Security Devices - Newbie

Oct 30, 2018
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I've been buying a few things second hand for our caravan, aquaroll etc. even though it won't be ready to collect until 09/19.
Looking at the hitchlocks and wheelclamps I see they're an insurance requirement. Is there an insurance requirement standard like Thatcham? I looked on Towergate Insurance and although they mention security they don't mention a standard.
Saw this on ebay CLAMP-LOCK-SECURITY-CARAVAN/283295546488?hash=item41f5bafc78:g:yNEAAO
Probably too cheap though!
Reading on here, I appreciate that if the thieves want it, they'll have it. Want to make it as hard for them as possible though!
TIA
Trevor
 
Feb 23, 2018
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Is this correct link?

Looks incomplete to me - part of the lock is missing from the photos. Your post history tells me you've bought a desirable new van. Don't stinge on the security. I have a similar looking Millenco version. They are quite flimsy - I bought another wheel lock to fit at the same time.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I use an Alko lozenge wheel lock and an Alko hitch lock. When touring I use a lightweight wheeel clamp by Milenco and the Alko hutch lock as I find the lozenge wheel lock can be tricky to fit in some pitches especially if you need to level the van on ramps. I draw the line at jacking it up on sites.
There are wheel locks similar to Alko but easier to fit.

Don’t skimp on good quality security. The aim being to get the thieve to move to another van :)
 
Oct 12, 2013
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Like someone else's said , don't be tight when it comes to security , lock it up make it look visible so it deters them , we have these on ours and have had them on both caravans that we have had and still working fine .....



And

 

Parksy

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Nov 12, 2009
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The highest standard for caravan security devices is Sold Secure diamond standard.
The level of security demanded by caravan insurance policies can vary according to the policy that you choose but products bearing the Sold Secure logo have been tested and the results are graded into different classifications, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Zumo said:
I've been buying a few things second hand for our caravan, aquaroll etc. even though it won't be ready to collect until 09/19.
Looking at the hitchlocks and wheelclamps I see they're an insurance requirement. Is there an insurance requirement standard like Thatcham? I looked on Towergate Insurance and although they mention security they don't mention a standard.
Saw this on ebay CLAMP-LOCK-SECURITY-CARAVAN/283295546488?hash=item41f5bafc78:g:yNEAAO
Probably too cheap though!
Reading on here, I appreciate that if the thieves want it, they'll have it. Want to make it as hard for them as possible though!
TIA
Trevor

I would strongly recommend joining one, or both, of the Clubs and using their insurance cover. The reason being the Clubs tailor their cover to caravans or motorhomes. They are competitive and the big benefit is that they have an excellent reputation if/when things go wrong. I recently had issues with a Towergate subsidiary over insurance for the contents of an apartment that became unexpectedly unoccupied. The T&Cs were unbelievable even though the contents had been removed.
 
Feb 23, 2018
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FWIW - I'm with Towergate and they did not specify a standard of lock... all they required was that a hitch and wheel lock be fitted (I don't know the requirement with winter wheels fitted) They were happy with the Millenco items that were bundled with the van. For my own peace of mind, I also fitted a second wheel lock on the other wheel and a steady lock.
 
May 7, 2012
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I could not get the link to work but quite simply you tend to get what you pay for. A cheap lock is not going to give you the best security and if it does not have Sold Secure approval I would avoid it.
Easily the best is the ALKO wheel lock but it can be a pain to fit. After that I would go with the Nemisiss or the full Milenco wheel clamp. The Bulldog one suggested looks a bit too lightweight for my liking.
As for hitch locks frankly they provide very little security except when locked to the toe car. In most cases they can be easily by passed with a length of chain or a specially made frame some thieves have to fit over the drawbar. With these they just tow the caravan away and deal with the hitch lock later.
Thieves generally will go for the easy option so if the choice is between yours and one or more others then the easy option is the one they will normally go for. On this basis spending a bit more does help but there are no guarantees.
 
Oct 17, 2010
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Craigyoung said:
Like someone else's said , don't be tight when it comes to security , lock it up make it look visible so it deters them , we have these on ours and have had them on both caravans that we have had and still working fine .....



And


I have almost the same, wheel clamp is a Milenco. On my drive I have a hitching post so gives the hitch lock a little bit more security.
 
Oct 30, 2018
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Ordered a Barefoot at the NEC, this was the only downside, waiting until September next year for it. Think it's worth the wait, we both love them.
 
Oct 30, 2018
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Thanks for the tips and advice. I'll look at getting the higher end gear.
The other half reckons we should get a cover as well to deter theft, any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Trevor
 
Mar 8, 2017
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Zumo said:
Thanks for the tips and advice. I'll look at getting the higher end gear.
The other half reckons we should get a cover as well to deter theft, any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Trevor

They are quite an effort to put on and take off, and then you have to store them. But if you are up for a bit of keep-fit then go for it.
 
Nov 16, 2015
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Zumo, your wheel clamps may be a bit of a problem , depending on what type of whèels you have gone for. The retro Wheels with the hubcaps will be a real, problem unless you remove a hub cap every time you lock it, the alloys would be ok tough. I dont think a cover will make any security advantage. Where do you plan to store it At home on the drive way or in a storage site.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Zumo said:
Thanks for the tips and advice. I'll look at getting the higher end gear.
The other half reckons we should get a cover as well to deter theft, any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Trevor

With such a bijou van putting on a cover shouldn’t be difficult. Whether it would deter theft is open to conjecture but my view is it wouldn’t hurt.
 
Oct 12, 2013
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Zumo said:
Thanks for the tips and advice. I'll look at getting the higher end gear.
The other half reckons we should get a cover as well to deter theft, any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Trevor

Wouldn't bother with the cover personally , we've never used one in five or six years , if they do pinch it you're just giving the scum bags a cover too !!
:blush:
 
Feb 23, 2018
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Dodger524 said:
Zumo said:
Thanks for the tips and advice. I'll look at getting the higher end gear.
The other half reckons we should get a cover as well to deter theft, any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Trevor

They are quite an effort to put on and take off, and then you have to store them. But if you are up for a bit of keep-fit then go for it.

On a Barefoot caravan? You could fling it over by yourself! - Barefoot will relieve you of £380 for a ProTec cover- I paid less than that for a 7.5m Sprite cover from ProTec. You could go direct and save money.

I used to cover my old caravan. It was about 4 metres long overall so the smallest Maypole cover was still too big, but I could fit it myself with no external assistance - The ProTec cover for my new caravan comes with poles to lift it over.

I agree they are a pain to store if they are wet/dirty but the ProTec ones seem to be quite a bit thinner than the Maypole ones, so they are lighter and smaller when packed.
 
Oct 30, 2018
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Planning to keep it on the drive. Will have a look at the Protec site, thanks.
Aside from security, just realised we get moss falling off the house roof onto the drive, so a cover would stop the moss settling on the van.
 
Feb 23, 2018
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Zumo said:
Planning to keep it on the drive. Will have a look at the Protec site, thanks.
Aside from security, just realised we get moss falling off the house roof onto the drive, so a cover would stop the moss settling on the van.

With the shape of a Barefoot I doubt much will be setting on the roof! Black streaks and general fall-out will dirty it up quicker and bird droppings!

ProTec do discounts for Club members, but also give discounts at the shows (where I bought mine from). If you can wait until February or October shows, you can save a bit more usually. I also have a ProTec towing cover.
 
Aug 14, 2014
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I have looked a lot at security over the last year or so and it is something I am fairly obsessive about as I have a Hobby caravan which tend to be stolen far more than other brands.

I am probably going to go against what most people above have said! As someone who does a bit of metal fabrication for a hobby and have a reasonable amount of basic equipment, I can remove every single one of those security products mentioned so far in minutes, if not a lot faster. And relatively quietly too. Sold Secure testing does not include oxyacetylene. Opportunistic thieves may not carry this, but every "professional" caravan thief will carry oxyacet and it will make very light work of every wheel clamp, hitch lock, post, chain etc. It is exceptionally effective at cutting metal, cheap and quiet compared to angle grinders etc (which incidentally will also remove any of those products, but will take longer on some and will create a lot of noise).

There is only one lock on the market that is effective and cannot be removed with oxyacetylene and this is the JSB Hublock. To date, there has never been a caravan stolen with a JSB Hublock. The design is a very very solid and heavy chunk of metal that bolts directly to the hub. In theory you could eventually get it off with oxyacetylene but to do so would generate so much heat in the hub itself that the hub would be completely destroyed. People who have not used the JSB will say its easy to get off by targeting the security bolts on it. That is not true - not because the security bolts are anything that special (they are off the shelf McGard bolts albeit a slightly different model to more commonly used ones). However, they are very deeply recessed into a narrow chamber with no lateral clearance that makes it exceptionally difficult to remove them. Professional tools such as Dynomec locking nut removers do NOT work due to the design. You cannot hammer a bolt over them and you cannot even weld a nut onto them. Again, I guarantee you that I could remove locking nuts off a wheel, but not the JSBs.

There is a downside of the JSBs and that is the wheel on one side needs to be removed to fit them. This makes them more inconvenient to use and will put a lot of people off, especially for touring. However, with practice and the right tools, it is not difficult to fit them. I can put JSBs onto my twin axle Hobby (so I have to fit 2 x JSBs) in about 6 minutes without rushing and that includes jacking it up. A single axle would probably take me little more than half that. With every day wheel wrenches you can add about a minute onto those times (typically I use battery impact gun for the wheel bolts and battery drill for the locking nuts). Using a Kojack jack makes jacking up very quickly and easily. I always use JSBs even when touring. If you didn't fancy using when storing, then use them when the caravan is in storage or on your driveway.

The other thing is that some insurance companies insist on a wheel lock and hitchlock and therefore are not content with you having JSBs even though they are the best security product out there and are Sold Secure approved. My insurance company (Towergate) do insist on them so therefore, for a wheel lock and hitchlock, I use the the cheapest Sold Secure product - I have no faith in them whatsoever but I want to be sure my insurance is valid.

If you are not convinced, give Kenneth from JSB a call - he is passionate about his product and will give you all the stats. I have absolutely no connection with JSB, but am just a happy customer.

Also, consider a good tracker and alarm. They will not stop your caravan from being stolen and a wired one can be found by the thieves and removed fairly quickly, but a decent product such as the Outsmart the Thief will have alerted you of the attempted theft before the thief has had a chance to remove it. In fact it will have alerted you before he/she has even heard the alarm. Again, if you want info, call the company owner - Carl Meyer at Outsmart the Thief knows so much about caravan security and not only makes and designs the product, but also is involved in recovering stolen caravans and can tell you all the tricks that the thieves use.

I would highly recommend you phone Kenneth (JSB) and Carl (Outsmart the thief) - they are both small companies and these individuals will answer the phone. However, I warn you, both of them can chat, so put aside an hour or so! However, neither are pushy salesman, just passionate about security and their products.

Sorry, that was a really long post but I am fed up of hearing about stolen caravans and you are buying a very nice and unique caravan that could be a more of a target for thieves. I am in the same situation with my Hobby.

Here are the websites for the products I mentioned:
www.jsbhublock.co.uk
www.606060.com/

I really hope this helps

Ben
 

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