How to Lock a Trailer So It Can’t Be Stolen?
If you own a trailer you will definitely think that it is something precious. You will probably have invested much in it as well. It is indeed stressful if you are in the wild and come back from an exciting hike to see that your trailer has gone. To prevent this, you need to know how to lock a trailer so it can’t be stolen.
So, How to lock a trailer?
An efficient way to keep your trailer safe from theft is to allow it to be hitched to your vehicle. The vehicle will need to be stolen or moved so as to steal the trailer.
Another way is to use a hitch coupler lock. When you lock the coupler, this will make sure that no one will be able to hook up and take the trailer with them.
Avoid leaving the trailer outside in the open. Make sure that it is in some secure as well as the locked location at the time that you are not using it, like in a garage. Its doors should be locked. The trailer must not be in sight of everyone.
A detailed guide for securing the trailer
The following gives you some trailer anti-theft devices that you can get to lock your trailer. The products will aid you in keeping the trailer secure from any theft. They can also help keep the items within the trailer secure.
Sturdy hitch coupler lock
One way to stop someone stealing the trailer is to stop them from actually hitching up to this in the beginning. It does not matter if you are enjoying some camping trip, or the trailer has simply been parked in storage, you need to keep this locked up at all times. This will not let anyone have access to carelessly moving the trailer without you knowing about it.
You can get different design hitch coupler locks. The best ones will be able to keep the coupler safe from getting a ball inserted and also rounding the front, therefore cutting this off turns out to be rather difficult.
It is possible to find a coupler lock that will attach to the coupler similar to how a trailer hitch ball does. It then locks into place. If a thief tries to do something with this, it will make some noise as they would need to grind it or aim to remove this specifically from a hitch. They will probably end up getting caught doing this.
A hitch pin lock
A hitch pin lock is able to be employed with a hitch coupler lock. This will allow the coupler to remain locked therefore making it tough to fit the ball in so it will not be able to get connected.
You can keep this lock whenever you tow as well so that no kid can flip your coupler up. It is a good idea to get a pin within the hitch coupler making it not wiggle loose.
Effective X-Chock locks
At the time that you are parked, you can install X-Chocks so that the trailer can remain stable at the time you are walking around. When it comes to the design of this lock, it puts pressure against your tires when you possess a dual axle that stops them from moving.
You can add a cable lock so as to lock the X-Chock to your wheels. This is another way that the trailer will not move. If a thief comes they will need to cut the wire lock then remove the X-Chocks so as to move the trailer. Therefore, it can be seen as another feature of security to stop the trailer from getting towed away.
The wheel chock lock
This is another device that can be included in the travel trailer, RV, etc. It can be added to anything that is on wheels so that it does not get stolen.
It goes around the tire plus wheel then locks it in place. It is effective because the unit will not be able to be towed. The device is also tough to tamper with moreover remove without harming the tire or something else.
Wheel clamps
These are strong deterrents. You can find different wheel clamps in the market today. They are available in different sizes. This is a rather cost-effective way to increase the security of the trailer.
You can consider getting a wheel clamp along with a trailer hitch lock. An advantage of a wheel clamp tends to be that it is not only simply fairly heavy-duty plus tough to remove, but these even behave like a strong visual deterrent. A thief may not feel tempted to want to steal the trailer unless they have some tough tools with them.
Get yourself a GPS tracking system
The GPS tracking system technology has been present for some time now for vehicles. It is not necessarily some anti-theft device, but when a trailer gets stolen, it is possible to let the police know which direction it could be in.
The device is able to be hidden within the trailer or beneath the undercarriage. You can track its movement always with the help of this.
Tips to keep the interior of the travel trailer secure
The above has looked at the external items that can help you keep the actual trailer from getting stolen.
The following looks at ways to protect what is within the trailer from getting tampered with and even stolen.
Replace your hatch locks
It is important to know that many locks upon travel trailers tend to be keyed alike. It may turn out that the hatch lock keys you have are like your neighbors, both coming from the same brand, or also a different one. The locks are often really weak and may be picked in a simple way.
This is why you need to replace the hatch locks and get aftermarket locks which your neighbor should not have some key to. You can replace these locks with combination locks which let one set their own combination. You can get a different lock that includes some different types of keys to increase security.
It is easy to replace a hitch lock. It is not a good idea to leave the particular factory locks on.
Look for an electronic door lock
A door lock on a travel trailer may experience the same problems as the hatch locks. Someone who has the same kind of trailer can have a key. This is why you should consider replacing the door lock also at the time that you are securing the RV.
If you get an upgraded electronic lock having a passcode, this can be good. This is true especially if you went on a hike and end up misplacing the keys.
An interior safe
You can install an interior safe that can protect your valuables when you are traveling in your recreational vehicle. This can store your laptop, passport, cash, etc.
You can find one which will allow you to even fit cameras and other devices when you go out.
Ways to lock travel trailer accessories
Batteries
You will definitely know that the batteries you get for the travel trailer will be costly. These need to be kept away from thieves.
You may have lithium or maybe lead-acid batteries on the trailer. These both are costly to replace. You should get something to keep these safe.
Generator
Trailers require a portable inverter generator so that one can never be left without any power. Locking of this is important as well.
The generator tends to be something that is often stolen. This is why you need to lock it. This can be done up to the ladder, frame, hitch, even stairs. You can lock it to anything which it can be fastened to.
Due to the fact that these units are just becoming smaller as well as more lightweight, they tend to be easy targets.
It is expensive to get a generator this is why you have to keep it safe. You can use some cable bike lock and a lock so as to fasten the generator’s handle to the rear bumper.
No doubt it is still possible to get this stolen using minimal tools, however, you will be showing people that you are trying to keep your items safe. It makes it slightly tougher for it to get stolen when you put a lock on it.
Surge protector
You will want to keep the surge protector safe also. This is a really small item which is easy to get stolen. This is why you should lock it up. If you have a surge protector that has an eye loop, this can be locked using a simple cable lock.
Also, lock any propane tanks that you may have. These are costly. If they are full of propane, they will be more expensive to replace.
From the above, you will have gotten an answer to how to lock a trailer so it can’t be stolen. If you are parking it anywhere in the open, make sure that it is locked carefully. You should buy the right equipment since you will definitely want the trailer’s stuff to be kept safe.
