Protecting your trailer?

[EX#996]

This past Thursday I was reading in the living room when I noticed a car with four young men, slam on the brakes, hit reverse and started pointing and looking at our enclosed trailer.  They then noticed me watching them through the window and then sped off. (makes one wonder what they were upto doesn't it?)  Today, in the response to our dogs barking I walked outside to see what was up only to have two trucks take off from in front of our house.  Needless to say, our trailer has now been made less accessable.  

My question is to the board:  What do you do to protect your trailer from someone driving off with it?

Dawn  

P.S.  If any of the little sh*theads are on the BBS, get a job and get your own.   >:(

[RC51Racer]

Dawn,

I take no chances my trailer has a ball lock on it, (and I don't think anyone can get to it through the snow).

Mike

[Eric Kelcher]

They make a wheel lock like the police use to boot a car that is VERY effective I think cost is under $200.

I had my truck and trailer stolen for what I am sure was the trailer as they left the stereo, cell phone, camera, wallet and everything else in the truck when they crashed it. so don't think you are safe if you are "hooked up" to you trailer. The signs on the sides of trailers saying sponsored and SuYaHoKa are all like beacons to the thieves that you have very expensive items stored inside.
I was lucky my trailer (the regional CCS trailer actually)was at home one of the only times ever as the trailer brakes had gone out. I was taking it in at 10am after getting home at 5 well police woke me up at 7 to ask why my truck and trailer was blocking the intersection 4 blocks from the house??? Needless to say trailer NEVER was kept at house again for even an hour.

[the_weggie_man]

Oh yeah, all that advertising on trailers is a definite thief magnet. May as well put an ad space on that says "welcome to my stuff"  if you don't have a very secure place to keep the trailer when not at the track.
That also tells the bad guys you probably have lots o' cool stuff in your garage/shop.

Wheel locks, door locks, tongue locks, ball locks, I use locks instead of clips on my safety chains when it's on the truck also.

Never had one stolen but never plan to .......

[KBOlsen]

John just had an evil idea... go out to the trailer, retract the jack as far as possible, set the tongue on a concrete block and remove all the lug nuts... Rest assured, they won't get very far. :o >:(


The trailer we lost in Daytona was chained/locked with a padlock to our van... they just cut it and took it away.

I was considering getting an enclosed trailer but even before we figured out that wasn't in the budget for this year, I was a little concerned about the whole "inconspicuity" thing, if we were to have sponsor logos or stuff like that on it.  Bad enough our van has a vanity plate on it that is easy to remember.

[Bernie]

A Remington 870 and a sticker on the trailer that advises "Trespassers Will Be Violated". ;D

[Woofentino Pugrossi]

A Remington 870 and a sticker on the trailer that advises "Trespassers Will Be Violated". ;D

screw teh shotgun. Just open up with 30 rnds of .223.;D;D NIce to have 2 30rnd clips jungle clipped together.:D

[r6_philly]

I have a ball lock, chain both wheels together as well.

I also tell my neighbours that I carry horses (well they asked was I carrying horses and I nodded) so now everyone thing it is dirty and stinky inside :D

[MZGirl]

When our trailer is not hooked up to the RV, it has a ball lock on it, and for extra protection, we run a large Kryptonite lock through the wheels (it's a single-axle trailer).  It gets locked to the RV when in use, but that time is my least concern, since it's always in sight at the track.  Plus, all the doors have large locks on them as well.  The only large stickers on the sides say "MZ" so perhaps that's a deterrent for thieves.  ;)

[the_weggie_man]

Idea for advertising sponsor stuff off trailer.

Take the racey stuff off the trailer. Make a nice plexiglass panel with all sponsors on it. Position in front of your put area at the track. Store in trailer so you don't advertise to thieves away from the track.

[FastBoy]

I also use a two receiver locks (slide and ball) and lock the safety chains together above the tongue. I've heard of theives using the safety chains to tow a trialer away. When I'm out and about with it I use a boot lock I got off the BuyKawasaki.com site. I also have the ball welded to the hitch so it can't be unscrewed and use a hitch lock so the hitch can't be removed. $150 worth of Medeco locks on the ramp and side doors. It would be easier for them to cut the trialer wall open than to try to get inside via doors.

I also purposefully don't grease the ramp hinges so it squeals really loud when you open it.

If they get through all this, to a point where they can tow it they had better hope niether me, my dogs or my neighbors haven't heard them (highly unlikely). Oh, did I mention the security patrol at night? It's also insured.

I used to show $$$ Harleys so I had to be careful.

[EX#996]

Thanks everyone for the ideas....

Ball lock - Check

Sponsorship logos on the side of trailer - None (will provide space at a reasonable cost   ;))  Weggie_Man your idea of the plexiglass to hold your sponsor's names was excellent.

I think the lug nuts will stay on for now - Sometimes we have to jockey things around in the driveway.

Remington 870 - We have one of those, plus a Remington Wingmaster 12 ga., Colt .45, Ruger .22, Taurus .454, Thompson 7mm08, just to name a few.  Perhaps they didn't notice the NRA sticker on the window.   ;)

Horses - I used to have some, but they were hauled in a stock trailer.  R6_philly, you wouldn't be the first one that hauled their race bike in a horse trailer.   ;)

I'm looking for our chain to chain the wheels together, but I can't remember where it is (another senior moment).

Security patrol - we have dogs, and yes our trailer is insured.

Thanks again everyone, there are some good ideas here.  

Dawn   :)