Rear garage MH door security locks

[Minxy]

In the past when we've had garage coachbuilt MHs I've always fitted extra locks to the doors, usually using the Fiamma Safe Door ones, but they ain't pretty! For our new Carthago I'm wondering whether to go for one of the other makes such as Milenko, Thule etc, or instead use Yale type deadlock ones (as you'd see in domestic front doors) that are fitted within the door itself so are not so easily prised off.

Has anyone any comments on which type would be best and why please.

 

[Hettie's Crew]

I’d go for the Yale or Yale type dead bolt locks. They will be on the inside so the looks are not so important so long as you have a nice looking key hole/surround on the outside.
I bought some Yale copies off eBay for about £6 each, without keys/cylinder. They are just as strong as the Yale ones, plus other makes are available, just make sure they are double throw bolts. My intention was to source the cylinders/keys at one of the local locksmiths thinking they’d be more choice regarding key quality and could be cut alike.
I ended up using ABUS ones, at much greater expense, because they fitted the space provided by Hymer and looked neater.
Search ‘Dead locks for Hymer’ on here, I know it relates to Hab and passenger doors but there’s some good advice.
I felt the important bit was how they looked, particularly on the outside.
You don’t want to be spoiling that beautiful Carthago.

 

[Lanerboy]

Watching this thread closely as I too have a Carthago and would like some extra locks on the garage doors as it's always a worry as we carry 6k worth of ebikes in the back plus other stuff and I am very nervous where I park if leaving the van

 

[Just smiffy]

I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone having there garage broken into.....?

My thoughts would be that if they do, what more damage would be caused in doing so....?

 

[Lanerboy]

I was on an aire in France earlier this year and was talking to a couple in an autotrail who had their garage broken in to and the genny stolen, there is more value in my garage than there is inside my vehicle hence wanting it more secure than two flimsy plastic locks that just need a screwdriver ramming into them to gain entry

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[Just smiffy]

I was on an aire in France earlier this year and was talking to a couple in an autotrail who had their garage broken in to and the genny stolen, there is more value in my garage than there is inside my vehicle hence wanting it more secure than two flimsy plastic locks that just need a screwdriver ramming into them to gain entry

You found the unlucky one then.....?

 

[Bounty Hunter]

Member of Carthago Owners UK supplies/fits/advises on door locks and this is what he fitted

 

[Wagoneer]

paulharrison is a funster who also owners a Carthago. He fits locks or will sell you a suitable type for the garage door.

See his website http://www.motorhomelocks.co.uk/motorhome-locks/

Edit: Bounty Hunter beat me to it

 

[Bounty Hunter]

Same guy as photos above

 

[Minxy]

You found the unlucky one then.....?

Actually there are more unlucky ones - many years ago when we bought a Rimor Sailer 645TC with a fixed rear bed and garage under I was talking to our friend who had the Superbrig version (overcab instead of low profile) and he advised me to check the garage doors were secure. He had been robbed but there was no obvious signs of how access had been gained. It turned out that when pulling on the handles at the same time the door 'flexed' sufficiently for it to be opened without much effort. He used his MH as part of his business of buying/selling collectable cards all over the country at fairs etc and lost the lot, he was not a happy bunny.

Consequently at 11.00 pm we were outside checking the doors and indeed the could be flexed and opened without any tools at all! We ended up taking every single thing out of the garage and the following afternoon I went up to O'Leary motorhomes and bought some Fiamma locks and fitted them. When we subsequently got a Chausson I fitted Fiamma locks to it too as it simply was NOT worth worrying about.

Over the years we've also met other MHers who've had attempted break ins, or actual break ins and lost stuff out of their garages and large doored lockers.

Hence my asking about locks on this thread as, even though Carthagos are made well, I would rather spend a bit to ensure the garage doors are secure than worry about them all the time.

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[The Wino]

We were on an aire in France a few years ago when a motorhome turned up late. They wanted somewhere remote to stay as they had been broken into and had a lot of damage done partly because they had extra locks fitted. If we carried many valuables I would go for a good alarm

 

[Jamwitt]

If your spending that much on a Motorhome your be better off having the bees knees alarm fitted which would protect the lockers, I’m talking a Growler from vanbitz small price to protect an expensive van ?

 

[eddie]

Don't forget to advise your insurers when fitted after market locks etc. Your premium may rise.

If you saw the mess that is made when a door is ripped off on the hinge side as saw a big "D" lock is fitted, when you have a one piece extruded side, you can understand why.

In my opinion, most opportunistic thieves are spur of the moment, pick something that looks easy and isolated. They don't tend to go out equipped to thieve, crow bar, jemmy etc

Those that do will think nothing about causing serious damage so my theory is to try to deter them first, and if that hasn't worked allow access as damage free as possible and then let all hell let loose noise wise.

And for the more confrontational amidst us a paging function so I can creep up and cause the maximum damage that I can cause in return

Seems only fair

 

[Speve]

The problem you are going to have is that the lock is only as strong as what it’s fitted to, I assume it will be twin skin alloy with insulation foam in between you will need a large metal plate inside to spread the load if it is attempted to break in.
Usually the hab and drivers doors have plate built into them so will be strengthened.
My thoughts would be fit a good alarm with door sensors on every hatch, as more damage could be done if you fit locks and someone is determined to get in they will.
At least the alarm is a deterrent and if promoted on the van you’ll be less likely to have an attempt made, a lot of these thefts are opportunists and if there is a chance they are delayed or seen or a lot of noise will be made they will move to an easier target.
I would suggest have an alarm like Strikeback or growler fitted ???

 

[stevewagner]

The problem with fitting an extra lock in the middle of the door is that it still allows the top or bottom to be levered open causing even more damage. I have a Carthago and fitted Fiamma frame door locks (2 on the large garage door) which are pretty sturdy. It is also alarmed with sensors on all the doors and a tracker. Like all motorhomes the weakest point is the windows and if a thief wants to get in they will regardless. One thing I would recommend is a safe well bolted down through the floor for all your valuables that you don't want to carry with you.
We got robbed while asleep in Marseilles last year and lost money, bank cards and passports etc. This was an absolute nightmare as we had to order temporary travel documents on line then rush to the British Embassy in Paris to collect them before they closed for the weekend, contact the banks to cancel the cards etc. All in all very stressful. We've been motor-homing for around 40 years and been robbed twice in the last 3 years with the other one being at Ilkely Moor. However it hasn't put us off just made us more vigilant.

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[Carolyn and Kev]

Im guessing here but It seems you obviously have to funds to buy such a beasty, Dont waste the time in fitting a special lock to your truck with walls made of Aluminium and wood and polystyrene insulation. The weakest part of any motorhome is... its body! A child with a lever can easily pry open a door on any of our motor homes. Unless you keep your PVC jobby and use it as a second truck..it will always be easy enough to get in to!
Let them in and then claim off the insurance. Really dont see the point to be honest. Done it and still been bitten!
By the way..big is better! lol Personal choice .

 

[Minxy]

To answer a few queries etc, we are having an alarm fitted, an Autowatch 695 with extra PIR sensor internally in the rear in case someone gets in via the back window and sensors on the 2 garage doors and the 2 lockers that would allow internal access (for a contortionist!).

Like all motorhomes the weakest point is the windows and if a thief wants to get in they will regardless.

Yes we had a break in at Pisa in our previous camper, fortunately the dogs were inside (blinds closed) so once they'd forced the window open all hell must have broken loose and the fled without getting anything, some of the window levers were broken but fortunately that was all.

One thing I would recommend is a safe well bolted down through the floor for all your valuables that you don't want to carry with you.

There are plenty of places to hide stuff so I'm not worried about locking them in a safe and have heard that determined thieves can make a hell of a mess trying to remove the whole thing.

Don't forget to advise your insurers when fitted after market locks etc. Your premium may rise.

Thanks, if I do decide to fit some then I will certainly tell them.

And for the more confrontational amidst us a paging function so I can creep up and cause the maximum damage that I can cause in return

Now I quite like the sound of that ...

 

[Just smiffy]

Personally, if I worried about someone nicking my stuff all the time I wouldn’t buy it in the first place....
If I’m not there when they nick it then there’s not much I can do about it...
But if I’m there then I’ll probably get hurt, but hopefully I won’t be the only one....?

 

[Campervan_man]

Thule inside outside locks are good.
If You can access your garage from inside the van then you can exit the garage from the inside without a key { lock has an inside handle }.

 

[MichaelT]

paulharrison is a funster who also owners a Carthago. He fits locks or will sell you a suitable type for the garage door.

See his website http://www.motorhomelocks.co.uk/motorhome-locks/

Edit: Bounty Hunter beat me to it

Just looked at the site and locks look great however I also looked at the fitting guide and no sealant was used!

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[Mr Rusty]

Fitted these to ours https://www.ludospace.com/verrou-imc-coffre-soute-verrouillable-exterieur-c2x20191505.

Bit like the Milenco, Thule etc only better looking in my mind. I toyed for ages over getting them for all the reasons posted on here, weakest point is ally skin, won’t stop determined thieves etc etc. But my thought was that it may mean that the thieves break into someone else’s van who doesn’t have secondary locks rather than mine. However there is even a flip side to this argument that the thieves will ask themselves the question of whether there is something to steal in your van because u have fitted secondary locks.

 

[paulharrison]

Just looked at the site and locks look great however I also looked at the fitting guide and no sealant was used!

I don't use sealant as its bad for locks theres a rubber gasket on the outside behind the cylinder