mickeyw Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I learned yesterday of a mate having spent a lot of £ on a nice shiney trailer of a popular Welsh manufacturer. I asked what he is doing for security and was met with a 'well I'm not sure yet' type of response I expressed my concern at this and suggested he invest in some security devices as a matter of urgency. The following discussion led me to suggest he at least have a hitch lock, and a wheel clamp; and perhaps even secure it to a building with a quality piece of chain and decent lock. The trailer will not be used that often, and will be kept with goods stored on it. The goods are of relatively minor value. Obviously the best security is for a few a people as possible to know where you are and for items to be kept out of sight, but still secured. Does what I have suggested sound like a reasonable attempt to secure it/overkill/not enough? @Simonr - is there an application for X-nuts to secure the hitch to the trailer? Not sure of the size here. M10 or M12? Your opinions please. LR Content - trailer is towed by a Defender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Definately not overkill! more the better. I was nattering to someone on a caravan site, they were saying they have a cable rather than a chain as its much harder to get something like bolt croppers to cut it? not sure how true this is. IIRC our Al-Ko hitch is held on with a couple of M12s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgnas Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I have a twin axle (but below 750kg) trailer that is ~£1000 new. Having owned a few caravans over the years I have accumulated quite a few bits of security equipment. Even when it is in a locked garage out of sight it has 2 wheel clamps (fitted on same side so you cannot rig it to tow on the "other" axle) and a decent hitch lock. When it is on the car it is chained and locked on. If you do not use it frequently then time applying and removing the security is minimal overall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davie Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I would go for at least min of hitch lock, wheel clamp, locking wheel nut on every wheel and huge lump of chain round A frame with big padlock buried deep in ground concreted in with steel spikes driven through even deeper into ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superpants Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 A hitch lock on it's own is very easily defeated (I won't go into how on an open forum for obvious reasons!), but can prove very secure when attached to a tow ball. I'd therefore suggest securely attaching a towball to something solid and then hitching and locking the trailor to that wherever it is going to be stored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 http://www.henrykrank.com/alarm_mine.html One of these going off in a residential area will attract a lot of attention. Cheap, easy to install and conceal and legal. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landrover598 Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Having had my flatbed stolen a couple of weeks ago Id recomend more than a hitch lock, wheel lock, jockey wheel lock and keeping it 1/2 mile away from the public on private land in a very soft muddy corner of the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 A hitch lock on it's own is very easily defeated (I won't go into how on an open forum for obvious reasons!), but can prove very secure when attached to a tow ball. I'd therefore suggest securely attaching a towball to something solid and then hitching and locking the trailor to that wherever it is going to be stored. Make sure that the tow ball on the vehicle, and on the static hitch, is not removable with a couple of spanners too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zim Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 i've had 2 nicked now i have 5 locks on it, 5 rsj's and about 25 bags of cement to make concrete and it's out of site G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksmelly Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Definately not overkill! more the better. I was nattering to someone on a caravan site, they were saying they have a cable rather than a chain as its much harder to get something like bolt croppers to cut it? not sure how true this is. IIRC our Al-Ko hitch is held on with a couple of M12s. A good quality case & through hardened chain is better than any security cable. I have cut through a cable with a pair of garden loppers with great ease. If the garden loppers don't work, you can buy a pair of Chinese 36" cable cutters off ebay for about £40 with postage that will happily cut 20mm high tensile / stainless or braided wire rope. If you want a good chain, I'd go for a Squire branded motorbike chain and lock. "MC4 SS50" or something from Almax or Elite / PJB. Squire MC4 PJB Almax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boothy Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Don't spend money on a hitch lock, spend it sensibly elsewhere on decent wheelclamps etc and some PROPER chains and padlocks, plus a hitch can be unbolted in minutes and sold on...... Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crclifford Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 My parents had a lovely big trailer that got nicked, it had a wheel clamp on it and it was parked up in a field behind the house. My step dad now takes off two wheels and chains it up in a garage out of sight!!!! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymorris Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 On my ifor williams (16' flat with drop sides)the A frame is bolted to the trailer , so if you fit something like Simon's nuts to the hitch put some on the A frame as well Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reb78 Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I removed a wheel from my boat trailer - i figured it was so difficult for me to find a good 10" mini rim that theives arent going to just have one handy (perhaps thats where they all are!). Not really practical if the trailer is in regular use though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I believe you can also get 50mm towballs in 45mm, 55mm etc - might be enough to distract, confuse or delay them enough to put them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superpants Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I believe you can also get 50mm towballs in 45mm, 55mm etc - might be enough to distract, confuse or delay them enough to put them off. They are available, but this is as easy to get around as hitchlocks- it won't delay those out to nick a trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cackshifter Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Make sure you clamp on a rear wheel if it's a 4 wheeled trailer - they love to just hitch on the back of a wagon to an undersize ball, and the front wheels are lifted off the ground. The Milenco wheel clamps look very good (some concrete filled to defeat grinders).We had a hitchlock (Bulldog) attacked recently on a horse trailer. They bent it but it hung on in there and the trailer stayed. They hadn't started on the wheel clamp. I plan also to fit a non-standard electrics socket ( 7 pin ones dangling in the wet are asking for electric problems) and take an adapter cable.Again if being nicked at night and there are no electrics working on the trailer, more chance of being pulled. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgnas Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 A hitch lock on it's own is very easily defeated (I won't go into how on an open forum for obvious reasons!), but can prove very secure when attached to a tow ball. I'd therefore suggest securely attaching a towball to something solid and then hitching and locking the trailor to that wherever it is going to be stored. It's not that secret, and I bet a few forum members have the necessary equipment already. Might as well enlighten everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stobbie Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Since my one year old trailer with superwinch and a Land Rover 110 on top was stolen last year, I've fitted a GPS tracker on my new trailer. When I'm moving cars with it I keep it secured to my car with a good quality hitch lock and I've welded the removable tow bar of my D3 to my car. Ofcourse there's no warning sign about the tracker on my trailer, because thieves will then bring a gps or gsm jammer. The battery of the tracker will last for three days and will be charged again when the trailer is connected to a car. Hopefully I can find my trailer back if it ever gets stolen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtyninety Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 My aunt had a brand new ifor williams horse trailer stolen the day it was delieved, it was found about 2 years later at an auction in Ireland. One of our friends actually saw it the night it was being towed off. Transit van towing a brand new trailer with 3 wheels should have rung alarm bells but its not his fault hes simple. I am hopefully, once ive passed my trailer test, going to buy a flat bed trailer. Im going to chain it down to a lump of concrete and weld my number plate into the chassis. Paint my numberplate onto the roof (you'd be suprised how handy this can be) and buy a decent set of wheel clamps. Im also going to put a big (read 1tonne) tree stump infront of it, so it cannot be moved without the use of a digger/tractor. My house used to be targeted quite frequently as we have 2 discoverys, 2 90's a cattle trailer and horse trailer but since ive become older and im gettin back home regularly at 1am you never hear anyone crunching the gravel outside our house anymore. My Dad used to frequently chase people in our old discovery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landkeeper Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 iv'e said it before 20 yards of very strong chain to the axle and hidden underneath fastened to smething very solid buried under the trailer just enough to let them get abit of speed up, then !!!!!! the other i heard of was a dummy light connection with all the wires stripped and wrapped around the chassis , when mr toerag connects up it pops every fuse in the lighting circuits i also heard of one lad who was getting regular attention to his trailer wiring it to a mains electric fencer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callum Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 roads contractors around here just seem to put the jacks down and take the wheels off now when leaving trailers by the road side. seems a good solution, keeps the trailer stable, cant be moved by vandals and a thief will need at least 2 wheels of the correct pcd and suitable bolts/nuts before making off with the trailer. i should imagine they carry a batter rattle gun to do this though, bit of hassle if you were working your way round a twin axle trailer with a wheel brace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted September 3, 2010 Author Share Posted September 3, 2010 Thanks for all the comments gents. We're off to look at wheel clamps in the morning. I think the wheel removing will be a bit of a hassle on a tri-axle setup, and you need to find somewhere to keep/hide the wheels that is secure. I'll be suggesting a good chain too, not sure whether there's a solid something to fix it to, but we'll have to invetsigate the options. I think that will just be the start of it. Can anyone recommend insurers for this purpose? NFU have refused as it will not be kept on the owner's property Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted September 4, 2010 Author Share Posted September 4, 2010 Thanks for all the comments gents. We're off to look at wheel clamps in the morning. I think the wheel removing will be a bit of a hassle on a tri-axle setup, and you need to find somewhere to keep/hide the wheels that is secure. I'll be suggesting a good chain too, not sure whether there's a solid something to fix it to, but we'll have to invetsigate the options. I think that will just be the start of it. Can anyone recommend insurers for this purpose? NFU have refused as it will not be kept on the owner's property Following a recommendation from IWT agent, will be enquiring with www.datatagtrailer.co.uk for trailer insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.