Would A Tire Boot Secure A Trailer Better???

[MonacoMike]

I have thought about getting one of these boots. For perspective, this is not for day boating, but rather cruising for several days to a few weeks. Is the security worth the cost? Do you feel these are that secure? I do realize that a determined thief and enough time ANY lock can be defeated. The goal is to make it to much trouble to bother with. This lock can be had now on Amazon for $151.00.




http://www.trimaxlocks.com/_e/WHEEL_LOCKS/product/TWL100/TWL100.htm

MM

 

[Ruff Life]

I have a very heavy duty chain and lock that lets me run the chain between two wheels and the frame or from the frame to a telephone pole or tree. Easy to store and gives me options.

 

[Gofirstclass]

+1 to the heavy chain and good padlocks. You can buy a tow chain that's plenty long for about $30 at Lowe's or Home Depot and a couple of heavy duty padlocks for about $15.

 

[CV-23]

I use a heavy coated security cable and lock. Mostly used for lock boxes at construction sites, Mike.

 

[MonacoMike]

So the consensus is that heavy chains or cables would be just as effective a deterrent? Do you think the boot would be harder to cut off, create more visual or noise effect to defeat, or take more time to break than the chains or cables?

MM

 

[surfinjoe]

There is a ski boat by me that has a big red boot on the trailer every winter, so it has been done before!

So the consensus is that heavy chains or cables would be just as effective a deterrent? Do you think the boot would be harder to cut off, create more visual or noise effect to defeat, or take more time to break than the chains or cables?

MM

 

[my DOG HOUSE]

If you mean the chock lock on a multi axle trailer it is worthless unless you also have lug nut locks.

 

[IanBat]

If you jack th trailer up and remove the wheel, then you can leave the wheel and the lock there, can't you?

That would be nice to come back to!


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[IanBat]

I should add, there is a few boat ramps in Sydney where theft is notorious. I don't think those that do it are too perturbed about the noise that they are making. They are brazen enough to remove things from a busy trailer park or take the whole trailer, in broad daylight, not knowing when you may be walking back to your rig. So noise isn't going to be an issue to them.

And if you are goin to be away for a few weeks, then night time is a bonus, alon with noticing that it is parked there for a while, beauty take all the time they need.

I would go with the strengthened chain and padlocks, padlocks from a locksmith.


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[Gofirstclass]

Really what you want to do is get a thief to take a look at your security setup then steal someone else's trailer that doesn't have any. I would think that any secure chain or cable would be enough to make a thief reconsider whether it's worth the time/effort/energy to cut through the chain or cable to steal your trailer.

Running the chain or cable through both wheels on one side of the trailer then around the frame would make it much harder to steal. He couldn't just take one wheel off if both were secured.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Mike - google "trailer tongue lock" and look for the style that encloses the coupler where a ball would be inserted. If a thief can't attach the trailer to his truck, he can't steal it. These locks are relatively inexpensive and small, so they're easy to store. We us something similar on all of our trailers on our outside lot. That's the only kind of lock we've been using for decades.

 

[islandhopper00]

I use a heavy plastic coated security cable, with a heavy duty lock. I run the cable thru the wheels and the frame of the trailer like CV-23 does.

 

[Smile Maker]

Mike - google "trailer tongue lock" and look for the style that encloses the coupler where a ball would be inserted. If a thief can't attach the trailer to his truck, he can't steal it. These locks are relatively inexpensive and small, so they're easy to store. We us something similar on all of our trailers on our outside lot. That's the only kind of lock we've been using for decades.

Dont mean to nitpick this response. But a tongue lock doesn't stop a theif from rolling it onto a flatbed to steal, and then cutting the tongue lock off later.
I like to lock the wheels and/or lock the trailer to fixed object.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Dont mean to nitpick this response. But a tongue lock doesn't stop a theif from rolling it onto a flatbed to steal, and then cutting the tongue lock off later.
I like to lock the wheels and/or lock the trailer to fixed object.

No, that's fine. In the end, there's more than one way to skin a cat. But... to roll it onto the flatbed, it would first have to be a trailer that has a wheeled tongue jack (or also have a dolly at their disposal), it would make quite a ruckus at the ramp for everyone else to see this, it would take some time to do it, and more than likely a thief isn't traveling around with a 30' flatbed with this in mind.

Cutting a cable/chain wrapped around a tire/frame/fixed object only takes about 5 seconds with a bolt cutter.

But, anything is better than nothing since, as stated above, the thieves will likely go to the easiest target.