I am sure you all already know locks only slow thieves down but they also can slow down the rightful owner so it makes me wonder why I even use locks.
I have a fifth wheel hitch in the bed of my truck. When I bought it, the dealer told me it does not happen very often but sometimes he hears stories of people who have their hitch sabotaged or stolen. Therefore, he recommended removing the round locking pin (see top picture) and inserting a padlock instead. One day, I was out of town and I needed to remove the lock for the locking jaws so I could pull a fifth wheel trail. The lock had seized up after not being used for less than six months. Thankfully, I had bolt cutters with me so I removed the lock.
Today, I am removing the locking pin (see bottom picture) for my bumper hitch in preparation for getting some body work done (I was rear ended). I can get the key into the lock but even after 24 hours of repeated use with PB Blaster penetrating oil, the lock will not open (it was not hit in the accident). I consulted YouTube and very quickly and easily broke the lock off by bending it with a steel pipe.
I know locks do not stop thieves but I would like to think they would slow them down a little bit more than they do.
Locks only slow thieves down
Moderators: Current Officers, Previous Officers
- pinnacle-project
- Rust Governor
- Posts: 4645
- Joined: Sun May 19, 2013 1:23 pm
- Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1111
- eBay name: pinnacle-project
- Year Started Collecting: 1975
- Location: Grand Rapids, MI
- Has thanked: 1118 times
- Been thanked: 1285 times
- Zodiac:
- Status: Offline
Locks only slow thieves down
Focus: Cones and flats from Michigan, South Bend, and Fort Wayne. Foreign cans only if I bought them myself in the country of origin.
2023 Shows Attended
* Michigan Chapter Winterfest, January 14, Frankenmuth Michigan
* Cabin Fever Reliever, February 24, Mishawaka Indiana
* Buckeye, March 11, Toledo Ohio
* SummerSwap, July 21 & 22, Frankenmuth Michigan
2023 Shows Attended
* Michigan Chapter Winterfest, January 14, Frankenmuth Michigan
* Cabin Fever Reliever, February 24, Mishawaka Indiana
* Buckeye, March 11, Toledo Ohio
* SummerSwap, July 21 & 22, Frankenmuth Michigan
- Dammit Jim!
- Rust Master
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2020 6:05 pm
- Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1424
- BCCA Number: 15476
- Year Started Collecting: 1973
- Location: Shawnee, KS
- Has thanked: 278 times
- Been thanked: 248 times
- Status: Offline
Re: Locks only slow thieves down
I used to work for a school and office supply company doing installations. We were installing lockers in the locker room and school had just started. We had lockers in place, but not mounted and talked to a school official to let them know that they weren't ready for use and were told that they weren't using the locker room yet. Came in the next morning and found locks on about half the lockers. Went to the office and they made an announcement to remove their locks and contents from the lockers immediately and we worked on other things for about an hour. I used a ball-peen hammer and had the rest of the locks (a few dozen) removed within 15 minutes without damaging the lockers. It was amazing to me to see kids picking out their padlock out of a pile of broken locks like they were going to somehow repair it. Obviously it didn't work the first time.
Jim Peterson
"One man's hoard is another man's... hoard"
"One man's hoard is another man's... hoard"
- BostonBob
- Rust Master General
- Posts: 578
- Joined: Wed May 14, 2014 12:04 am
- Rusty Bunch Member Number: 1134
- eBay name: BostonBob
- Year Started Collecting: 1977
- Location: Tewksbury, MA
- Has thanked: 84 times
- Been thanked: 79 times
- Zodiac:
- Status: Offline
Re: Locks only slow thieves down
Yikes! So I guess my Yakima bike rack is not as safe as I think it is??
- henry porter
- Rust Master General
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:18 pm
- Rusty Bunch Member Number: 834
- BCCA Number: 0
- Location: st paul mn
- Has thanked: 495 times
- Been thanked: 116 times
- Zodiac:
- Status: Offline
Re: Locks only slow thieves down
Watch this guy's videos for ideas on which locks NOT to get....
https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer
https://www.youtube.com/c/lockpickinglawyer
Wanted: Malt Lager breweriana and Malt Lager cans:
8oz flats: Gluek Stite 241-05, Bulldog 239-10, Schlitz (Class Book) 56-13, 56-14.
12oz flats: Country Club 51-37, 51-37-5.
12oz tabs: Colt 56-22; Colt 45 56-05, 56-10, 56-11–05, 56-12; Country Club 57-18; Red Bird 239-32; Schlitz 121-15.
16oz tabs: Calgary 146-23; Carling 147-01, 147-01-05; Colt 147-22; Schlitz 166-10
Last 2 to complete the set: Suntory 354 and 364.
8oz flats: Gluek Stite 241-05, Bulldog 239-10, Schlitz (Class Book) 56-13, 56-14.
12oz flats: Country Club 51-37, 51-37-5.
12oz tabs: Colt 56-22; Colt 45 56-05, 56-10, 56-11–05, 56-12; Country Club 57-18; Red Bird 239-32; Schlitz 121-15.
16oz tabs: Calgary 146-23; Carling 147-01, 147-01-05; Colt 147-22; Schlitz 166-10
Last 2 to complete the set: Suntory 354 and 364.