When parking your trailer do you back it in when possible?

[Taxus812]

So I have been doing some reading on locks and such and living in a area where you can leave you keys in your car never gave much thought about security.

I noticed the other day at a more heavily used boat launch several, of the trucks backed their trailer into the parking space. I didn't give it much thought and went about my day. Now I am thinking, hey I could be out boating and someone could simply unhook, and take my trailer (that would suck). Now backing it in makes sense. It is more difficult to steal it :lol:

For those that don't lock their receiver, ball hitch, run chains around to the nearest tree or hire a guard dog etc., do you back in your trailer into the spot ? Should you do this as a rule of thumb ?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Backing IN to a parking place is safer than backing OUT. Many companies require their employees to always back in.... IMHO when parking you should always back in if practical..... Added trailer security is a bonus tho only if other vehicles are on both sides of you.... Why not get a simple lock and keep your keys in your pocket?

 

[oldjeep]

The ramp I use most often is drive in back out on one side and back in drive out on the other since it is all angle parking and one way through the lot I typically pick the back in side since it can get tough to back out with a wide trailer when the spots beside me are taken.

I don't lock the trailer or have any concerns about it disappearing.

 

[JimS123]

I have the drawbar locked to the receiver and the coupler locked to the ball and the chain locked to the receiver. Overkill? Maybe.

My friend had his unlocked trailer stolen from the ramp on a Sunday the day before he was to go on vacation. He couldn't find a new trailer in stock anywhere on Monday, so his vacation was ruined. To make matters worse, the boat had to sit in the water for a couple weeks at a public launch ramp, after he basically stripped it of everything not bolted down.

A lock is so cheap and the 30 seconds to mount it isn't worth talking about.

 

[bruceb58]

I leave my trailer unlocked sitting in the street when I bring it up to Lake Tahoe.

When its parked at my house with the boat on it it is also unlocked. When the boat is at my dock at Tahoe, key is in the ignition as well. Am I tempting fate or am I just not a big worrywart?

I am also of the opinion if someone wants your trailer, a lock isn't going to help. The size of a lock that locks the coupler to the ball is one sledgehammer blow from being removed.

 

[haulnazz15]

I have always had a draw bar lock since I leave it on 24/7, and a cheap coupler lock for all of our trailers. It's just a deterrent, since someone could just strap the safety chains up and drive off without using a hitch ball if they wanted it bad enough. I back in only if it makes it convenient to pull the boat out when it's time to go, not for security purposes. However, I'd have little concern at leaving my boat/truck together unattended at most of the places I boat. I don't leave items in the bed/boat when it's unattended though.

 

[glenn property of pam]

interesting idea but if you came back and the truck was missing but the trailer was still there would you consider that the idea was wrong. Locks stop honest people from temptation but it wont stop a dishonest person.

 

[smokeonthewater]

personally I dislike that saying... Honest people don't NEED a lock to avoid temptation.... If they steal your stuff they weren't honest people..... Locks stop less motivated or less prepared dirtbags but more aggressive dirtbags will beat a lock.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Good points...any theft is often opportunistic. ..boat trailer left even less likely..the launches I use in NYS Finger Lakes have paid staff on site...only thing I lock is my spare tire in bed of pickup..with that said. .a cable connected to vehicle is cheap insurance..

 

[dingbat]

All of our ramps are 40' pull thru. Back in, pull in, doesn't matter.

 

[four winns 214]

Backing in may provide some measure of security, otherwise locks for the receiver and coupler are about the only defense against trailer theft. As mentioned, those will not deter a determined thief.

 

[drrpm]

Usually my wife or one of my daughters park the truck and trailer after we launch so I'm happy if they just get it parked in 1 space ;0. I guess someone could steal the trailer but there are always plenty of fancier ones to pick from. I've never heard of anyone stealing trailers from the areas I use to launch.

 

[White90GT]

I do back in when I can. Partly for trailer security and partly because it is easier to pull straight out in case some nit-witt at the parking area parks to close on either side of you and you can't swing the nose of your truck to pivot the trailer. That said, there are boat launches with parking areas that I don't worry about and I park straight in because there is nothing close enough behind me that I can back straight out of the parking spot and back all the way down the boat ramp. As far as locking up the trailer, when I travel out of town or to unfamiliar areas/launches, I tend to lock the chain to the trailer hitch rack and also use a receiver hitch lock. I have a few receiver hitches and have welded the ball to the receiver, so if I need a different ball, I just grab the other receiver hitch LOL.

 

[Taxus812]

I do back in when I can. Partly for trailer security and partly because it is easier to pull straight out in case some nit-witt at the parking area parks to close on either side of you and you can't swing the nose of your truck to pivot the trailer. That said, there are boat launches with parking areas that I don't worry about and I park straight in because there is nothing close enough behind me that I can back straight out of the parking spot and back all the way down the boat ramp. As far as locking up the trailer, when I travel out of town or to unfamiliar areas/launches, I tend to lock the chain to the trailer hitch rack and also use a receiver hitch lock. I have a few receiver hitches and have welded the ball to the receiver, so if I need a different ball, I just grab the other receiver hitch LOL.

Well that sounds like the simplest solution. (I also have several drawbars )

 

[achris]

... when I travel out of town or to unfamiliar areas/launches, I tend to lock the chain to the trailer hitch rack and also use a receiver hitch lock. ....

Same here. I use only 50mm (2") balls, but I have 2 receivers, one with the ball mounted high (for my boat) and one with the ball mounted low (for smaller boats or a box trailer). For security I put a lock through the chains and onto the vehicle, and it's not a small lock! And there's no place you could swing a lump hammer at it either. If someone needs my trailer, they'll be working hard for it...

Chris.........