Luis A.

Hi guys; I've been trailering cars over the years, always with U-Haul trailers. I just bought an Aluma tandem axle open trailer (8214) and I am pondering all the possibilities to make it an unattractive theft target. The most likely scenario would be parking at a hotel on an overnight stop on the way somewhere with a loaded trailer.

I am coming to the conclusion that it may be more secure to simply unhitch the trailer and use a Proven Industries coupler lock such as below.


They appear unbreakable and by all accounts they are as tough as they look. In addition to this lock I would throw a Pewag chain/Viro lock combo around one rim/tire and around the axle. Leave the rear of the tow vehicle parked right up to the coupler lock.

There are several weak links to protect if left hitched with less satisfactory protective devices (and many more) than a single PI lock: The chains, the ball, the hitch/receiver, the coupler itself.

What am I missing? Thoughts?

Frank 993 C4S

- Don't unhitch your trailer
- Park in a well lit area
- Any lock/gadget can be disabled. All they do is slow thieves down
- Get insurance

Matt Romanowski

If I'm worried at all, I also try to back the trailer up to something that would make it hard to get out between the immovable object and truck.

Nickshu

I agree you are probably safest to leave the trailer hitched to the tow vehicle, and back up against something so they could not roll the car off. Get a good receiver lock and a good coupler lock.

After going through several I finally found Pacific Lock company who makes really nice ones that can be keyed together. https://www.paclock.com/ Made in USA.
Not cheap, but more solid than any others I have owned found. AmpLock used to be really good one too, but they got sold to another company and seems they are no longer making a lot of items.

85Gold

Well over 100k towing on open trailer and never had anything stolen and I stayed at some pretty sketchy hotels a few times. Like the above I back it up into a corner/curb and make sure I leave enough room to drive off the next day as I leave early in the morning.

Peter

Luis A.

Thanks for all the replies.

ShakeNBake

I used a GPS cell tracker hidden on the trailer. At every stop i would add a geo fence to alert me when the trailer breached the area - my thinking that if someone managed to get away, at least I would be in a position to chase it down with the police. I had good luck with Linxup.
Also had an Arlo cell based camera with infrared on a magnet that I put up at night, it would send me warnings when it saw a person within a defined frame.

afilsinger

The ALTOR ICon SAF (Strong as F***) lock is the best solution I have found for securing the trailer in storage. I just leave my rig hooked up, backed into a corner with a tracker when I am towing. This lock passed the lock-picking lawyers testing with flying colors.


https://altorlocks.com/products/icon...y-coupler-lock

claykos

The thing with all the hitch locks is that thieves will just hook chains around the tongue and drag the trailer away without properly "hitching." Like all other antintheft devices, they are a deterrent to opportunists but aren't going to stop a pro.

Nickshu

+1 for putting an Apple Airtag or Samsung SmartTag in the trailer. If you use an Airtag make sure you open it up and disable the speaker b/c thieves can make it beep to find it (there are Youtube videos on how to do this). Not sure if the Samsung version is the same way or not.
I put mine in the brake battery plastic box (in a ziplock) on the front of my trailer.

991carreradriver

I had my all Aluminum Mission Tilt Trailer stolen last year from my office parking lot in broad daylight. The only anti theft device I used was a crappy lock on hitch.

My new trailer now has the following theft deterrent devices:

1. McGard Wheel Locks on all four wheels and two on the spare wheel (had an extra from the set)
2. Airtag hidden in the frame post that is not accessible to removal
3. Huge Master Lock securing the tow chains and the winch
4. Proven Lock Industries Hitch Lock
5. Hardened ramp and tire carrier locks
6. Two Trimax Wheel Chock Locks
7. Vibration Audible Alarm
8. Warning placards that the vehicle has geolocation GPS tracking on front and both sides in red.

None of the above will stop a theft, but it will slow them down. Hopefully they will move on when they see what they have to defeat and the noise they will have to make to disable/remove all these devices.

gmuller

In addition to hiding a tracker device on your trailer, check how your tow car is coded. On my X5 (both my old 2012 and my current 2024 model), when I park with a trailer attached the alarm will monitor the trailer power cord. If removed, the alarm triggers. Not sure how many other manufacturers have this functionality but it helps me sleep better at night.

And another vote for not unhitching. My biggest fear would be motoring away groggy at the break of dawn, and realizing 50 miles later that I am missing a trailer.