On the road again!

**mishmick** · 12-10-2022, 11:38 AM

Hello everyone my real name is Dave and my partner is Dorothy. Wife has been reading this forum for a while and has been encouraging me to participate. I was going to join last fall but then our camper was stolen. For a while I thought our camping days may be over but then our insurance came through and we took delivery on a 2023 Momentum a couple weeks ago. Since we live near Calgary Alberta (Canada) we won’t be using it until April but we will have Xmas break to haul it to my shop and spend some time “moving in and upgrading.”
I am a former military mechanic and now I’m foreman of a truck equipment installation shop so I do all my service & upgrades myself.
I am very excited to implement all the upgrades we had on our original (stolen) 2021 Momentum.
The first thing I’m going to do is implement a plan to thwart the next attempt to steal our unit. After watching the 7 minute security video of the thieft of our unit I realized that the factory security is seriously inadequate.
I have an idea for a simple system that will lockup the trailer’s electric brakes if anyone couples up, connects the 7 way RV plug and touches the brake pedal.
When my camper was stolen it was up on six levelling legs, master switch off and locked. These guys retracted the legs and drove away in plain sight! The people who saw them assumed they owned it as they were so quick to couple up & drive away.
Knowing this I thought that if I install a removable relay that will close, and latch for say 1/2 hour, the next thief may hook up and move it a few feet but will not be able to haul it away without cutting the brake cables.
I plan to post the installation and testing process for your viewing pleasure.
I look forward to everyone’s feedback!

**Always Learning** · 12-10-2022, 12:11 PM

You might also want to look into wheel boots, locking wheel chocks, fifth wheel pin lock or travel trailer coupler locks.

**NB Canada** · 12-10-2022, 12:11 PM

What”factory security” are you talking about

**Hoopy Frood** · 12-10-2022, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by NB Canada

What”factory security” are you talking about

Yeah, that was my thought also. I know of no "factory security" features.

As far as locking up the brakes, best check before you do the rewiring, as most braking systems will not lock up the wheels, especially on heavier units, unless they're disk brakes.

**SolarPoweredRV** · 12-10-2022, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by mishmick

Hello everyone my real name is Dave and my partner is Dorothy. Wife has been reading this forum for a while and has been encouraging me to participate. I was going to join last fall but then our camper was stolen. For a while I thought our camping days may be over but then our insurance came through and we took delivery on a 2023 Momentum a couple weeks ago. Since we live near Calgary Alberta (Canada) we won’t be using it until April but we will have Xmas break to haul it to my shop and spend some time “moving in and upgrading.”
I am a former military mechanic and now I’m foreman of a truck equipment installation shop so I do all my service & upgrades myself.
I am very excited to implement all the upgrades we had on our original (stolen) 2021 Momentum.
The first thing I’m going to do is implement a plan to thwart the next attempt to steal our unit. After watching the 7 minute security video of the thieft of our unit I realized that the factory security is seriously inadequate.
I have an idea for a simple system that will lockup the trailer’s electric brakes if anyone couples up, connects the 7 way RV plug and touches the brake pedal.
When my camper was stolen it was up on six levelling legs, master switch off and locked. These guys retracted the legs and drove away in plain sight! The people who saw them assumed they owned it as they were so quick to couple up & drive away.
Knowing this I thought that if I install a removable relay that will close, and latch for say 1/2 hour, the next thief may hook up and move it a few feet but will not be able to haul it away without cutting the brake cables.
I plan to post the installation and testing process for your viewing pleasure.
I look forward to everyone’s feedback!

If you do plan on locking up the brakes, you are going to need plenty of battery capacity because the electric brakes will take a lot of energy to keep them locked up for any length of time.

I think your efforts might be better spent on recovery by placing a hidden GPS tracker somewhere inside the camper. With Geo fencing enabled, you would be notified immediately once the unit was stolen. You could then lead the police to the camper and maybe catch the thieves red handed.

Good luck and don't tell anyone about your solution.

**Redapple63** · 12-10-2022, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by mishmick

Hello everyone my real name is Dave and my partner is Dorothy. Wife has been reading this forum for a while and has been encouraging me to participate. I was going to join last fall but then our camper was stolen. For a while I thought our camping days may be over but then our insurance came through and we took delivery on a 2023 Momentum a couple weeks ago. Since we live near Calgary Alberta (Canada) we won’t be using it until April but we will have Xmas break to haul it to my shop and spend some time “moving in and upgrading.”
I am a former military mechanic and now I’m foreman of a truck equipment installation shop so I do all my service & upgrades myself.
I am very excited to implement all the upgrades we had on our original (stolen) 2021 Momentum.
The first thing I’m going to do is implement a plan to thwart the next attempt to steal our unit. After watching the 7 minute security video of the thieft of our unit I realized that the factory security is seriously inadequate.
I have an idea for a simple system that will lockup the trailer’s electric brakes if anyone couples up, connects the 7 way RV plug and touches the brake pedal.
When my camper was stolen it was up on six levelling legs, master switch off and locked. These guys retracted the legs and drove away in plain sight! The people who saw them assumed they owned it as they were so quick to couple up & drive away.
Knowing this I thought that if I install a removable relay that will close, and latch for say 1/2 hour, the next thief may hook up and move it a few feet but will not be able to haul it away without cutting the brake cables.
I plan to post the installation and testing process for your viewing pleasure.
I look forward to everyone’s feedback!

mishmick,

Welcome to the forum! Congratulations on your new rig after such a stressful situation. Happy to see you “almost” back on the road.

I am intrigued by you thoughts if a security system using the brakes. I look forward to hearing about it.

I can see an implementation of your idea, but it would take a potential authentication to implement if I am thinking what your proposition is…lol.

Again, welcome and looking forward to your insight and contribution.

Bill

**mishmick** · 12-10-2022, 01:58 PM

By “factory security “ I mean the stock locks. But “what security “ is quit accurate.
On our new Momentum the generator door opens even when locked.
We did buy a good 5th wheel king pin lock and I trust that will be a step up. When mine was stolen there were two other 5th wheels taken from the same facility the same day by the same people. Security says the thieves rented a small spot to get an access card and then did recon in advance. They stopped an looked over numerous large, new looking units but seemed to pass over anything with king pin locks. But they did take one camper with a wheel clamp lock. They brought a spare tire, replaced the clamped wheel and stole that too!

As far as draining the batteries goes, I will install a timer that will cut out after a set time. Even without a timer shutoff, two large AGM batteries would last hours, longer than a thief is going to hang around I hope. If they don’t know how to release the brakes and can’t shut off the whaling alarm (also on the timer) they won’t “appear to own it” and hopefully they will drop & run.

I can assure you that the wheels will lock when a full 12v signal is applied. That’s a test I do daily as a mechanic, and DOT inspectors do roadside. DOT will pull your breakaway switch and then ask you to try to drive ahead. If all your brakes don’t lockup you fail, get a ticket and don’t drive away. I am a Comercial vehicle inspector and that’s what I do. No brakes, no driving away. If your wheels turn and you can move your trailer with the breakaway engaged they aren’t working! My first Momentum had the breakaway connected to the cold side of the master switch. Clearly a factory fopa. I check / test my lights, tires and breakaway every time I move the camper. It’s called a pre trip inspection. Just as any class 1 driver is expected to do on any highway truck.

GPS is another consideration. Yes geofencing would alert us after the fact. But it’s similar to a sexual assault situation. Knowing it happened and catching the perp is secondary. And here in Canada the police are impotent. They caught the guy and, as far as we know, recovered the remains of the camper but they told us “you don’t want it back.” Was it parted out, used as a hunting lodge or was it used as a drug lab, who knows. We don’t care. My point is prevention and interruption is the key. I want them to be unable to get out of the storage facility. By the way, our perp was caught, released on a promise to appear, failed to appear, was arrested again and today he is living freely, released under house arrest. Little satisfaction in that.

**Hoopy Frood** · 12-10-2022, 02:40 PM

Just curious if you've ever stopped a non-commercial carrier to check their brakes? Most large 5th wheels will not lock their brakes. I'd have to see the regulation regarding checking brakes on a non-commercial trailer. It's nice that yours work, but it's very likely you're in the minority.

Sounds like your storage facility isn't very secure if they knew, after the fact, that the thieves were scoping out the place. Maybe they should have been a bit more proactive and noticed that fact ahead of time. Like you say, knowing after the fact does little good.

**mishmick** · 12-10-2022, 04:39 PM

No I don’t deal with privately owned recreational trailers. But DOT standards are the same. The only difference between private and Comercial is the type of registration.
Keep in mind though that electric brakes need to roll a bit to apply. The magnet doesn’t actually apply the brakes it grabs the rotating drum energy and applies it to the shoes via a leaver.

Here is the typical road side test procedure:
- First they will pull your breakaway and ask you to remove your foot from your brake and pull ahead. From a dead stop, all active braking wheels should skid. This verifies the trailer battery, associated wiring and the actual brake mechanisms.
- If all is good they will reset your breakaway and ask you to apply your trailer brakes fully via the brake controller in the cabin. This too, if your gain is set correctly, should lockup your trailer brakes when you pull ahead. If not locking up you should feel significant drag. If not the there is a problem with the towing vehicle or your 7 way plug / cable.
- Inspectors will also look at all your lights, reflectors, security of your load, safety chain (on bumber pulls) and the condition & connection of the breakaway cable. The cable MUST be in good condition (not frayed or tied together in a knot) and must be connected to a fixed point on the towing vehicle. It cannot be connected to any part of the hitch that may separate from the towing vehicle if the pin falls out.

When I hookup my Momentum I always do a light test (built in to my 2021 Silverado 3500) and then I do a tug test as I pull away on my first left turn. I apply my manual brake controller and watch if my left three wheels lock up on the gravel trail, exiting the storage facility, as my view is clear while turning. At this point I may try this a few times depending on how heavily we are loaded. If my 900 lb Goldwing is in the garage and the tanks are all full etc.I turn up the gain. If the trailer is virtually empty the brakes lock up too easily and I turn it down. Typically my gain is set around 7 or 70%.

When I do my annual preseason service I lift all six wheels right off the ground, pull my breakaway and then go to each wheel and verify lockup by spinning the wheel aggressively with my foot. If all is good the wheel will turn a bit and the clunk to a full stop in either direction.

Brakes are one of the most important features of your trailer. When working right, with the gain set correctly, your trailer will stop itself. It shouldn’t push or drag your towing vehicle.

**Hoopy Frood** · 12-10-2022, 04:57 PM

FWIW, I've never heard of anyone having a DOT inspector check the braking ability of his/her trailer. I know some states have annual trailer inspections as part of the registration process, but I've never heard of anyone getting stopped randomly and having their brakes checked by a DOT official.

"But DOT standards are the same." Well, no, not really. A lot of DOT standards apply only to commercial vehicles. While I absolutely do agree that trailer brakes should work strongly, I also aver that most don't. I know mine don't.