Bulldog Lifelong Trailer Hitch Lock for 2" Hitches - Flush - 2-1/2" Span - Stainless

by: BiG_BeAR09/19/2023

This is probably one of the best stainless hitch locks of the regular through-pin style locks. It installs flush, and uses a solid pin. The locking side is also beefier than most, and sits tighter and deeper on the pin than most other pin locks - making it harder to try and hammer it off, or getting at the pin with a cutting tool. The lock uses large solid ball bearings for the lockup, and a disk style locking mechanism, which is harder to pick without specialty tools. So overall, one of the best regular pin style locks. We towed a 6'x12' that weighed around 6,000lbs from PA to FL without any issues with the pin-lock. We actually had to disconnect our trailer along the way, a few times, and the pin was easy to work with, and the lock really smooth. Don't hesitate to get it.1670279

I purchased this Bulldog pin for my 2015 Yukon with a factory installed hitch. In this application this Bulldog hitch pin fits very well.

I selected this pin due to its simple design and the generally compact diameter of the lock cylinder and the pin's beveled head-end.

The lock cylinder diameter is import since GM penetrates the nominal 2" ID hitch tube through a steel bulkhead. There is only 7/16" distance between the hitch tube's nominal 5/8" clearance hole edge and the face of the factory bulkhead. Also, the hitch tube is fillet welded to the bulkhead. Thus, both the pin head and the lock cylinder need to have some relief (i.e. the bevel on the pin head-end) in order to clear this external bulkhead weld.

Most of the above fitment concerns are overcome by the Bulldog pin's grip length being greater than that listed on the etrailer site (and in their videos as well). Specifically, the grip length is 2-11/16" rather than the listed 2-1/2". See the attached photos. Note that in the first photo the lock cylinder is firmly seated on the ball locking end of the pin. In the photo note that the cylinder is fully engaged and locked, which would not be possible if the cylinder was not fully seated on the pin end.

The first photo shows the dial caliper fully closed and properly reading zero.

Also note that the GM hitch tube is 2-9/16" square (outside dim.), thus technically a 2-1/2" pin grip length would be inadequate in this application. Since I have a metal turning lathe I was prepared to machine the pin a slight amount in order to make it fit. Thankfully, this was not necessary since the grip length is 3/16" greater than advertised.

The pin is Chinese made in "stainless steel". I did test the pin with a magnet and it does appear to be austinitic (high enough in Ni and Cr alloys) since the magnet had no attaction to the pin.

I do like that the lock cyklinder has an internal o-ring to help keep out "road splatter". I also gave the lock cylinder a short squit of WD-40.

In sum, a well designed rugged product at a fair price.

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by: Aaron01/28/2023

I like the fact that the shaft is one piece of solid steel. The actual locking component of the 2-piece hitch lock has tumblers and a key that seems loose. Also, the 2 ball bearings inside the shaft fall out too easily when the locking component is removed. You really have to watch out for them falling out and rolling away when you unlock the shaft and remove the lock piece.1509262

The Bulldog Lifelong Trailer Hitch Lock is extremely well made but the greatest attribute is how easily and securely you can change hitches. The locking mechanism works beautifully unlocking and snapping back together. Although I cannot rate endurance, I am sure it will wear well.320518

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It is OK but didn't fit my truck and I did not like it.It is made in china and was not as heavy duty as I would like. The tapered inside ends prevent it from locking on my 2 inch receiver. As a first time buyer from etrailer they customer service is excellent and the shipping is lighting quick. I purchased a Infinite Rule weight rated hitch pin from etrailer instead. Super heavy duty and U.S.A. made for my Gen-Y trailer hitch. A match made in towing heaven!1238328

Jenny N.

1/7/2022

This lock has a inside pin length of 2.50 inches while the Infinite rule lock part # 34061072-D has an inside pin length of 3.125 which works well with factory 2.5 hitch receivers.

Helpful Links

p-34061072-D.html

by: Dwayne06/19/2022

Very secure and strong lock. 1314718

Dwayne

6/24/2023

This is a great product. Easy to use and open. Secure!

The ordered item is one of many I've ordered from etrailer. These people are customer intensive with all sorts of help and information that is needed to make an intelligent, knowledgeable very useful purchase. They tell you what you need to know.919943

Terry

12/8/2021

Our experience has not been good. These snap pads were put on a 2021 Tiffin Bus 40IP. The left rear would not stay on so I ordered another one from eTrailer. It would not stay on either and over time three fell off and Tiffin at Red Bay removed the remaining one. I used the soap as suggested to get the pads to slip into position. It seemed to me the rear pads were slightly larger than the jack pad itself. But, the problem could have been entirely me. I did put pads on a 2020 Tiffin Red and that was perfect. eTrailer has been outstanding with their customer support and excellent helpful videos - none better.

by: Matt09/11/2021

Don't buy this. It worked, less than 2 dozen uses. In between it was stored in the truck and out of the weather and has not been abused. I noticed once or twice that it seemed unlocked when I reached my destination, and thought I hadn't locked it properly. But now after some testing I realized that by simply shaking the lock it pops open!! Talk about NOT secure...1149762

The customer service and the timeliness in which l have received my orders from etrailer.com is second to none. I needed my hitch to arrive on time so I could pick up a nice chunk of Sycamore. A bit of electrical tape on the shaft to eliminate "play" in the receiver, slip in the new lockable SS pin from Bulldog and off we went to pick up my prize! What a great company to do business with!371650

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by: Robert01/19/2023

these locks that we purchase were outstanding. they hold very in the desert environment aboard the MCAGCC base.1502629

Very well made but haven’t even used yet to honestly give a complete review.1608678

by: Guillermo C.07/19/2019

Excellent product. I purchased two of these locks and although I have never had a problem at any campsite I have ever been to, it is nice to have peace of mind that expensive items are secure. I purchased one to secure the hi-lo hitch and another to secure the actual tow bar itself. Whenever I have to remove or deploy the unit it is very easy to do so. Just press the button to lock it in place or turn the key and pop the lock to remove. Simple, very well made and am very happy with the product.672364

Guillermo C.

7/20/2020

Excellent, no problems at all after extensive use. Gives me peace of mind that hitch and tow bar are secure when I’m traveling away from the campground.

I needed a very good hitch lock and I found it at e-trailers when I bought the Bulldog SS Hitch lock. It is an outstanding piece of equipment that is easy to engage and unlock. It is very strong metal and I will not worry about the safety of my trailer which I use frequently. I received the lock in a matter of days which I like very much. Customer service is excellent at e-trailers. 193000

Drdyess

5/27/2016

It is still an outstanding piece of equipment and still working great

by: Bert11/27/2017

After about a year of being under the truck, this lock still works. It is getting a little hard to get the lock off but the key still turns good. I will add some lube to it and see if it frees up next time I change hitch size on that truck. Looks like the rubber o-ring or the balls are a little stiff.
Still a good lock and this is expected for where this thing lives on the truck...455081

Bert

11/27/2018

Still a little stiff but hasnt really changed. lube helps but when its cold out the rubber makes it hard to get on and off. White lithium grease helped a little. I may try a silicone grease next. The rubber cover for the key is gone so well see how long the key works. It works and Im good with it.

by: Cleason01/30/2021

Had this lock in my truck for almost a year now. Was working great but I lost the rubber cap that covers the key hole and the salt and slop of upstate New York is making it difficult to lock/unlock.947721

Cleason

2/7/2022

Had to quit using it because it siezed up.

Heather A.

2/18/2022

I recommend to make sure you are keeping the black rubber plug on the end of the lock to prevent any debris from getting in there. You may also consider spraying the inside of the lock with white lithium spray grease.

I purchased this for the rust proof property and the snap in locking feature. The key hole cover is flimsy. I switched it out for my old hitch lock cover. It has a band that fits perfectly around the top of the cylinder and a fold down cap.112085

Seanonsports

1/8/2015

The lock has not rusted. It fits securely. The key hole cover was switched out by me with a rubberized cap.

Very satisfied with this Lifelong hitch receiver lock. It was advertised as being of stainless steel construction and is 100% STAINLESS STEEL!!! There were others that I purchased that stated they too were all stainless, but in actuality they weren't and rusted in a very short period of time. Once again, I'm very satisfied with this product that I purchased from etrailer. THANK YOU! 68397

Anthony

8/30/2014

Fine

Works exactly as expected. Great price and fast shipping from etrailer.521231

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by: Steve08/12/2021

I purchased this item about a year ago and have used it a dozen or so times. The lock will no longer open and deploy… I have ordered another lock pin from etrailer… Hopefully will have better luck with this one. But the bulldog lock has been a disappointment…. I would not recommend or repurchase.1121229

Sierra K.

8/18/2021

Thank you for your comment. Aftermarket items that will be out in the elements need to be lubricated every so often to keep them in good working order.

by: bill01/10/2021

I can't recommend this hitch lock. The locking cap has a pin that fits into the end of the pin, pushing two steel balls outward, which prevent the cap from coming off. The locking cap worked fine, but the steel balls in the pin corroded to the point where they would not withdraw back into the pin. After 22 months on the truck I could not remove the locking cap from the hitch lock. Fortunately, I was able to use a pry bar to force the locking cap off and remove the hitch lock.
I do occasionally launch my boat in saltwater but the pin would never have been submerged, so I still wouldn't expect the corrosion.
FYI, I replaced it with a screw-on type lock and thoroughly greased the threads.936007

Looks and works like a champ! 1591639

by: Steven08/31/2022

Very secure, works easily if you give it some lube in the tumbler and ball bearings occasionally. Holding up fine and gives you that peace of mind.1386269

by: Mike W.05/08/2020

Bought 2 of these sturdy locking hitch pins to secure a drop hitch to my motorhome's receiver tube and the other to secure the ball mount to the drop hitch. They are quite stout and made from high grade stainless steel. No sign of rust on either one after being exposed to FL weather. It would have been better if they used the same key, but that option wasn't available when I purchased them. I find locking/unlocking them to be very finicky. The main issue is the spring-assisted lock cylinder. It pops completely out of its barrel when unlocked, and if you're not careful, the spring shoots off never to be found again. This has happened to both of my locks. In short, they are well-made but suffer from a poor locking design.793816

by: Dave07/28/2018

Overall this is a great hitch lock. I purchased it primarily because it is stainless steel, rather than plated steel like my old lock, which ended up with a lot lot of surface rust. I like the "push button" lock feature as it allows you to lock the lock without a key and visually tell that it is locked. There is one potentially major flaw with this lock that I did report to etrailer months ago and I do not know if has been addressed. After winter I tried to unlock the lock and could not do so (the locking button would not pop out). It took me about an hour of fiddling with it, using WD 40, to get the thing open. Evidently a bit of water got into the lock and although most of the lock is stainless steel the little spring-loaded ball bearing that actually engages the locking mechanism is not. It had rusted quite severely. Since then I've kept the inside of the lock well greased and it's worked OK. The ball bearing should also be stainless. This little oversight could be a huge deal if you were on a trip and couldn't unlock your hitch from your vehicle.546966

I purchased the Bulldog stainless hitch lock paired with pintle combo and solid 8 bolt adjustable hitch to work on a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 cummins. She (the combo) is a thing of beauty and now ready to work. I felt like a proud father when the man in brown arrived with my baby. I expect to recieve many years of service from these items. Your teams service is second to none.We will be doing buisness again in near future.109257