Security - what are you using?

[Ern_Reeders]

It's pretty amazing that you can pay as much as a family car price for a CT and it comes with no immobilisation device.

And when you fit your own extensive system there's no discount on your insurance premium, not at least with CIL.

I'm starting this thread to share my experiences and invite others to post theirs.

There looks to be roughly two approaches: mechanical and electronic.

Mechanical includes chaining the wheel, clamping the wheel and locking the hitch. Alarm includes movement sensors and GPS tracking.

Rob has an excellent run down of options here: http://www.campertrailers.org/securing_your_camper.htm

It's clear that mechanical barriers can still be defeated by well-prepared thieves and are no substitute for insurance. Do a YouTube search for vids on how easy it is to break, cut through or bypass the various offerings. But they can slow down a thief making detection in the act more likely or sending them to an easier target.

Here are some of the things I've found in my security project on the new CT.

The DO35 hitch lock uses a Bi-lock barrel lock that can be keyed alike with a Talon hitch pin lock. For poly block couplings Rob points out that a Talon hitch receiver lock and coupling lock can be got in a pair keyed-alike.

That DO35 lock is quite expensive and it's disappointing that the dummy pin is made only of alloy. A cordless angle grinder 1mm wheel may still be readily driven between the lock barrel and the plates.

If you go down the route of a coupling lock it's also important to make sure the pin securing the tongue to the receiver can't be removed, that the security chains are locked out of the way so they can't be used for towing in the absence of a coupling, and when hitched and parked that one chain is padlocked not merely shackled to the tongue.

Have a look at your coupling mount. If bolted rather than welded get to work spoiling some threads with a cold chisel. On mine there are only four bolts and they'd be off in minutes with a cordless drill.

The wheels on my CT don't have openings large enough for chain, and I'm not keen on wheel clamps. They look to be one or more of fiddly, bulky or expensive. A bicycle shackle lock however will go through adjacent holes but not far enough to also go around the swing arm. Another shackle lock or a chain would be needed and I don't fancy lying on the ground for fitting but this could be an option for long term
storage.

I've also had fitted a CCA GPS tracker. The basic idea is that this has a GPS receiver and a mobile phone and you ping it via a text message to set up alarm and tracking options and it can also text you when it goes outside a virtual fence. These are made by Shane Hudson who gives campertrailers.org members a decent discount. There's a long thread about these over at myswag.org and Rob has written about them on the campertrailers.org Yahoo group.

Someone who is handy could do the wiring themselves. The instructions on how to fit the SIM aren't in the manual. You slide the bottom off the rectangular box that has the LEDs (it may have velcro on it), carefully remove the battery and its lead, and the metal SIM holder swings up. http://caravanandcaralarms.com.au/products/4582399225

It makes sense to get a $2 SIM from Telstra whose coverage is the widest. A Long Life plan is $30 for 6 months at the moment. Of course the limitation is that the messages can only be sent when you have coverage but I figure that this includes the areas most likely for crims to be operating in. And you can choose a CCA mode that on sensing movement will sound an alarm and flash the indicators or other external light.

....

In idle moments I think about what the manufacturers could do to provide for immobilisation. One option might be a barrel locked pin on the beam axle or swing arm that would be pushed into a wheel hole. Same principle as motorbike steering head locks. Operation through the camper trailer floor might be possible to avoid having to crawl under the unit.

[GEOFF.PAULINE]

Hi. Ern.

I think all CT owners would agree with lack of security.

I only have mine behind locked gates , I put the pin back through the Tregg Hitch and put a padlock through the Hole , I have a watch dog at home and good neighbours who know if anyone is trying to hook up the trailer , their stealing it.

After this I'm afraid it comes down to the insurance ( CIL ) that I pay hundreds of Dollars to each year for amoung other things , thieft

Personally I'm not prepaired to spend hundreds of Dollars on devices , on top of all the insurance cost.

Part of this thinking is because if the thieves want it , nothing will stop them.

Cheers , Geoff

[Ern_Reeders]

Yeah, I'm insured too but also willing to do as much as I can put up with to deter thieves out in the bush. Don't want to ruin a long-planned trip by coming back to a campsite to find the CT gone.

I should make up a sign saying 'There's easier pickings in the next bush camp'

[WomblingFree]

Couple of things to consider.

The trackers that use SIM cards are not much use out in the bush.
Doesn't take long to drive a stolen trailer beyond the phone coverage area in Sydney.

I can easily steal your camper without using your hitch.
Drag it by the chains. Oh you locked them up as well, ok I'll use my own chain wrapped around your draw bar.

[Ern_Reeders]

To repeat:

It's clear that mechanical barriers can still be defeated by well-prepared thieves and are no substitute for insurance.

The point is to slow them down and make more obvious to others what they're up to, and to make other targets look like less hassle.

To repeat re the CCA tracker:

Of course the limitation is that the messages can only be sent when you have coverage but I figure that this includes the areas most likely for crims to be operating in. And you can choose a CCA mode that on sensing movement will sound an alarm and flash the indicators or other external light.

[robcaz]

With the Caravan & Car Alarms Vehicle Tracker both your phone & tracker need to be in mobile phone range to talk to each other. If the unit is out of range it will reply when it returns back into coverage, the same as your mobile phone does.

Also the trackers program monitors the host battery as well as its own & if either battery drops below a preset voltage you will receive SMS messages at one minute intervals with an alert to a low battery along with the GPS co-ordinates. As a built in defence should the host battery be disconnected or the battery cables cut, you will be alerted with three messages along with the GPS co-ordinates. The unit is now in defensive mode & you have up to thirty-six hours to recover it.

My article here http://www.campertrailers.org/cca_vehicle_tracker.htm