Trailer security...tracker? Wheel clamp? Hitchlock? What's best?

catembi

catembi

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As per title... I will hopefully be getting a new trailer within the next month or two as I've got a shiny new job with a shiny new pay rise!

The trailer will be kept on the yard at home, parked so that it's hidden behind the house, & there is a locked 5 bar gate onto the yard, plus we have a 4 camera cctv system that does colour & infra red, & 2 Rottweilers.

What is the most effective way of stopping it from going walkies? I've previously only had lorries which I think are less nick-able.

I was wondering about something like this: http://www.horsetrailersales.co.uk/itrack.asp Any good?

All ideas or experiences appreciated.

T x
 
All 3!

Bulldog Titan wheel clamp, fitted to a rear wheel.

http://www.bulldogsecure.com/view/bulldog-230f-titan-wheel-clamp/107

My Ifor 510 has a built in hitch lock so don't know about separate ones.

I like the look of the tracker, but it would be too bulky to conceal in my Ifor. It comes from trailer vision, though, and I can thoroughly recommend them as a company (have a CCTV system in the trailer from them).
 
That bulldog one looks good - I'll remember it for future ref.

I had to sell my lorry to pay for repairs on the house (it was structurally unsound!) & cried when I watched it going up the road on the way to its new home. It's been 2 1/2 years since it went, & I'm stupidly excited about getting transport again, so I don't want any sticky fingered so & so getting their hands on it.

T x
 
My trailer got stolen (hb506) which had factory fitted hitchlock and chain with padlock around wheels. I stayed on a Main Street, the trailer was parked up my drive. They stole is at 12.30pm broke the hitchlock ( which I've now discovered it very easy to do) and cut the chain. Reversed their transit up my drive and away. There was a police CCTV camera right across the road and we got the reg but still no prosecution or my trailer back!! I now have 2 wheel clamps one being a bulldog (excellent quality) and a 2nd hitchlock unit. Also a heavy padlock and chain around the gate and Akita security!!

Trackers are good but they will probably carry a cheap device that will detect one

Please don't make the same mistake as me the first time. Trailer theft is extremely common my vet even admitted they almost bought a stolen one!!!
 
We've managed to park ours in such a way that it's sandwiched between two buildings, and it stays hitched up permanently, so thieves would have to move the car first to get it out. We often park another car in front of that, too. I think it's probably the best form of security. We also used to chain it to a building. DH is very security conscious, and he did a lot of research into un-cuttable chains, and bought two metres of ridiculously heavy, apparently impossible to cut chain, which went round a brick pillar and the trailer chassis. Obviously the padlock is then the weak link, so this was huge too. Can't remember the make I'm afraid, but I could find out. You could also concrete a metal post or loop into the ground to chain it to.
 
Just be aware that a hitchlock used alone may break your insurance terms. Ours was stolen and stupidly I hadn't read the 'small print' of my policy which said I also had to have a wheel clamp, so the insurance wouldn't pay out......my fault but a very expensive mistake!
 
Catembi, to add to the hitchlock & wheel clamp, you can also chain the axle to the ground at the rear (this wont always been seen by potential thieves). We did this with the caravan - set a U clamp into the ground in concrete with a chain attached to it, then fed the heavy chain from it round the axle. Was a pain to undo each time, but made it much more difficult to thieve.
If you are keeping the trailer, then also postcode the roof of it in large letters....

Edit: To add, we have a large sign at the yard that says
'CCTV operating 24/7. No saddlery kept here.
All rugs postcoded, horses microchipped and freezemarked
No items left in vehicles
Horsebox has tracker and alarms operating' (used to also say caravan too)
 
Last edited:
The Fuzzy Furry said:
If you are keeping the trailer, then also postcode the roof of it in large letters....
Click to expand...
Ditto this too, plus the postcode is stamped on the chassis in several places.

I bought my trailer new. Less than 30 minutes after I had brought it home, a transit van containing several unknown 'gentlemen' pulled up outside the house and started asking questions about it!

I've managed to keep it without incident for 8 years so far, but I never drop my guard! Our gates are always padlocked.
 
Get something different! We have a fautra, it's much easier to spot, harder to pass on. Agree as much security as possible, fake CCTV cameras on buildings, postcodes on roof and insurance. Fraid if they want it they will have it but the idea is to safe guard your own. Lost an IW 12 years ago, locks and chains cut very easily.
 
My trailer has a Bradley hitchlock and Datatag security marking using microdots. These can be applied to any surface multiple times so almost impossible to find and remove them all (looks a bit like frogspawn!) applied in nooks and crannies all over my box.
 
A second vote for Datatag. If you are always parking in the same spot, go for a Sold Secure ground anchor, with the best Abus chain and lock you can buy through the draw bar.

Sold Secure is an insurance approved testing scheme. They do all sorts of products and the website is well worth searching for good quality products.
 
The whole lot + a hefty chain with the end buried in a ton of concrete so that you can wrap the loose end around the bit that the hitch is attached to and padlocked onto itself with the heftiest padlock you can find. I jest not, we have this on ours along with all the other things.
 
We have two Bulldog clamps, one on each side. Another thing we do is remove all bars and partitions after use and keep them separate from the trailer. A bit of an inconvenience, but it would mean even more inconvenience for someone trying to sell it on and would give us the opportunity to notify the manufacturer to be alert if anyone contacts them for replacements.
 
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