How to stop battery theft?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by HemiCab

Terier I got it from B & D RV Battery Lock For RV travel trailers and popup campers.

Dunnnc my latch has the same master lock as the battery locking bracket now. I will have to find a ball and see what I can do. Reciprocating saw? Hack saw? Drill hole in shaft and put a lock in the shaft?

HC

No, cut the shank off the ball so it can't be dropped into a bare hitch. Use the shankless ball in the hitch and lock the hitch. That way, no one can pull up with a smaller hitch ball and drop the trailer down on an empty locked hitch and pull away.

[HemiCab]

Thanks

Shankless it is then! How hard is it to cut the shank off?

HC

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by HemiCab

Thanks

Shankless it is then! How hard is it to cut the shank off?

HC

Not hard for me, I have a vertical metal band saw and a horizontal metal band saw and a metal cutting lathe. They neither one get as tired as a hacksaw.

It will take at least 15 minutes with a good blade in a hacksaw as the shank is usually 1" diameter.

[HemiCab]

Ok got the ball and cut off the shank (reciprocating saw with 16 tpi blade, 2 minutes at most) and got it in the coupler.

One more thing I have to unlock to move the TT but one more thing for the thieves to contemplate.

Thanks for the solution dunnnc!

BTW, yes that is wet paint, brushed and painted a few rust spots.

HC

[strokendiesel002]

Hemi- just my .02, but I would suggest cutting the bottom of the actual ball off. If someone really wanted to, it's possible that they could get something between the big lip and bottom of the tongue. Not saying it's plausible, but hey, you've already gone this far

Reading this thread

When I was 22 I took my Grandmother to West Virginia to visit the property she had grown up on and see some family. I remember one part of the trip very vividly. Her brother had recently passed and she was in charge of his lot which had a couple park trailers, sheds and other misc. items. There were 2 paths from the road into the lot, both with gates. The people (other family) that were supposed to be watching the lot had called several times informing her that another lock had been cut. Nothing really valuable ever dissapeared, but it was frustrating, and a little unnerving as it was in the middle of nowhere up in the mountains.

When we went to the hardware store, she asked the gentleman for the best locks they had. He of course asked what it was she intended to lock as there are several different lock styles, and explained the different applications for each of the "best" locks. She told him what it was she wanted to lock and asked which one would you use. He paused for a moment and held one set out, but before letting go, he looked a little dissapointed and said "Folks, locks are only intended to keep honest people out. If you really don't want to loose somthin', take it with you or get it out of sight."

I'll never forget that as long as I live. For this reason, unless I can buy something that's nearly impossible to break into, nothing of value stays with something I let out of my sight. On the flip side of that, there is a masterlock on the tongues ans clasps of each of my trailers. I don't bother with the big circle ones that are nearly impossible to cut with bolt cutters, as I bought a trailer from a friend that swore by them untill someone took a prybar to the clasps and after wreaking havoc on the walls and clasps, got in and took what they pleased, leaving him with not only the heartache of theft, but pretty substantial damage. If they want it, they'll get it.

A few years ago I had several vehicles broken into, at my home, because I was too lazy to take the Faceplate of my CD player off (I was in highschool and college) Ironically, the only one that never had anything stolen from it was my topless, doorless Wrangler. From spring to fall it was wide open. It of course had an aftermarket CD player and extra speakers in it, but I took the faceplate out, hid the wires and threw a raggidy beach towel over the speakers. 2 summers and nothing dissappeared. Fall of the 2nd year my cousin bought it and put on the doors and the hard tops. I begged him to take the faceplate out and leave the doors unlocked (those windows are expensive and a pain to repair!). He is older than me and didn't listen. Within the 1st week of him owning it, someone busted the window and stole the player and speakers while at his work.

Whelp, I guess what I'm trying to say is
1- Outta Sight, Outta Mind
2- Think about the reprecussions of the damage that could happen, should a less than honest person accept the challenge that we faced them with at the point they decided they better deserve our property than we do.

[HemiCab]

strokendiesel002 thanks for the advice, after I took the picture I thought the same thing. I looked around the lot and saw all of the couplers that did not have a coupler lock at all, not locking chicks, or wheel club lock. I thought if I were trying to take a TT i would skip the one with all the locks, on the other hand they could take it as a challenge. I will definitely think about cutting it off.

HC

[bakken]

Originally Posted by dunnnc

No, cut the shank off the ball so it can't be dropped into a bare hitch. Use the shankless ball in the hitch and lock the hitch. That way, no one can pull up with a smaller hitch ball and drop the trailer down on an empty locked hitch and pull away.

That is what I have been doing for years. I got the idea when I had a ball with the bolt end broken off, almost threw it in the garbage when the "light" came on!
And now, with a fifth wheel, I made a locking clasp that wraps around the pin. Started seeing them for sale a few years later! Knew I should have patented that idea!

[strokendiesel002]

Originally Posted by bakken

That is what I have been doing for years. I got the idea when I had a ball with the bolt end broken off, almost threw it in the garbage when the "light" came on!
And now, with a fifth wheel, I made a locking clasp that wraps around the pin. Started seeing them for sale a few years later! Knew I should have patented that idea!

I like the way so much of you think!! Just 'cause it's broke, don't mean it's garbage, it means it may be time to simply be repurposed!

[great white]

welding up a 16 gauge sheetmetal battery box with 1/8" straps welded to the cover/case.

There's going to be a "sheath" around the lock that will leave the key hole exposed, but the lock rod will be inaccessible for bolt cutters.

I hope to gawd the lock never screws up cause I'll never get it out again!

I hate thievery, they're nothing but cowards and one of the lowest life forms on the planet.

I'll spend 20 bucks to foil them from stealing 10.

It's a "principles" thing for me....

[campnqueen]

They cut the battery cable to steal our battery. JERKS! Now we have to replace the battery cables.

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by campnqueen

They cut the battery cable to steal our battery. JERKS! Now we have to replace the battery cables.

Is this the same one they stole a couple weeks ago or did they steal it again?

Btw, did you get a chance to trace the lines and see how long of a cable you'll need? We're still waiting on the other thread to hear back on that.




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[RPAspey]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Not hard for me, I have a vertical metal band saw and a horizontal metal band saw and a metal cutting lathe. They neither one get as tired as a hacksaw.

It will take at least 15 minutes with a good blade in a hacksaw as the shank is usually 1" diameter.

Took about 25 mins to cut and tap. I use the eye bolt to grab the greasy ball.

[mark0224]

If it was in a secure storage area it had to be somebody that either worked there or another person storing there, your not going to hike a battery over a fenced in area. Any padlock you put on can be cut off with a good set of bolt cutters , if they had enough time to get a battery unhooked the few extra seconds to cut a lock isn't going to bother them. Surprised they didn't take the propane tanks and the spare tire too a real criminal would have gone for everything they can get and the other trailers would have been victims too.

[techntrek]

That cut-off ball won't stop anything. They'll just back up to it, wrap a heavy chain around the tongue and their hitch, and drive off somewhere they can take their time.

Another idea that won't stop anyone but might help is to wrap a chain through a wheel and then around the axle. Likely they'll miss it at first until they drive off and the tire starts to squeal loudly. They might then just drop it and run.