Tow bar security

[BigRoy]

something for us all to be aware of while we are all out and about leaving our vans unattended on service areas etc.

I was looking through a few past threads a couple of days ago and I come across one about tow bar security. what it was basically pointing out was how easy it was to remove caravan from car by simply unbolting the tow ball, 2 bolts and they are away in seconds no matter how many locks you've got on the hitch. This one had not occurred to me, one of the replies recommended butchering the end of the bolts to make the nuts harder to get off, this is OK as a quick fix and is what I've done with a hammer and chisel, (if you are going to do this check the bolts are still tight as this can loosen them off)

Long term I'd suggest buying a longer bolt and drilling a 6mm hole in it near to the end, then bolt it on to the tow bar and then insert a 5mm nut and bolt in the drilled hole and then rivet it over with a big hammer.

 

[the other tom]

Hi Big Roy . I for one would never leave my van unattended in any service area in any country ,, it means doing the loo trip while one stays with the van .So be it . Tom

 

[Jim.M_5040716]

Why do people leave their vans unatended at sevice areas, you have your own loo , own kichen own food why waste time and money on them, use your own stuff.A few years ago, A friend of mine retuned to his van at a service station to find two men jacking up his van to get his alloy wheels, as he approached they made off in a van but left behind a very good trolly jack.When I told him to use his own facilities, he'd never thought of it but dose now.

Jim M

 

[Damian]

Simple answer is not to leave the van unattended, as has been said, however, rather than all the rounding off of bolts and drilling holes for other bolts, why not just weld the nuts to the bolts??????

Whichever course fo action you take, it still means using an angle grinder to change towball, or bolts.

 

[Icemaker]

this is a problem for all of us that tow caravans and as has already been said the best thing is to take it in turns to visit the loo, I don't really fancy the idea of waste in the vans toilet whilst travelling, but thats just me. this problem is even more serious with deatachable tow bars like the one i have but when i spoke to brink they adviced me that they sell a small brass lock that fits into the bars locking mechanism, this lock is an option and my towbar fitter failled to tell me about it this was his lack of care not brinks who where great to deal with.

 

[Lutz]

A word of comfort for all who tour the Continent and stop at service areas there. Caravan thefts are minimal compared to the UK. In 15 years of caravanning on the Continent I have never made any special arrangements to provide any extra security when stopping at a service area nor have I seen anyone else who has (other than UK visitors).

 

[Icemaker]

Lutz, don't know whether you can advice regarding the service areas abroad but we are having our first trip on the continent next year and i have read that there is a problem with caravanners being gassed in theire sleep and robbed whilst unconcious, is this problem in service areas or when people just stop anywhere, i have heard that it is mainly in france and apparently so bad that you can now buy gas alarms to alert you to an attack. It concerns us so much that we have decided that one of us will stay awake whilst the others sleep as there are three vans travelling together.

 

[Dusty1]

Lutz, don't know whether you can advice regarding the service areas abroad but we are having our first trip on the continent next year and i have read that there is a problem with caravanners being gassed in theire sleep and robbed whilst unconcious, is this problem in service areas or when people just stop anywhere, i have heard that it is mainly in france and apparently so bad that you can now buy gas alarms to alert you to an attack. It concerns us so much that we have decided that one of us will stay awake whilst the others sleep as there are three vans travelling together.

There have been threads about this in the past in the 'Overseas' forum. The advice of the two clubs is do not use the service areas for overnight stops. In France there are plenty of campsites close to main routes so why bother with service areas.

 

[Dusty1]

This all seems a bit extreme. If you must leave your unit in service areas why not wind down your corner steadies, fit a corner steady lock, fit your wheel clamp and your hitch lock, then what's the point of detaching the car and caravan? No need to butcher the tow ball bolts or have I misread this or missing something?

 

[Lutz]

Lutz, don't know whether you can advice regarding the service areas abroad but we are having our first trip on the continent next year and i have read that there is a problem with caravanners being gassed in theire sleep and robbed whilst unconcious, is this problem in service areas or when people just stop anywhere, i have heard that it is mainly in france and apparently so bad that you can now buy gas alarms to alert you to an attack. It concerns us so much that we have decided that one of us will stay awake whilst the others sleep as there are three vans travelling together.

I wasn't referring to safety or lack thereof when staying overnight at service areas but of the potential danger of having the caravan stolen during relatively short stops.

 

[Lutz]

Lutz, don't know whether you can advice regarding the service areas abroad but we are having our first trip on the continent next year and i have read that there is a problem with caravanners being gassed in theire sleep and robbed whilst unconcious, is this problem in service areas or when people just stop anywhere, i have heard that it is mainly in france and apparently so bad that you can now buy gas alarms to alert you to an attack. It concerns us so much that we have decided that one of us will stay awake whilst the others sleep as there are three vans travelling together.

The so-called 'gassing' problem appears to be real in southern France and northern Spain, but only on service areas along the main tourist routes. There have, as Dusty mentioned, been several threads on the same subject in this forum in the past. From my recollection, no-one seemed to have had any personal first-hand experience of the problem and there was even some discussion whether it wasn't all a myth. However, just as in the UK, there are similar reports on German television during the holiday season warning people travelling to or through southern France so I guess there must be some grain of truth in it.

 

[anita marsden]

Lutz, don't know whether you can advice regarding the service areas abroad but we are having our first trip on the continent next year and i have read that there is a problem with caravanners being gassed in theire sleep and robbed whilst unconcious, is this problem in service areas or when people just stop anywhere, i have heard that it is mainly in france and apparently so bad that you can now buy gas alarms to alert you to an attack. It concerns us so much that we have decided that one of us will stay awake whilst the others sleep as there are three vans travelling together.

Why worry about leaving you van unattended? Having just got back from Spain via French Autoroute,we were broken into whilst asleep in the caravan in a service area near Orange (Montpellier area). Been doing this run now for 10yrs, and never had no problems. Unable to find new locks abroad, we travelled back home and when had to sleep, we wedged a dingi oar through the door handle and a rope from the door to the fixed bunk ladders.