Keeping trailer from thieft

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Dennis J. Aitken
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:07 am

Keeping trailer from thieft

#1 Post by Dennis J. Aitken » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:53 pm

How do you keep the trailer safe?
I have seen so many videos where they actually show you how to steal a trailer.
Well... actually they show how to break off most locks.
I am FAR from being rich and spent most of what I had on a parts pontoon boat but wound up buying a new trailer since I couldn't find any trailers for sale around here. I am really close to finishing rebuilding the pontoon to the specs that I had in mind. I would just hate to take the pontoon out for an enjoyable day with my better half to come back to no trailer. I will customize it just a little and it WILL be quite noticeable but still look like the manufacture did the work.
Any idea will be very helpful.

Steiner
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Location: Lyman, SC

Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#2 Post by Steiner » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:48 am

Just take it with you.

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BobL
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Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#3 Post by BobL » Fri Jul 31, 2020 7:39 am

I have had utility and boat trailers (loaded and unloaded) sit in parking lots for 40 years and never had an issue. I have used tongue locks on occasion. If I was ever at a place where I was concerned, I parked in such a way (i.e. back up to a curb) where they would have to chain up to my truck and drag it in order to get to the trailer.

You could also use a Wheel Chock Lock.

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steve1313
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Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#4 Post by steve1313 » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:24 am

Steiner wrote:
Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:48 am
Just take it with you.

Image
Do you know that's actually an accepted way of moving the trailer? Apparently there are some very remote parts of some lakes that are difficult to get to by road, so they'll actually transport the trailer that way!

I also tend to agree with Bob, that trailer theft is a pretty rare thing, especially during the day while you're out boating and the trailer is back at the ramp still attached to your tow vehicle.
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bansil
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Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#5 Post by bansil » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:56 am

I just park them somewhere on our property that can't be seen from road....OR....I let mother nature camouflage them with 3ft hay grass :mrgreen:
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riplipper
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Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#6 Post by riplipper » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:02 am

Heavy duty cable is way better than chain. Its just tougher to cut, unless of course they have a torch.
I take mine to the keys, where boat stuff gets stolen pretty quickly.
Hitch lock, tongue lock, and heavy duty cable to the truck.
If its parked without the truck, tongue lock, cable around frame and through wheels and around a tree if possible.

I know it happens but I have never known anyone get their trailer stolen....unless the boat was with it.....MINE!!!
Which turned out to be a good thing in the end.
I am the guy at the boat ramp that gives you dirty looks when you are a complete idiot and too stupid to know it.

Steiner
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Location: Lyman, SC

Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#7 Post by Steiner » Sat Aug 01, 2020 3:38 am

There's a country hardware store down the road from me. They've got video of someone stealing a trailer from behind the building. I think it just had coupler latch pin lock on it. The video showed one dumbass standing on the tongue to keep it on top of the ball while they drove off with it. Of course this is an area where someone took one look at it and said "I know those two idiots" and they got it back easily.

When I used to leave my small 6x10 enclosed trailer in the drive, I'd just lower the jack all the way, set the rear stands down, crank the jack back up until the tires came off the ground, and remove them. Now it's behind my shop in the fence which has several of these hung on it.....

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TDJ2591
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Re: Keeping trailer from thieft

#8 Post by TDJ2591 » Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:11 pm

I have a Tri-toon trailer for which I replaced the bunks with 24’ treated pine 2x6s, all stainless steel lag bolts and Caliber bunk wrap. With that additional investment, I surely do not want it or any of the 4 tires with chrome wheels to walk off. I leave it parked just off the road on my empty lake lot. I put a very heavy duty cable lock thru each pair of wheels securing them to each other and to the frame. I also have a locking hitch pin and a tongue lock. No, these are not enough to stop a thief with a battery-powered angle grinder, but the 4 locks should slow him down and hopefully cause him to make enough noise to attract the neighbors’ attention.
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