Trailer Sabotage

[korygrandy]

Okay, this is the second time this year someone has tried to sabotage me. The first time someone removed my pin in the trailer lock lever and it caused my lever to pop-up on the way home (I bought a lockable pin to fix this).

Yesterday I was at a launch I had never been to. The outing on the lake was fine. I got home and was positioning the trailer in the garage and I realized someone had stole my bolt and cotter pin that holds the swing toungue in position while trailering.

Initially I was putting the blame on myself for forgetting to put the pin in but I knew I put it in. I always do. And when it's not in, it's sitting on the trailer where if I were to hook the trailer up, I wouldn't be able to without hitting the pin.

Nope someone stole it at the ramp. Yet another thing to add to my checklist.

I am guessing this could have ended badly. I didnt notice anything wrong on the tow home (30miles).

Do they make something lockable for these swing away toungue's so I can prevent this in the future?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

Which lakes are you going to? In 15 years I've never had anyone mess with my truck/trailer at a boat launch.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

I always check all that before I leave the house, or the ramp. You just never know what some moron is gonna do to your rig while you are out on the water.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

Which lakes are you going to? In 15 years I've never had anyone mess with my truck/trailer at a boat launch.

same here.... another thought here.... removing the lock pin for the coupler will not cause it to pop up unless there is something wrong with the coupler.... I'd say it was likely up the whole time.... as locking pins go to a tractor supply and find a hitch pin in the right size and buy a lock to fit... if the hole is too small drill it out..... When I had a swing tongue trailer I always put the pin back in the hole so the tongue could not be straightened without pulling the pin

 

[Splat]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

Several years ago at one of the lakes around here i caught a coupke kids going through the parking lot flipping up the latches on any trailer that didn't have a lock. They thought it was funny as hell. I called the rangers who promptly responded. One took off to look for the kids that had fled, while another stayed behind and walked the lot resetting all the latches.

It's now something I check. Infact I do a coplete walk around everytime I get out and back into the truck. this includes when i get gas, or stop for food, or use the potty. It's a good opportunity to check the rig for everything from loose straps, to low tire pressure, to hot tires, unfastened gear, and so on.

Bill

 

[riptide09]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

A couple of years ago I was up in Maine at a popular place for riding snowmobiles and someone unbolted and stole my spare tire. Now I use one of those locking nuts on my snowmobile and boat trailers.

 

[asm_]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

You just never know why people do these things...

How about the story I heard that moron unlatching the fifth wheel king pin that aren't locked. Makes me mad just thinking about it.

B

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

I guess I'm ultra paranoid, but in 7 years I've not been the victim of a theft.

I have a locking pin on my trailer coupler. I also have a locking ball thing that I use to block the hitch from being coupled to another tow vehicle.
And a locking reciever pin. All three use the same key, thankfully.

I have locking lugnuts on my trailer tires, and the spare is locked as well.

I have a prop. lock and an outdrive lock. Lotsa locks, hopefully it's enought to discourage the opportunity scum. The determined scum will get your stuff if they want it bad enough.

The way I figure it, if my trailer/boat is too much bother, they'll move on to an easier target. Get in fast and get out fast is what they depend on.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

A couple of years ago I was up in Maine at a popular place for riding snowmobiles and someone unbolted and stole my spare tire. Now I use one of those locking nuts on my snowmobile and boat trailers.

Maine seems to be a popular place to get stuff ripped off, especially in the winter when us "flat landers" aren't around. Us and our extended family have cottages on Sebago Lake. One year my cousin had his tongue jack stolen off the front of his boat trailer. Then we all had a rash of cottage break-ins. Kids breaking in looking for cash, prescription drugs, or un-opened bottles of booze. Some neighbors have had entire cords of fire wood stolen. Snow mobilers broke into another neighbors house (by shattering the glass in a sliding door , but they cleaned the broken glass up before they left ), slept on the floor, made something to eat, and made a couple of long distance phone calls.

 

[Thad]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

I do not remember how many years ago it has been now, but it was a long time.

We had a string of trailer thefts. Trailers that were not locked were being taken right out of the parking lots. Trailers that were locked or backed in were being stripped of everything they could get off of them. Around the same time, boats that were docked on the river were having props and some lower units taken off of them right on the water. Some smaller OBs were also disappearing.

I docked my boat at a bar to have a drink with my dad, came out to the boat, fired her up, hit reverse, and went nowhere! No prop. Good thing I carried a spare.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

Gotta check that rig every time you leave it unattended. That includes the gas station and the rest area. Do the walk-around and check the lights, couple, receiver extension, tires/wheel/hubs/lugs, tongue jack, transom straps, etc. It only takes a minute.

I have caught kids removing drain plugs from a boat at a gas station.

Worst I ever saw was someone pulled the pin on the rear sliders on a hopper bottom grain trailer at a truck stop.

This particular truck stop has an onramp directly onto the interstate.
10 miles down the road is a toll booth.
THe semi gets there and hits the brakes, the rear brakes go on first(as designed) and the axles for the 8 rear wheels slide back, breaking the slider and dropping the trailer to the ground.
35,000 of corn hits the road, blocking 3 lanes of traffic for hours.

This has happened several times, and the truck stop has erected signs in the parking lot to advise the drivers to check their rigs.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

Another thing I do is just use a small combination lock on my lever. Having a combo lock means I'm never looking for a key. I also make sure my clevis pin in my hitch is always locked. I've know people who had kids pull the pin and put a stick in the reciever so the vehicle could go a few miles before the hitch fell out.

 

[kailec00]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

Do they make something lockable for these swing away toungue's so I can prevent this in the future?

You can get a lock at academy sports that fits through the hole in your pin. I keep it on my trailer all the time. Think is runs about 5 bucks.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

In (truck) driving school they tell you to check your fifth wheel pull rod every time you are away from the rig. No matter how short or long you were gone. There are a lot of wierdo's out there that just love to watch someone else drop their trailer. Apparently, this has morphed into boat trailers as well.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

To this date we have never had an issue with anyone tampering with our trailer when left unattended or boat when on the trailer. We all do the walk around after a stop though just to be on the safe side.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

We have never had any sabatoge either, however, I check it every time I stop, and everytime I leave it unattended. If not to check for sabatoge, then to check to see if my dumbass forgot something, and to check to make sure all my lights still work.

 

[bigbad 4cyl x2]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

In (truck) driving school they tell you to check your fifth wheel pull rod every time you are away from the rig. No matter how short or long you were gone. There are a lot of wierdo's out there that just love to watch someone else drop their trailer. Apparently, this has morphed into boat trailers as well.

i drive a tractor trailer ,while i was in the porta potty, my mechanic pulled up got out and pulled my hitch pin ,then he got a phone call got distracted and drove away . i got in the truck later and drove off . luckily i caught the end dump on the frame with enough of the plate to get back under it . i was torqued for awhile.

 

[dutchdog]

Re: Trailer Sabotage

I had someone unhook my trailer steal my jack. The good thing is they hooked the trailer back to the truck. I don't pull a trailer without locks on the hitch or pin now. As for my spare tire, I carry my spare in the bed of my truck, does less damage that way when someone steals it. It is not a very god tire or wheel. Just enough to get me home. Been in the truck for 2 years, still there.