trailer locking system frozen

[rzkas]

hi and how are you? on my hitch i had a lock instead of a pin. after docking the boat in salt water all last season, i tried to unlock the lock but it is frozen. i kept trying to the point i partially broke one of the key but still have one good key. the key did not broke inside the lock but i can see that it broke partially. what do i need to do to brake the frozen salt or rust salt inside this lock because i want to remove my hitch from the truck but i can't until i remove the lock. any idea how to go about unlocking the lock or removing the hitch. i have the "master lock". thanks

 

[Dick Bacon]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

A good penetrating oil sprayed inside the lock should break it free. PB Blaster is some good stuff.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

Hi!!
You have to back your trailer that deep? Might as well get a die grinder and cut it off and buy a new one. Keep it lubed if your in salt.

 

[rzkas]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

i tow my boat with my savana van and it low

 

[oldjeep]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

Drill the lock out

 

[H20Rat]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

Drill the lock out

way quicker just to take a angle grinder with a cutting blade. Drilling locks SUCKS, especially if you have a key in it and you can't put the lock in a bench vise to hold it still. They obviously are made of fairly hard metal, and depending on the construction, drilling it out may not even open it up.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

two pound hammer and beat the hell out of it.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

two pound hammer and beat the hell out of it.

If the lock is worth being called a lock, the hitch will be destroyed before the lock!

This is not the time for Redneck Engineering.

 

[ufm82]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

Air or electric grinder or the venerable flame-wrench...

 

[oldjeep]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

way quicker just to take a angle grinder with a cutting blade. Drilling locks SUCKS, especially if you have a key in it and you can't put the lock in a bench vise to hold it still. They obviously are made of fairly hard metal, and depending on the construction, drilling it out may not even open it up.

Good luck getting a grinder in by the hitch pin without hitting the hitch - been there done that, bought the tshirt. If you have decent bits you can drill a lock out in a minute or 2. Personally I use a plasma cutter when I'm at home

 

[T_Herrod]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

Soak a couple of large rags in water and wrap them around the trailer hitch ahead and behind the lock. Get a torch and cut the lock off. The wet rags will keep the flame and heat from the torch from damaging the hitch.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

This might be a good time to drop the whole hitch. Then you can cut the lock off, grind off any rust, repaint it and reinstall it with new hardware.

 

[nlain]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

If you use the cut off wheel method go to the opposite side and cut that end off, I think there will be more room that way.

 

[cribber]

Re: trailer locking system frozen

Like everyone has said here... cut it off with whatever means is available to you. I use a laminated masterlock on my trailer and have to spray it occasionally with WD40 when it gets tough to open.