Solution for Preventing Trailer Theft When Away From Trailer

Updated 06/05/2018 | Published 06/02/2018

Question:

Hello, I have a dump trailer with electric brakes, the trailer has a battery to drive the hydraulics for the dump. I know the electric brakes get power from the tuck when hooked up, but can they draw power from the battery in the trailer if the emergency braking pin is pulled out engaging the brakes?? When we park the trailer, we occasionally pull the emergency pin out and lock it away so it does not get stollen and have the brakes engaged if someone tries to steal the trailer. But we have noticed that the battery in the trailer dies quickly after doing this if the trailer sits for a few days. Thanks

asked by: Greg

Expert Reply:

For your dump trailer, I recommend looking into an alternate theft prevention method while it is unattended.

Since a trailer breakaway kit needs to be powered by a fully charged battery, the issue you described in your question of coming back to a depleted battery will persist, regardless of how the kit is connected.

Most likely the battery for your breakaway kit is actually depleted long before you return to the trailer if it is sitting for a few days. This essentially means that the anti-theft measures you are taking are not active for the majority of the time that the trailer is sitting unattended. Also, if a potential thief were to come upon the trailer with the brakes still locked, he/she wouldn't discover this until actually pulling the trailer, which might only result in the brake assemblies being damaged and the thief may continue to pull it anyway.

I instead recommend using a trailer coupler lock like the Fastway Universal # FA86-0015-307. This is designed to fit most trailers and features a tube key lock cylinder to provide excellent security and an anti-drill pin to discourage any attempts to drill out the lock.

I have attached a short video demonstration on this coupler lock so you can see exactly how it works, along with a link that will take you directly to our available selection of trailer locks that you can look through.

expert reply by: Chris R