Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-01-2021, 08:57 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Plano
Posts: 10
Securing My Trailer

Hey All, I have a fifth wheel on a remote deer lease in Texas. My buddy’s trailer was stolen a few weeks ago. I am looking for suggestions to 100% ‘lock down’ my trailer. I have a hitch lock that probably saved mine (I can see where they tried to cut it off, unsuccessfully) and am going to put a 3/8” chain around 2 of the wheels on one side of the unit. Took my license plate off too. Someone suggested taking the wheels off and removing them from the location, but that seems extreme and will make it difficult to keep the trailer level front to back and side to side. Shopping for a wheel ‘boot’ too. Any other recommendations? Thanks in advance!
Mattbowen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 09:00 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Brunswick Hills
Posts: 916
Two trail cameras. Nothing is 100%. Maybe you'd have an identity to give the authorities.
__________________
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

"We'll be friends until we're old and senile,....then we'll be new friends."
muckinfuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 09:24 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Woodworker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Dallas
Posts: 4,281
I used to take 1 wheel off my pop up. If u have dual wheel take 2 off an use jack stands. It was smaller but my pop up was stable.
Unfortunately after a break in we decided to not leave anything out there. So every weekend I'm draggin the 28ft Jayco back am forth
__________________
Tight Lines and accurate shots
Woodworker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 09:29 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 2,949
Thieves will have all day and privacy at most deer leases. Plus, they can easily scout whatever measures you take and come back prepared. If they are stealing trailers they have plates available to put on.

Taking wheels off one side is the best option. They would need to bring a matching tire. Level and then put it on a jack. It sucks but most effective.

They could comeback with a generator and angle grinder to cut anything you put on. Sorry to sound pessimistic.

Back when I was fishing tournaments we had four boats stolen from a hotel parking lot. When the guys asked what I did to keep my boat from being stolen all I could think of was I had the ugliest, oldest, lowest powered boat in the lot.
__________________
2017 JayFlight 21QB
2021 Ford F150 SCrew 3.5 Eco, 157”, 3.55, Tow Pkg
TaftCoach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 09:43 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Daytona Beach
Posts: 672
Look into a tracking device. Somehow bolt landing feet so hard to retract. Wheel boots as you said. Hidden keyed battery disconnect.
I know it's a pain for you too, but make it as inconvenient as possible to move.
Hidden keyed kill switches on the slides and leave extended.
Also, good insurance policy.
PaulB12
PaulB12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 11:47 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Mike-NM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Posts: 225
Do what you can then place a Spark Nano Tracker on the roof. If they steal it you will be able to locate it.
__________________
2014 Jayco Precept 31 UL
1997 Four Winds Chateau Sport 23' (sold)
Mike-NM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 10:05 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
JimD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Inland Empire, California
Posts: 2,006
I had a flatbed trailer stolen from my driveway. I now have a 10 foot enclosed trailer in the driveway with a tongue lock, a cement block that the chain is connected to, and a wheel lock. If they want it they will have to work at getting it. Also have a recording camera aimed at it.

I believe multiple methods help but nothing is 100%. You need to make it harder to steal than the next guys. Have everything documented with pictures for insurance if it does go missing.

I like the idea of a tracker. Maybe some sort of motion sensor that triggers a notification to you.

Sad that there are those that just take what they want.
Attached Thumbnails
Capture.JPG  
__________________


Jim

Retired electronic technician (45 years in the field)
2017 Greyhawk 29W (solar & many other mods)
wife (maybe I should have given her top billing)
JimD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2021, 11:36 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: midwest
Posts: 1,211
3/8" chain.. beat in seconds with a cut off wheel or bolt cutter

There really isn't much you can do with the new tools used for good are all used for bad just as well...

taking off 2 wheels is probably your best bet... or three wheels they may be smart enough to use your spare...

or the answer is to take it home and bring it back... or... if you need a new trailer leave it there.. then you can call premium boy....

most want a fast get away but if it is remote enough and they have time... well all bets are off..
curver900 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-2021, 06:27 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
TWP723's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Abingdon
Posts: 6,177
King pin lock. If it can't be hitched...ya know. Try draggin' a fifth wheel out of a deer lease property not correctly hitched. There are literally hundreds of different kinds. Some that I've seen at shows are pretty impressive. All kinds of different ingenious ideas that look impossible to remove...with any tool. Saw a big chunky thing made from tool steel that the demonstrator destroyed several carbide blades on. The wheel removal thing is a sound remedy as well.
__________________
2013 Jayco Eagle 328 RLTS
2021 Keystone Montana 3121RL
2013 F350 6.7L 4x4 CCLB
W/Air Lift air bags (front & rear)
Equal-I-Zer™ WDH & B&W Companion
TWP723 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-02-2021, 06:43 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
deepsea5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Maine
Posts: 504
If the trailer is staying "permanently" on the site; set it on supporting blocks, remove the axles and store them off site.
That trick, along with others previously mentioned, will really make the thieves "work" for their booty.
__________________
2020 Jayco JayFlight SLX 175RD
2016 Toyota Tundra XSP-X 4X4
Redarc Tow Pro Elite brake controller
Fastway E2 Trunnion WDH
deepsea5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2021, 07:51 PM   #11
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Plano
Posts: 10
Securing My Trailer

Hey All, THANK YOU for all your feedback and input. I have a hitch lock, they tried to cut that off but gave up. I am going to get one that's even harder to remove. Added a big heavy chain through both rims on one side with a very secure lock. Looking to add a tire 'boot' lock, like the ones that you see in big cities before the cars get towed. And I like the idea of a GPS tracking device, although all the ones I have looked at so far have very short battery lives (less than a month) which makes them less practical for me. Spoke with someone knowledgeable about 5Ws, and he warned me about taking two wheels off and leaving the unit on jacks. Said it would make the unit harder to keep level and was concerned the jacks would fail or otherwise not prove out to be a good long-term solution. In any event, multiple measures will hopefully provide sufficient deterrent against thieves. Thanks again for all the input!
Mattbowen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2021, 10:33 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Jagiven's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,780
Sometimes I love messing with bad people. I never do anything that will cause harm but messing with their mind is great fun.

If it is going to stay at the lease, how about removing the king pin assembly. Better yet, find an old one (junk yard) have it modified so the pin is way to big to fit a hitch or just ground off the pin. They show up to take the 5ver, and find out it does not fit the hitch, or there is nothing to connect to.

Have any really good buddies that are fabricators? Have them make up some square wheels for the 5ver. Could fabricate them out of steel (fill with sand, concrete, mineral oil, etc once installed) or a wood form to make them out of cement. Have proper hubs in them to bolt the square wheels to the 5vers axles. Great conversation point for visitors. Thieves may just shake their heads and leave. Might take pictures and post on facebook too.

Chain and cable locks are fairly easy to get around if you have the tools or knowledge. Some are much more difficult. Usually the lock is the easy item to bypass, so make sure it is difficult to access, even for yourself.

I have a couple buddies with hunting land up north. Most have issues with trespassers. Most have at least a few trail cams installed. All of them, say they now use the expensive lithium AA batteries as they can get about 1.5 years out of the batteries. One buddy has a couple of older cheap trail cams in plain sight, but mounted in a harder to get to. Then have a couple of their better ones that can see those cameras and able to capture the vehicle information along with passengers. I think Scott has about 8 cameras at his place. Few placed just to get license plate numbers and images of people walking up the road. He has big memory chips in them. I think he said for most part he swaps out the chips about 3-4 months unless he notices something when he arrives. I believe they all have camera on premise signs up along the drive entrance with no trespassing signs, to help scare the riff raff. They still get a few who come onto their property. I think Scott also drive some massive well casing pipe down on each side of his drive, and uses an extemely heavy duty chain now. I recall him having issues when he was using a light chain/cables.

I like tire boots. Not sure about the ones on Amazon. Had some great ones when I worked security when in collage. Heavy duty, quality lock mechanism, with a bolt behind it that you needed a large socket to release the clamp. We had many people try to remove them, or try driving off with them on. Never lost one, none were ever damaged, cars on the other hand never were the same again.

Personally, I would hate it if they just broke in and did damage more than stealing it. I suspect I would install a hidden GPS tracker, connected to a solar panel to keep charged. Set up so it sends a signal if the 5ver moves more than say 1/8 mile. A few well placed trail cameras, with signage as someone enters the lease. Maybe even one on the king pin, reminding them to smile as they are on camera, even if I did not have a camera on the camper.

If a thief wants it, they will take it or damage it Good luck
__________________

2012 Jayco X23B
2020 Ram Laramie 3500 SRW Air ride 50Gal fuel tank.
2007 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab (sold)
Equal-I-zer 4-Point Sway Control
Jagiven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2021, 06:03 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: midwest
Posts: 1,211
the square wheel is an awesome idea!!!

yes you could make it to hard to steal then they just break in and trash the place.. that'll learn ya they will think to them selves...

good luck with whatever you do.. hopefully they will just stay away...
curver900 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2021, 08:02 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Brunswick Hills
Posts: 916
If you have an I-phone, an Air Tag may be your best solution for locating a stolen trailer since it doesn't use GPS tech, which kills batteries tout suite.
__________________
Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

"We'll be friends until we're old and senile,....then we'll be new friends."
muckinfuss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2021, 08:33 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,431
You'll most likely need to use a layered approach. The idea is to make it less attractive to steal. The harder it is, the less time they will spend on it, or just move along.

Start with the hitch lock, check out the Lock Lawyer on Youtube )https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm9...8W8JigLoZOh6FQ). If he says he'd use it, its as good a lock as you will find.

At a minimum remove the tires and put it on blocks. Thieves are not carrying sets of tires. They are looking for a new meth lab.

Trail cams are a good idea, but won't assist in prevention unless there are warning signs. And set the cams up like jagiven suggests.
__________________
Chuck
2013 Jayco Jayfeather X20 E (sold)
2016 Chevy Silverado LTZ 2 Z71 Crew Cab (sold, and dearly missed)
DocBrown is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2021, 08:38 PM   #16
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Plano
Posts: 10
Thank you!

Appreciate all the ideas and insights! Thank you -
Mattbowen is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
security, storage ideas


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:16 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.