franklinman Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 We've had many discussions regarding our trailers on this forum such as axles, suspension, brake systems, hitch types, and tow vehicles. I'm curious about what some of you do regarding securing your trailers from either outright theft and/or break in while your trailer is parked at a show or even at home while it's not in use. This topic has come up in a discussion around the shop lately and there doesn't seem to be a general agreement. For instance, there must be 30-40 different ball locks (sometimes referred to as coupler locks) on the market today. If you look at the various reviews on line none seem to really receive overly positive reviews. I'd like to hear from you folks on how you address this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 The man-door (excuuuuse me, PERSONNEL door) is the weak point for break-ins. A good friend had his Featherlite entered that way. Fortunately nothing was stolen or taken from the 1937 Packard 12 inside, but the lock and latch were proprietary Featherlite items which took >$300 and 3 weeks to replace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Put a GPS tracker hidden in, under the trailer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Put a GOOD!! video camera pointed at the doors from inside. And tie it to your cell phone. Run 440 to the door handles. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 (edited) If a trailer is disconnected from a tow vehicle and not being actively used - position it so it is backed up against a wall - fence - vehicle at the rear and block the front with another vehicle that is disabled. If it is actively being used and is attached to a tow vehicle - when you stop and leave it unattended ( like at a motel for the night ) - back it up so the rear is blocked - disable the tow vehicle. I tow just about every day - if I leave my rig unattended - this is what I do. Jim Edited October 1, 2019 by Trulyvintage (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huptoy Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 A suggestion was to paint 5 letters/numbers 4 ft high on the roof. Most trailers look the same from the air & a sign on the roof will help identify your trailer. Not perfect but will help if an air search. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 On 10/1/2019 at 6:41 PM, huptoy said: A suggestion was to paint 5 letters/numbers 4 ft high on the roof. Most trailers look the same from the air & a sign on the roof will help identify your trailer. Not perfect but will help if an air search. Cops not going to send a chopper in the air for a stolen trailer. Still a good idea. We had a 500k rig stolen and the cops wouldn't do a thing. We found it ourselves between the GPS tracker that we installed and the locator from the factory computer. Stolen from WPB Fl and we found it near FT. Lauderdale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 If you are a professional hauler with an actual company - not just someone pulling a trailer behind a pick up truck - you have regulations and rules to observe. One important one - you cannot legally sleep in a pick up truck without an approved commercial sleeper conversion - either external to the truck cab or integrated into the rear seat on a crew cab of a quad cab: After driving the legal limit of hours in a given day - the last thing professional haulers want to do is sleep in their pick up truck - that is just depressing and frankly would stink up your truck real quick .... Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 8 hours ago, Trulyvintage said: If you are a professional hauler with an actual company - not just someone pulling a trailer behind a pick up truck - you have regulations and rules to observe. One important one - you cannot legally sleep in a pick up truck without an approved commercial sleeper conversion - either external to the truck cab or integrated into the rear seat on a crew cab of a quad cab: After driving the legal limit of hours in a given day - the last thing professional haulers want to do is sleep in their pick up truck - that is just depressing and frankly would stink up your truck real quick .... Jim I disagree Jim. Only reason that its not legal is that the cab is not wide enough. They sell extenders for the window to make it legal. This is what we use for our dually. And its legal.Your only lacking about 4in. 2in per side. And for stinking up the truck for sleeping in it? If you do not shower, YES!!. My sleeper is not much bigger than a back seat of a dually. It is higher. And it does not smell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 When I ran a day cab, I had a sleeping bag and a piece of plywood that I would lay across the seat. Back years ago, DOT would ask where did you sleep? I would show them my sleeping bag and say to them that I slept on the ground away from the truck. Never on or in the truck and never say hotel unless you had a receipt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 The truck posted with the add on sleeper new is over 6 figures. U can buy a class 7 with a sleeper a couple of years old for darn near the same price. Much safer and less maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 The “ Notel “ system shown above in the You Tube video is not compliant for commercial use. This sleeper is: I have seen drivers caught sleeping in their quad cab pick up trucks by Vehicle Enforcement in: Oklahoma Maine Pennsylvania The guy in Oklahoma was parked next to me at a Toll Service Service Plaza. It is no laughing matter. If you can’t afford to purchase the proper equipment to sleep in your pick up truck - find another job. Don’t BS folks by telling them it is for the “ security “ of their vehicle. Jim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 8 hours ago, Trulyvintage said: The “ Notel “ system shown above in the You Tube video is not compliant for commercial use. This sleeper is: I have seen drivers caught sleeping in their quad cab pick up trucks by Vehicle Enforcement in: Oklahoma Maine Pennsylvania The guy in Oklahoma was parked next to me at a Toll Service Service Plaza. It is no laughing matter. If you can’t afford to purchase the proper equipment to sleep in your pick up truck - find another job. Don’t BS folks by telling them it is for the “ security “ of their vehicle. Jim Based on? 7 million miles and having a tow company near scales, I have never seen or proof of sleeper violation. Log off duty and not sleeper berth and not a darn thing that DOT can do. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/393.76 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 From TrulyVintage. (If you can’t afford to purchase the proper equipment to sleep in your pick up truck - find another job) Anything under class 7 truck should be outlawed for doing over the road hauling. From TrulyVintage. (Don’t BS folks by telling them it is for the “ security “ of their vehicle) People that haul high end freight like jet engines and certain HC are required to stay with the truck. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chistech Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 On 10/6/2019 at 10:54 AM, countrytravler said: From TrulyVintage. (If you can’t afford to purchase the proper equipment to sleep in your pick up truck - find another job) Anything under class 7 truck should be outlawed for doing over the road hauling. From TrulyVintage. (Don’t BS folks by telling them it is for the “ security “ of their vehicle) People that haul high end freight like jet engines and certain HC are required to stay with the truck. I agree that the weight some of the smaller trucks are running is ridiculous. The big three all make duallies and while the GM is listed at 26k, Ford and Dodge are listed at 32k. 26k is already too high on pickup tires and brakes but 32k? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 On 10/25/2019 at 10:30 PM, chistech said: I agree that the weight some of the smaller trucks are running is ridiculous. The big three all make duallies and while the GM is listed at 26k, Ford and Dodge are listed at 32k. 26k is already too high on pickup tires and brakes but 32k? I agree.........even with a trailer with triple axles and 8K electric brakes...........anything over 18k gross just doesn’t stop safely. And......almost no one properly keeps their trailer brakes serviced correctly. There are more asinine rigs overloaded than you can imagine. It’s only a matter of time till some idiot kills twenty people and we will all start paying the price. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrytravler Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 Run with power disk brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 When I get an enclosed trailer, I have agreed to do some free advertising on the sides and rear for one of my former customers when I was selling plumbing supplies. He owns a sewer and drain cleaning business, and a few graphic pictures of 'worst case scenarios' such as sh!t running uphill, etc., commonly seen in the plumbing trade where some have waited too long to take preventative action, along with his company name and phone number will help keep the riff-raff away!! Craig 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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