I see the reese lock dangling, someone got it unlocked and reversed the shackle....

Would that be the same lock that the YouTube videos show being opened in less than 10 seconds?

[tekman741]

Here is the deal for those assuming anything. My security is not left to a lock the trailer is in an area with the inlaws and 2 other neighbors plus others. It's just normal neighborhood with houses only 50feet to 100feet apart. It's parked in a divit so the hitch is low. It would take some time but you would have to retract the rear stabilizer then the front, crank up on the front jack. put blocks under the front stabilizer lower the front jack put blocks under it. Retract front stabilizer and now you can get the tow vehicle in place. The stabilizer cannot lift my unit, it has to be done in that order and they have to have a lot of 6x6 or 4x4's. plus with the RV cover on it very unlikely to get noticed by local police or neighbors. i did think the locks where undefeatable but I'm glad I did not put my eggs in only that basket. I think the would be thieves saw it was too much time/work and left but now the local pd and neighbors have all been notified.

[popeyemth]

IMHO it sounds like if the OP does not upgrade security in SOME fashion they are not going to have to worry about selling the unit when they buy a cabin.
Good Luck, Mike