Wheel lock and insurance

[Javert]

We are changing our insurance over to the Caravan and Motorhome club for this year.

They have a list of approved wheel locks on their site. One of the options is a Milenco Wraith. We have a Milenco Wraith but it's the really old one (the one shaped a bit like an egg with an arm that goes through the wheel).

There have been 3 different models of Milenco Wraith sold over the years as far as I can tell, but they don't specify that it has to be the most recent one. Does anyone else have any experience of this - I don't want the van to be stolen and then having them tell me that they meant the latest model Milenco Wraith 3.

I don't really fancy the Al-KO secure lock having spoken to other owners who say it's a pain to fit and makes it very hard to level the van.

If they won't accept it I'll probably get a purple line Excalibur which is also on their list and is hopefully easier to fit than AL-KO secure (and a lot cheaper).

By the way - while I'm asking about locks, if your caravan is stolen (and not recovered), how are you supposed to prove that your wheel lock was properly fitted at the time of the theft (or how are they going to prove that it wasn't)?

(I've also seen plenty of comments that even the AL-KO ones can be defeated / removed in a couple of minutes with a portable angle grinder).

 

[Woodentop]

Does the CAMC insurance require you to fit a wheel lock when you are on site? I know some insurers require it when the caravan is in storage - i.e. not in use - but I have never been asked to fit one when on site..

If you have a mover then getting the wheel in the right position to fit an Al-Ko lock is simple, and how many times have you ever had to use chocks to level the van? In 50+ year caravanning I doubt I have had to use chocks more than maybe a dozen times. It's easier to take two or three pieces of 300x25mm timber and drive your van onto them as a series of steps.

 

[birdman101]

As said above we have the used the Alko for about 16 years now on different caravans. If you have a mover quite simple to use. If I am a site and have to use a ramp under the side with Alko lock and it does not work out in the right position to fit, I then use a Wraith on the opposite side wheel.

 

[borderbilly]

I wouldn't touch a wraith with a barge pole after the trouble I had with them. Alko all the way.

 

[RogerL]

Does the CAMC insurance require you to fit a wheel lock when you are on site? I know some insurers require it when the caravan is in storage - i.e. not in use - but I have never been asked to fit one when on site..

If you have a mover then getting the wheel in the right position to fit an Al-Ko lock is simple, and how many times have you ever had to use chocks to level the van? In 50+ year caravanning I doubt I have had to use chocks more than maybe a dozen times. It's easier to take two or three pieces of 300x25mm timber and drive your van onto them as a series of steps.

AFAIK the CC insurance requires a declared wheel lock to be fitted if the caravan is stationary for more than 8 hours.

If I need to use a ramp on the nearside, I level the caravan then continue it up the ramp until the wheel lock lines up and then fit it - this makes no significant difference to the caravan floor level - and gives the advantage of draining the kitchen sink better !

 

[Javert]

Does the CAMC insurance require you to fit a wheel lock when you are on site? I know some insurers require it when the caravan is in storage - i.e. not in use - but I have never been asked to fit one when on site..

If you have a mover then getting the wheel in the right position to fit an Al-Ko lock is simple, and how many times have you ever had to use chocks to level the van? In 50+ year caravanning I doubt I have had to use chocks more than maybe a dozen times. It's easier to take two or three pieces of 300x25mm timber and drive your van onto them as a series of steps.

I will check but the wording seems to imply that if you take a discount for the wheel lock it must be fitted whenever the caravan is parked and not attached to the tow vehicle.

Does anyone have any experience with the Excalibur lock? It looks quite good because it can attach to the Alko receiver point but also has a backup arm that you can use.

 

[Javert]

AFAIK the CC insurance requires a declared wheel lock to be fitted if the caravan is stationary for more than 8 hours.

If I need to use a ramp on the nearside, I level the caravan then continue it up the ramp until the wheel lock lines up and then fit it - this makes no significant difference to the caravan floor level - and gives the advantage of draining the kitchen sink better !

This 8 hour thing does t seem to be mentioned in the most recent CAMC policy wording and would seem odd - surely you should attach the lock if you are at the motorway services and e.g. you detach the caravan to charge an EV?

I also find the wording that says the lock must be attached when the caravan is not hooked up to the car a bit odd - if you leave the entire train unattended a thief can just unhitch the caravan?

 

[birdman101]

I wouldn't touch a wraith with a barge pole after the trouble I had with them. Alko all the way.

Had the Wraith about 5 years now now problem whatsoever besides the Alko.

 

[birdman101]

Yes had the Excalibur fitted in the Alko receiver, in 2009 and our Daughter has still got it in use on her Caravan. But when I changed insurer in 2010 they would not give the £30 discount hence the Alko. Daughters insurance covers the Excalibur though, so it depends who you are insured with,

 

[otherclive]

I used Alko hitchlock and a light weight Milenco wheel lock. Only used Alko wheel lock at home or in store and I did have a motor mover. But at the time CMHC did not specify a particular make or model for either. If they don’t specify which Wraith to use then your existing one would be acceptable.

 

[Van Fisher]

I don't have a wheel lock yet and have been looking at what's available.
There are motorcycle locks these days, that are so hard, they will shred an angle grinder disc. I have not seen any caravan wheel locks with claims regarding resisting an angle grinder, quite a common tool for theives.

 

[otherclive]

I don't have a wheel lock yet and have been looking at what's available.
There are motorcycle locks these days, that are so hard, they will shred an angle grinder disc. I have not seen any caravan wheel locks with claims regarding resisting an angle grinder, quite a common tool for theives.

Very difficult to make it thief proof. My aim was to make them move on to someone else’s caravan.

 

[Van Fisher]

BTW, never put your faith in a hitch lock.
I had a horse trailer with one fitted, but it was stolen many years ago. The police advised me afterwards that "the thieves will just lift the tow hitch and chain it to the back of a truck in a few seconds. They can then tow it away and remove the lock at their leisure."

 

[Hutch]

I renewed my caravan insurance with the CMHC yesterday, below are the conditions

Security conditions
A requirement of this Policy is that whenever the outfit is left unhitched from the
towing vehicle, it is immobilised and protected against theft or unlawful removal by
the use of one of the following:
l an alarm system triggered by external sensors of movement (i.e. a corner steady
or tilt sensor)
l a wheel lock
l a wheel clamp
l a hitchlock

 

[otherclive]

I renewed my caravan insurance with the CMHC yesterday, below are the conditions

Security conditions
A requirement of this Policy is that whenever the outfit is left unhitched from the
towing vehicle, it is immobilised and protected against theft or unlawful removal by
the use of one of the following:
l an alarm system triggered by external sensors of movement (i.e. a corner steady
or tilt sensor)
l a wheel lock
l a wheel clamp
l a hitchlock

That’s pretty well as I remember it when I used CMHC. I didn’t opt for any insurer that offered a relatively small discount for using an Alko wheel lock as I found the terms to be restrictive. I preferred to take responsibility for my choices albeit at a small extra cost. I generally carried the Alko wheel lock just in case, but on site used a lighter Milenco unit easier to fit, along with hitch lock.