Best option to lock a camping trailer sitting on my yard

[Hotdognz]

Hi all

If we purchase a trailer on the weekend that we are viewing when we get it home it has to sit out the front of house which does not have a fence, what the best options to secure it so it doesn't get nicked, eventually we will put a pad down and fence it in, but this wont be for a while as we are spending all our cash on the camping trailer.

Cheers Stephen

[plusnq]

If you are in an area where that is a big problem, then I might suggest the following.

Wheels off and locked away, put it on on chocks, with a big chain to something solid. Put a cover over it so it isn't obvious what it is. Insure it.

Thieves can bring bolt cutters, unbolt wheels to avoid wheel clamps, etc. they are unlikely to turn up with two wheels and bolt cutters. They will usually move onto easier targets. But nothing will stop someone determined to take it. I used to live in suburb in Western Sydney that you couldn't get car insurance for in the 1980's.

Cheers

Shane

[Dingo0163]

I don't know the set up of your yard , but if you can get the draw bar near the side fence you could lock it to a fence post. It's better than nothing but locks only stop honest thieves. 

[Bird]

Slip one of your mates a slab to park it down his back yard...

[D4D]

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=29806

[gordo350]

X2 on taking the wheels off. Also get a couple of lock nuts and put them on after you have taken the wheels off. Makes it real hard to put some stray wheels on if they come prepared

[Hotdognz]

Thanks guys I like the idea of taking the wheels of and using lock nuts.

Cheers Stephen

[Jeepers Creepers]

Too hard H.D.

Try to find an old couple nearby that have a garage or shed they don't use anymore and bung the mongrel in there.

I did it with ours when we bought it for about 6 months. The campers kept dry and ya don't have to half dismantle the friggin thing just to have it.

P.S. The oldies love iced Vo Vo's too. 

[Kiwijohn]

Must be a bad area if you have to take the wheels off - if you go down this path please ensure you have good stands as I would hate it to fall on a kid getting a ball from under it.

I go with insurance, tarp (mainly for weather protection) and a locking pin through the off road hitch.

Also depends on how much it is worth - that said there are 4 or 5 caravans within 500m of my place that live on the road out the front of their houses. None have been stolen but all had hail damage late last year, another good reason to have insurance.

John

[chester ver2.0]

Get a cattle dog and let him sleep in the camper trailer

Once the idea clicks in his head that of someone tries to steal the camper they are stealing his bed trust me you could leave it out the front unlocked with a free to a good home sign on it and it will still be there in the moring with your new best mate laying on top

[duggie]

Feed a healthy chain through the wheels and suspension and a good padlock.

[Barrabart]

Chuck a good tarp over it to protect the camper, and then a sh!tty $2 tarp over the top, preferably an old tattered one, make the set up look like it's just an old sh!t box trailer, with n old tarp over it....... when the crims are doing their window shopping they'll most likley ignore it thinking its just what it looks like, bit of long grass around it doesn't hurt either to set the scene, hide the draw bar too, as the off road hitch will be a dead give away......

[Jasman]

If you are going to take the wheels off, maybe consider putting an old set of steelies on without tyres so it can't be knocked off the stands.  If you're still worried you could square up the edges of the wheel so they can't roll.

Also, what about bollards?  A quick google found these:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/removable-security-post-driveway-post-bollard-/251425585614?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3a8a21f9ce

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/90mm-In-Ground-Removable-Heavy-Duty-Steel-Bollard-Yellow-/251813087200?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3aa13ac7e0

I like the first one, has a level of anti-tamper built in.

[xcvator]

A bloke down the road from my place put some pool fencing in across the front of his place, looks really secure and safe,  he just lifts it out of the base when he's taking the caravan out 

Other than that I've got room in my back yard for it 

[speewa158]

Leave it on wheels , On show , Available , Accusable & insured to the Begoodness  . Let it go & move on to a better life   ,  Grasshopper                                                     Thank you Nardowells                 

[feisty]

Leave it on wheels , On show , Available , Accusable & insured to the Begoodness  . Let it go & move on to a better life   ,  Grasshopper                                                     Thank you Nardowells                 

I agree. Insure it, chain it up and reduce your potential loss by removing any valuable gear in it.  Life's too short to stress. If they really want it you won't be able to stop them.........

[speewa158]

Gezzzzz l have 2 Cts both are insured to the hilt & then some   

[dales133]

I still like the bollard idea especially if you have a narrow area it blocks it getting through even detached.
But Yea insurance is the only real option

[theins]

always a balancing act....you will never stop the determined thief.

It comes down to a compromise. How difficult are you going to make your own life. Talking the wheels off, hiding it under a number of tarps, etc..  might stop some thieves, but will also take you an hour or so to put everything together if you want to take off for a weekend away..

Not securing it at all is just asking for trouble and inviting the camper to be stolen.

Personally, I have secured the CT with a hitch lock and a wheel clamp. Will this stop a determined thief... probably not.. but then again , nothing will...

Make sure you have appropriate insurance for the worst case..

Cheers,

[Bird]

There was a bloke caught recently just cruising the streets stealing trailers.. during the day nobody thinks Shit about someone hooking up a trailer....
If they are stolen from back yards, down sides of houses parkin it out front is .... anyway enjoy the new toy...

http://www.exploroz.com/Vehicle/Theft.aspx

http://www.campertrailers.org/stolen.htm
http://www.stolencaravanregistry.com.au/

[dazzler]

The bollard idea is fantastic.  If you make it so the lock is inside a piece of pipe then they can't get to it to cut it.

When I worked with a local council our reserves crew found this was the only way to stop yobs getting into the reserves. Will find a pic when home.

[Wortho]

Also plenty of different types of wheel clamps out there http://www.australiandirect.com.au/shop/caravan-camping/wheel-clamps/1313
This one looks pretty serious but for $600 it ought to be    http://www.barsec.com.au/Vehicle-Parking/wheel-clamp.html#.VS9JqvC97TI
Sure they can cut them off etc but most wouldn't go to all that trouble. I'll also be fitting a vehicle tracker to mine soon as at least you can track the mongrels down then.

[chisel]

There are a good few trailers in our area left parked out front of unfenced places - or basically on the nature strip or even road in some cases.
I'd have thought a trailer lock is sufficient to put off opportunistic thieves.
Even if you are in a "bad" area ... surely the local crims aren't looking for camper trailers?

[Wortho]

Even if you are in a "bad" area ... surely the local crims aren't looking for camper trailers?

Apparently so! http://www.campertrailers.org/stolen.htm

[GUEY]

If it has stabilizer legs, park it up on blocks ( bit of old timber will do) and drop the legs down.
Just another small deterrent, but an easy free one and every bit counts.