Hitch Question?

[brickNblock]

Hey all..........

I feel stupid for having to have to ask this but here goes.........

Thats what you OFC members are here for...correct?

 

Installed a trailer hitcth acessory to the truck.

It is square tube steel that slides into the counterpart on the truck, secured by about a 1/2" bent rod which is angled so's not to come out and on the otherside there is a groove for a cotterpin.

Came out of the grocers tonight and someone was trying to remove it as I approached the truck. The cotter pin was broken on the ground and the square tube steel hitch was lying there.

How do you successfully secure this hitch as it is?......OR,

Do you just bring it in at night?

 

Ive had hitch's in the past but each and everyone was welded to my truck.

What say 'Ye All???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Smokey]

Walmart and Canadian Tire both sell locks for the recievers as well as all the trailer places. About $20 is what it will cost you for one.

 

 

It should look something like this......Click here

Edited December 15, 2006 by Smokey

[lew]

I never leave my receiver in Pete, I keep it in the house away from the thieves.

[Ron]

Where the cotter pin is located, I drilled an over sized hole to accomodate a pad lock. Installed pad lock and threw away the key. Cost me 6 bucks for the pad lock.

[tinbanger]

have someone rear end you and bend it onto your rear bumper

 

TB

[brickNblock]

Thanks very much for the tip Smokey........it's what I'll get for sure.

 

Lew....smart lad you are...It's also what I'll do when not being used.

 

Tinbanger...............

thanks for the reply.........

[Whopper]

Kinda a shame that theives will take anything.

I've had my job trailer broke into twice in the last week, so I left the locks off the second time and what do they do ...shoot the window out of my office

Tiss the season I guess

 

Whopper

[jjcanoe]

For about $20 @ Princess Auto you can get a hitch receiver bar with a lock and also the one you use on the little clip for the trailer on the ball receiver( I can't think of what it's called). They both come with the same key so you only have to carry one key.

 

jjcanoe

[medic]

Carry a baseball bat in your vehicule !!!! If you know what I mean !!!!

[POLLIWOGG]

Someone probably smashed their leg on your hitch and was going to toss it through your windshield. Take it off before it gets your leg too, they're easy to take off for a reason.

[OhioFisherman]

At the flea markets here those inserts for receivers are always for sale, kind of makes you wonder where they get them from, used. The inserts will rust in and become hard to remove, if you don`t want to bang legs into them take them out. I have a few of them, I have some set up with 1 7/8 balls some with 2 inch balls, also one set up with a quick change ball, remove a pin and the ball head come off and you can put a different size ball head on. Like anything these days lock it or take it off or it`s gone..

[Carp]

The best thing is to remove the ball and adjoining hardware when not in use.

I keep them wrapped in a couple of shopping bags to keep grease/rust from getting anything dirty.

Leave the bag in the vehicle, garage or house until you need it.

 

These may help deter theives, but if they really want it,

they'll find a way.

Locks for the hitch and trailer coupler. Keys match both locks.

I think they were $10/set at Princess Auto (on sale). I bought extras if you want a set.

Let me know Peter.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2006 by Carp

[lew]

When I'm using the receiver, it's padlocked to the hitch.

 

When I'm fishing and the truck & trailer are parked at the ramp, the trailer is padlocked to the ball.

 

Then I take the spare wheel off the trailer tongue and lock it in the truck.

 

Plus my expensive chrome truck wheels are locked onto the rims with special lock nuts.

 

It's a pretty sad world were forced to live in, isn't it ??

[brickNblock]

Thanks for all the replies guys.....

Polliwog..Harsh you are..but dead correct!

Carp..thanks for the offer Bud.....

Lew..as always...your advice will be adhered to

This is what I will do so this post is finished........

Going to remove it when not in use and wrap it in a couple of shoppingbags after I've greased all the parts.

This way I for sure am not going to bang my shins on it or heaven help a lawsuit...anyone else.

When in use and parked whilst fishing...picking up a lock down bar and deffinitely getting rid of the bentbar setup it came with.

Thanks for your replies and help fellas...most helpful.

peter

[POLLIWOGG]

Sorry ,I don't wan't to come off as harsh, I just haven't figgerd out how to use those yeller smiley face guys. I try to stay as computer illiterate as I can and still use one, trying not to waste so much time on this thing when I should be doing something else..