Securing PU to Car Overnight

[Azusateach]

I'm pondering taking a multi-stop trip this summer, with maybe a hotel stay every now & then.  Is there some way to secure the PU to my car so I don't sit up all night in the hotel & wonder if someone's going to try & take my little trailer?  Thanks!

Laura

[wavery]

I'm pondering taking a multi-stop trip this summer, with maybe a hotel stay every now & then.  Is there some way to secure the PU to my car so I don't sit up all night in the hotel & wonder if someone's going to try & take my little trailer?  Thanks!

Laura

You know the little lever that you push down after you drop the hitch on the ball? It has a hole in it. Just put a padlock through the hole .

[Azusateach]

You know the little lever that you push down after you drop the hitch on the ball? It has a hole in it. Just put a padlock through the hole .

Yeah, I've seen that hole -- I put a pin through it to make sure it doesn't pop open accidentally while traveling.  I've always thought it was too small for a padlock, but I'll check.  Thanks.

Since you're the world traveler -- any experiences with So. Oregon beach campgrounds?  I'm thinking about Sunset Beach SP after Yosemite.  Looks like a nice change of pace (weather-wise), AND it has full hook-ups.  But I don't want to try & drive there in 1 day.  Might try mooching off a friend in Palo Alto or looking for a Motel 6 (have the dog, you know).  Then another 4 days or so along the coast up there.  Lots of driving by myself, but heck, I'm tough!  

[wavery]

Yeah, I've seen that hole -- I put a pin through it to make sure it doesn't pop open accidentally while traveling.  I've always thought it was too small for a padlock, but I'll check.  Thanks.

Since you're the world traveler -- any experiences with So. Oregon beach campgrounds?  I'm thinking about Sunset Beach SP after Yosemite.  Looks like a nice change of pace (weather-wise), AND it has full hook-ups.  But I don't want to try & drive there in 1 day.  Might try mooching off a friend in Palo Alto or looking for a Motel 6 (have the dog, you know).  Then another 4 days or so along the coast up there.  Lots of driving by myself, but heck, I'm tough!  

Ya, well.....most of my world traveling has been by boat :p . Ask me about most any island or far off port and I might be able to help. All of my camping experience has been in SoCal beaches, deserts & a few lakes.

We can hardly wait for the Yosemite trip. I have always wanted to camp there.  IMHO, Yosemite is the most beautiful spot on this planet.

[tlhdoc]

You can use a pad lock or a regular coupler lock.  I have a lock on my draw bar to lock it into the receiver and a keyed alike lock on the coupler.  That way they can't just pull the pin out of the draw bar and steal the draw bar and/or the camper that way.

[wavery]

You can use a pad lock or a regular coupler lock.  I have a lock on my draw bar to lock it into the receiver and a keyed alike lock on the coupler.  That way they can't just pull the pin out of the draw bar and steal the draw bar and/or the camper that way.

Years ago, when I had a pick-up with a receiver hitch, I used to use one of those bicycle locks that go through the bike spokes. I stuck that through the receiver hole instead of the pin.

I just found these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7587103727&fromMakeTrack=true

You could use one on the receiver and one on the ball lever. The shank on the lock may be thinner than your hitch pin but you could probably find something to shim it up with. Like some small steel tubing.

The other thing that you could do is to drill a separate hole for the padlock (the proper size) and still use your original receiver pin.

[Azusateach]

Forgot all about the receiver hitch.  I'll look around for something long & strong -- a locksmith's got to have something that'll work.  Thanks!  Good thing I don't need it right now.

Okay, here's another one for you deep thinkers ...

How crazy does it sound to pop up, but only pull out the bunk-end on the far side of the PU (away from the car), and pull out the near side bunk-end just far enough to get the door set up.  I don't want to disconnect from the car, especially if I'm only going to be there to sleep.  Has anyone ever tried this?  (Just thinking outside the box, you know!)

[tlhdoc]

If it is a dry calm night it would work, as long as no one put any weight on the front bunk.  If it was windy or raining I wouldn't do it.  I wouldn't do it if it is buggy either.  I am lucky, I can PU and not unhitch from my TV, couldn't do that when I towed with a minivan.

[Azusateach]

I forgot about zipping up.  I think I could still do that without putting any weight on the front bunk.

Bugs in California -- surely you jest!  Actually, they really aren't much of an issue, except in rare cases.  But it's a point worth considering.

Thanks!

[SpeakEasy]

If you do park it in a hotel parking lot overnight, consider removing your battery from the popup. I took mine off and locked it in the tow vehicle overnight when I did that. It seemed to me to be way too easy for someone to help themselves to a nice battery.

Happy travels!

[brainpause]

Forgot all about the receiver hitch.  I'll look around for something long & strong -- a locksmith's got to have something that'll work.  

Walmart.

[AustinBoston]

There is no way to secure the trailer to the hitch.  If someone wants to take the trailer, all they have to do is un-bolt the ball and they have it.  Ball welded on?  There's a nut on the underside of the coupler used to adjust it.  Completely remove the nut and a thief has your trailer off the ball.

The best way to secure the trailer for an overnight stay in an unknown place is to back the trailer into a corner in such a way that your tow vehicle must be moved to get the trailer out.

Austin

[OC Campers]

Laura--

One year we went to the Temecula rally and Randy couldn't stay because of a death in the family.  I have never hitched the camper to the van before so we just left it attached.  We were actually able to pull both beds out without unhitching.  We put the sand pads down and it was great.
 
A campground you may want to look at on your way to Oregon is Lake Syskiyou.  We met Dee4j there and it was really nice.   It is near Lake Shasta.  
 
Jacqui

[wavery]

There is no way to secure the trailer to the hitch.  If someone wants to take the trailer, all they have to do is un-bolt the ball and they have it.  Ball welded on?  There's a nut on the underside of the coupler used to adjust it.  Completely remove the nut and a thief has your trailer off the ball.

The best way to secure the trailer for an overnight stay in an unknown place is to back the trailer into a corner in such a way that your tow vehicle must be moved to get the trailer out.

Austin

Almost anything you do can be circumvented, if the thief wants something bad enough. Most security measures are taken just to make it harder for the thief.

If the trailer is unlocked and in an area where it is easy to snatch, a thief may take advantage. If you take some measures to slow them down or make it hard or time consuming to take, you will eliminate 90% of the thieves. Most thieves are lazy cowards. That's why they are thieves.

If someone removes the ball from the TV, they sill have to figure out a way to get the lock off of the latch, to remove the ball so that they can hook it up to their TV. All that takes time and increases their chances of being caught.

Of course, if they have a good pair of bolt cutters, the whole thing is a mute point anyway. All you can do is, do your best. IMHO, a couple of locks make a good deterrent, in the event that you can't find a place to back the trailer against. That is a good idea, if you can find such a place. If you can't, it would sure be nice to at least have a lock on it. Like you said, you'll sleep better.

[PITPOP27]

If you do park it in a hotel parking lot overnight, consider removing your battery from the popup. I took mine off and locked it in the tow vehicle overnight when I did that. It seemed to me to be way too easy for someone to help themselves to a nice battery.

Happy travels!

Thanks for that, My hubby looked at my like I was Crazy, for saying to remove them before storing, for the same reason.  hello freebie!  No thanks, take the time and take it off.


My husband is currently working on a locking plug for the tow hitch tongue area, We have the same coupler pair (it's Masterlock) anywho, bought it for the TV at pepboys for under $25 when hubby wanted to lock in place a hitch he had machined for me to get into my truck more easily - it's a step.  Well that same thing now locks our reciever and hitch ball in place, and comes with a smaller version same key  which locks the ball lock on the tongue of the trailer.

To further secure it, he picked up another hitch ball - he is machining the plug off so it's just a ball.  When we want to lock it up (Unattached from the TV) you place the ball in the tongue reciever push down your locking mechanism, and then lock the mechanism with the coupler lock.....sorry if all the words are wrong (girl ) but I'll be sure and post pics when he's done!