Leaving your baby behind.........

[Willman]

I'm pretty new to the offroad trailer thing........I have alway just gone on trips with just my rig......I have been thinking about this issue for a while......Maybe on a trip you want to take a harder trail than what your trailer can do.....Your options are to leave the trailer behind or not go.....Just wondering what you guys have done in this case.......Many of you have spend $$$$$$ on your trailer.......would like to hear what you have to say.....

What do you guys do to keep your trailer from not getting in the wrong hands????

Here's my pee....brainstorming:
-15' 5/16 chain w/lock
-Make sure trailer has locks everywhere!!!!!
-Leave a person behind to watch???
-Leave your dog behind (Note: Dog hasn't been feed for a week:chowtime: )
-Fill in the blank!!!!!!!!!!:REOutArchery02:

:jumping:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f374/nicwillman/Fathers%20Day%2007/DSC02878.jpg

:chowtime:

[Martyn]

From reading about your trailer I see you have a multi axis coupler, so that's good.

The pictures you posted earlier looked like the trailer had the original axle and spring set up, with the axle sprung under. What is your ground clearance like in comparison to your tow rig? If you need more clearance consider doing a spring over.

With the multi axis coupler and the ground clearance there should be no problem taking your trailer on any trail your vehicle can go on.

[Willman]

From reading about your trailer I see you have a multi axis coupler, so that's good.

The pictures you posted earlier looked like the trailer had the original axle and spring set up, with the axle sprung under. What is your ground clearance like in comparison to your tow rig? If you need more clearance consider doing a spring over.

With the multi axis coupler and the ground clearance there should be no problem taking your trailer on any trail your vehicle can go on.

Great point Martyn......The hitch is great way to keep people away!

As of now...trailer is sprung under.....Going to do a spring over soon to just get me by than save up the $$$$ for your AT conversion......

From my home state of Washington.....Their is alot of trails that are to tight for a trailer and a rig........

[DesertBound]

No answers here, but I've always been curious about the same thing.

:lurk:

[Grim Reaper]

Unfortunately the trails in the east are seldom long enough where we don't set a base camp. :(

Wish I had such a problem that the trail is long enough that you will have to camp midway though.

My plan is no tongue to hook up to (removable like the AT).

Lock a receiver pin in the trailer side incase somebody us just creative enough to come up with a lunette. Make them have to cut that off.

I have thought about welding a Eye to the frame so I could thread some chain or cable through the wheel and pad lock it to the frame.

With your military trailer you could figure out a way to lock on the parking brake.

The problem is if they got the uninterrupted time they could over come the security measures. I just plan to make it as much of a pain in the butt as I can.

[pskhaat]

Dude, I thought you were literally going to leave your baby behind in the trailer when I first read your post. I know she's a good little trail baby and good sleeper, but didn't know how the wife would like that.

[Willman]

Dude, I thought you were literally going to leave your baby behind in the trailer when I first read your post. I know she's a good little trail baby and good sleeper, but didn't know how the wife would like that.

:xxrotflma

Can you say bad father!!!.....One word...dog house!!!

I wouldn't leave my cuttie for anything!!!!!! Shes is a great traveler!!!! :wings:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f374/nicwillman/Fathers%20Day%2007/DSC02860.jpg

:)

[kcowyo]

You need to develop (a million dollar idea coming here Nic) a quick release wheel, like they have for bicycles.

Leave your trailer, padlock the hitch, pull off a wheel and throw it in the truck. If you come up with a lockable lid too, you're set, no worries.

[Martyn]

Great point Martyn......The hitch is great way to keep people away!

As of now...trailer is sprung under.....Going to do a spring over soon to just get me by than save up the $$$$ for your AT conversion......

From my home state of Washington.....Their is alot of trails that are to tight for a trailer and a rig........

Nic

An interim solution, while your saving up for our conversion, would be to do a spring over with the stock suspension you have. It's not too complicated.

We take our rigs on some very tight trails towing a trailer. The advantages we may have over the military trailers in this regard are that;
AT track closely behind the vehicle
They have responsive maneuverability when reversing
We can manipulate the electric brakes on the trailer separately from the vehicle brakes

This brake action allows us to change the trailers path by either allowing the tires on the trailer to rotate freely or skid.

When you do get around to doing the AT retro fit you may want to consider upgrading to electric brakes at the same time.

[Martinjmpr]

Landmines? Punji Sticks? Burmese Tiger Trap (http://survival.com/IVB/index.php?showtopic=10105&pid=96197&st=0&#entry96197)? :D

I think the obvious questions here are (a) where would the trailer be left and (b) how long would it be left there? I'd say dropping it off on the side of a trail just to get further down the road would probably be OK if you understand that you'll only be leaving it a short time (1 hour or so) and will be coming back to get it. It would have to be a pretty opportunistic thief to come up behind you and try to snatch your trailer in such a short time. Rudimentary security measures (such as chaining it to a tree or removing the hitch) would probably be fine.

Another option might be traveling with the trailer to a "base camp" then dropping the trailer at the base camp while you went off exploring. I've seen people do this before (even done it myself occasionally) with things like tents and coolers, and never had any problems. In fact, I've seen some pretty elaborate campsites with no people or vehicles nearby. However, I'd never leave anything that could be considered a "high value item" at a campsite (electronics, firearms, rescue equipment, etc.) For this a more robust security system might be a good idea, although depending on where you camped you would also have the option of hiding/camouflaging the trailer so it is not apparent to wandering eyes. Like locking your car door, it won't stop a determined thief, but it might help to "keep honest people honest."

[Willman]

You need to develop (a million dollar idea coming here Nic) a quick release wheel, like they have for bicycles.

Leave your trailer, padlock the hitch, pull off a wheel and throw it in the truck. If you come up with a lockable lid too, you're set, no worries.

Now were cooking with diesel!!!!!!

Your the Man KC.........:)

Thanks guys for all the replys!!!! Great ideas that i'm going to pass on!

I want to make this thread for everyone not just myself if you know what i mean....

Thanks again for all the tips!

Keep them coming!!!!!

:jumping:

[durango_60]

I'm planning on simply removing the lunette and rigging a lock to the parking brake.

[articulate]

Is it too corny to suggest a tire boot? You know the kind.

[DaveInDenver]

Leave your trailer, padlock the hitch, pull off a wheel and throw it in the truck. If you come up with a lockable lid too, you're set, no worries.
How about these? The first looks like a modified Denver Boot and the second is from a place called Port-a-Vend.

http://www.portavend.net/

[Willman]

I'm planning on simply removing the lunette and rigging a lock to the parking brake.

Wish i had a parking brake......:shakin:....lucky!

[Willman]

Mark and Dave......

Great ideas!!!!

:)

[atavuss]

Willman, what size tires do you have on your Bantam? I am running 7.00x16 NDT military type tires and I have about 11" ground clearance at the lowest point. If I leave my trailer at the campsite I use a thick Brinks brand cable and lock to secure it to a large tree.

[ntsqd]

Just the lack of any sort of coupling on the tongue is going to make things pretty difficult unless they've scouted out your operation.

From there it's a matter of how much you want to trouble with vs. how much of a hinderence you've created.

[Tucson T4R]

Mine has one of those goofy OZ TREG hitches...that should confuse them for awhile. :shakin:

[erin]

Those trailer boots work pretty good, we use them for our towable mixers when leaving them on jobsites, plus we always pull the tongues. Mixers in Tucson love to live in Mexico for some reason, we're still trying to get 2 of ours to come home.:(

[alia176]

Those trailer boots work pretty good, we use them for our towable mixers when leaving them on jobsites, plus we always pull the tongues. Mixers in Tucson love to live in Mexico for some reason, we're still trying to get 2 of ours to come home.:(

Just curious, can the "booted" wheel be removed and replaced with a spare?

[ntsqd]

Usually the "boot" covers the lug nuts/bolts to prevent that very thing from happening.

[RunninRubicon]

I drop my trailer alot at my base camp and thru trails in which I have changed my mind about pulling my trailer further.
1.)I leave the receiver on the ball with both locked in-place. Tuff to cut either of these two off with anything people usually haul with them on the trail. usually hammer proof.
2.)I use a 1/2" cable that I run through a wheel and around the springs that secure it from rolling away. I do this at camp too just to stop people temptations/urges from growing too large to resist.
3.)I make a GPS waypoint on my Jeeps GPS unit so I can come back and find the darn thing after I have dropped it off!

**recognize this only stops the honest guy. A theif will get it anyway.
***good insurance policy to replace it with today's market value.

[cruiseroutfit]

Rarely do I un-hitch the trailer, unless I do so because we had planned to basecamp... I wouldn't plan to the trip around the trailer. Mine is setup to go anywhere the Cruiser will... though tight trails can be a PITA at times.

When I do leave the trailer at camp, I have a couple of cable locks. I usually try and park it next to a tree or picnic table, etc. Cable the two together and not worry. You can't open the top of my rig without opening the spare tire, and the spare tire is locked, while a determined individual could break in... it will stop the snatch and grab.

[DaktariEd]

With my Horizon AT (don't know about the Chasers) the multi-axis hitch simply pulls out....leaving an open receiver in its place. Unless some would-be thief had the appropriate hitch it would seem to be pretty hard to take...