Grit filled lock.

[Pottsy]

I was just reading the thread on waterproofing Anderson Plugs and I thought I'd relate a story from our last trip. We covered about 70kms of dirt road during a reasonably heavy shower when down the limestone coast of SA.
Pulled in to set up, 1st job undo the padlocks on the trailer and Lo and behold the one on the tent pole box must have been facing forward and was completely chockablock with limestone grit. Could not even get the key in.
What to do, no bolt cutters, could have drilled out the rivets on the clasp but I did have a can of silicon spray in the kit with a needle nozzle. Gave her a squirt and it was enough to jettison some of the crap out, grabbed a key, tried it, no luck. Had to spray it and insert the key about five or six times to get the lock undone.
Over the next week I gave the lock a squirt everyday and worked the lock, blew it out with compressor and she's all good.
Coming home on the same stretch of road I covered the lock with electrical tape just to be sure.
Anybody had the same problem and what is your solution to it?

[austastar]

Hi,
Plastic bag and rubber band will help, as will a dob of bluetack over the key hole.
Cheers

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[GeoffA]

Bring out the master key......the battery angle grinder.

I never go on a trip without it....

[Pottsy]

Bring out the master key......the battery angle grinder.

I never go on a trip without it....

Didn't give the recipro saw a thought, carry that and metal and wood cutting blades.

[gronk]

Best solution is to not use a lock. Any number of clips available to use instead of a lock.
Keep the lock for times when you are parked and you're worried about security.......have never used a lock anywhere on my campers in the last 15yrs !!

[Bird]

have never used a lock anywhere on my campers in the last 15yrs !!

Never parked in Dubbo eh? the people the police wont arrest would love you for it 

[Pete79]

I wrote this the other day, but didn't want to go off topic, looks like it's there now.

Not exactly the same, but I had carabiners on some latches on my previous trailer to make sure they couldn't rattle open.

Left home for a month long trip and stopped at a servo for the first fuel stop of the trip, I looked out the window while in line to pay for the fuel and noticed 2 young guys hanging around my trailer for a bit too long as they walked to their car.
Buy the time I paid and got out of the shop the young guys were long gone, so we're all of my carabiners....

A twisted bit of wire did the job after that.

[GeoffA]

.....
A twisted bit of wire did the job after that.

Like gronk, if it's just to stop the latches rattling open I reckon I'd be looking at R clips.

Not the same attraction level as carabiners, and less stuffing around than pad locks or twisted wire.

In any event, a few missing clips every now and then isn't the end of the world.

[bmwfreak]

On our pop top latches we secure one side with padlocks and the other with bonnet clips. Touch wood, we haven't had an issue with dust in the locks to date.



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[BC66]

I started fitting clips to our first camper trailer after seeing it's contents behind us on the beach at Fraser Island as we heading to the barge


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[Pottsy]

Thanks everyone, some interesting solutions on offer, the offending lock was on the annexe pole box so I might swing that one over to a bonnet clip/ r clip arrangement before we leave home. Put the locks back on when it's sitting in the yard at home.

[RonnieQ]

Stainless Linch pins and fishing trace work perfectly on my Modcon.

Won't pop open and you can't lose them in the grass.


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[avotrol]

Grass, or light fingers!