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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    Default Locking up your trailer

    Ive gone and bought , had built , a Tandem Trailer big enough for moving some cars and a big house move I'm in the process of doing . 2.8 ton , 4 wheel electric braked.

    I pick it up on Tuesday . I had dreams of building it but not the time or space .

    Now that I'm about to hand over $ Im trying to work out how to keep it secure.

    We had a horse float stolen a few years ago . That was after we , wife and me, had chassis repairs done , floor strengthened , new wheels and tyres and a paint job .
    One cheap lock as pictured here and an even cheaper padlock attached ( silly Me ) and they knocked it off with a hammer and took it . never to be seen again .

    Question . what is the best way to lock up a trailer?

    The anodized version is what the horse float had , with a cheap lock.
    Ive seen these new Yellow ones . I don't trust them either .

    The guy at the trailer place suggested wheel clamps . Any one know of a good one ? is that the way to go .

    would a monster version of the anodized lock pictured be a good idea ?

    Ive heard of battery powered angle grinders , so a good lock has to be able to withstand an attack from one of those I suppose . Or even withstand a Gas attack . Nothings going to stop a gas attack though .

    While I'm still in town I'm going to be locking it behind gates , or keeping it behind cars up the drive .

    Any good ideas please ?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Firstly nothing will stop a determined thief with a battery powered angle grinder provided they get enough time on the job.

    Most locks like the ones you posted pics of will only deter opportunistic thieves and as you say an angle grinder will deal with these and things like chains in pretty short order.

    Gates are only as good as their locks.

    Blocking access using other vehicles is probably one of the better ideas.

    According to a copper mate of mine maximising "the time burglars need on the job" is about the best you can do.
    So if you
    - use a hitch lock
    - keep it behind a locked gate
    - park a vehicle in front of the gate.
    most thieves will quickly work out that this will take some time which will increase their chances of being noticed and move on to easier targets.

    I guess you do your best and get insurance.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Jack it onto an axle stand, remove wheels on one side, store wheels in garage/under house.

  4. #4
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    Dec 2010
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    Mornington Peninsula
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    Quote Originally Posted by Master Splinter View Post
    Jack it onto an axle stand, remove wheels on one side, store wheels in garage/under house.
    This is probably the best approach.

    A good lock like abloy and a thick boron chain can be cut in 'minutes', and are no protection. Don't ask me how I know.

  5. #5
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    Feb 2009
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    moonbi nsw Aus
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    How about a very large dog with a BAD temper?
    Just do it!

    Kind regards Rod

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    Far West Wimmera
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    Default

    One idea to make it harder to cut a lock is to have the lock positioned inside a length of pipe so there is no room to get any cutting tools to it. The pipe will then be the deterent, so make it heavy enough that cutting it off would take too long. The rest of the locking mechanism also needs to be similarily protected. In the case of the first picture I would use a much heavier
    cross bar. Say 12mm x 50mm. The left end would be a welded on cap that is able to sit flush so no room for cutters. Even bend it around the sides of the "U" section with welded on bits. Pipe welded on to the right side of the "U" horizontally. It needs to be big enough to get your hand in to attach the lock and long enough that the lock is fully enclosed plus some.

    Massive construction is the way to go. Lots of thick steel to cut. Goes against the modern idea of make it cheap and quick.

    My protection for my trailer is that it looks daggy and homemade although it is much stronger than the average trailer.

    Dean

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Cairns, Q
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Master Splinter View Post
    Jack it onto an axle stand, remove wheels on one side, store wheels in garage/under house.
    An acquaintance of mine did this a few years ago when he went away on a week's holiday. In addition he chained the trailer to a steel post under the house. When he came home the chain was cut, and trailer complete with very expensive boat were gone. The thief had brought his own wheels.......

    You can't win 'em all!

    Frank.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
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    Toorloo Arm, VIC
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobL View Post
    I guess you do your best and get insurance.
    Exactly this. The cost of insurance on my car carrier is negligible per year, in comparison to the replacement cost. I also believe, from what I was told by Shannons some time ago, that although a trailer is covered under a cars insurance when its being towed behind your (insured) car, there is a fairly low limit to how much its covered for (might have been something like $500). Which means, if you have some sort of accident whilst driving down the highway, and the trailer disappears over a cliff, you're well and truly out of pocket - unless the trailer has its own insurance.

    Locks only keep honest people out. I've cut through a Hayman reese locking hitch pin with an angle grinder in a matter of seconds (didn't get the key for it when I bought the car, and wanted to change back to the factory drop hitch), it was pretty hard steel, but puts up no fight to an angle grinder. For the minute or two the grinder would be running, most neighbours etc wouldn't even bother looking outside to see whats happening - would just think someone was trimming up something in their shed. Take two wheels off one side, they'll just put one of the remaining two on the other side, and drive off. Almost any form of key lock is not particularly secure - look up bump keying.

    You could always try parking it IN a police station, but even that wouldn't discourage some of the junkies... As Bob said, you can only make it difficult for thieves of opportunity, who turn up with nothing but their bare hands, and then insure the trailer. If someone wants it bad enough, they'll get it.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    QLD
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    Avoid Facebook.
    Apparently the villans are monitoring Facebook and seeing the potential 'mugs' and their relatives give a daily commentary of where they are on their holidays/travels and just when they'll be back. And dont think because access is restricted on some Facebook accounts that the villains cant see it.

    Relativly cheap multi camera recording systems are available. I find the camera movement phone alert is handy.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    QLD
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    There's cheap GPS theft trackers available. Aparently as the trackers go past a mobile device with the tracker alert system it is noted.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    Default

    Maybe a new trailer design is a possibility ? After reading all this ( thanks ) its interesting .
    I wonder if a good way to fool the crooks is to have a trailer where the towing coupling can be removed?
    If the towing coupling was bolted to a plate , a larger triangle.
    And that was fitted to a matching triangle that was welded to the trailer with locating pins and the right rated nuts and bolts with locking nuts ? what ever it takes to make it safe .
    The possibility is someone forgets to tighten it up right so it would need a second way of not coming off maybe ?

    Now if you don't have the plate and coupling that fits your trailer , the only way its moving is if one is made to match or they tow it up onto a large enough trailer of their own . Unlikely !
    Built like this its only four bolts and a couple of its own chains and shackles for safety and your coupling is locked away somewhere else .

    I suppose if its valuable enough , like with a boat attached , they may be prepared to just hook it up with a chain and take it 5 kilometers away to work on it ?

  12. #12
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    May 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by YBAF View Post
    There's cheap GPS theft trackers available. Aparently as the trackers go past a mobile device with the tracker alert system it is noted.
    Yeah , I heard a story of a guy who recovered a large earth moving machine with one of these on the news ! Great .
    The thief would have been crapping himself wondering why the police were pulling into his driveway just behind the stolen goods so quickly.

  13. #13
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Removing all the wheels is maybe ok as a longer term storage solution but otherwise it is a PITA for regular use.

    Quote Originally Posted by chambezio View Post
    How about a very large dog with a BAD temper?
    Even a small yapping dog will be nearly as effective.
    Thieves don'y usually like anyone drawing attention to their activities and will generally move on when they encounter yapping dogs.

    Defeating a angle grinder has been discussed on a lot of different forums especially bicycle forums.
    I favour the idea that incorporates a 10kV line running down the middle of the cable but apparently that's not legal

  14. #14
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    I had a friend that used the Treg coupling bolted to his trailer, using a plate to bolt it on and off, that was stolen. They measured it up one night, came back the following day with the coupling drilled to suit, and off it went, believe it or not, his daughter was home and didn't hear a thing.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  15. #15
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    "Even a small yapping dog will be nearly as effective"

    A pair of them would be better... then bolt the kennel too the bloody trailer
    ....................................................................

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