Recently, I happened to be at Opus HQ in Keysborough, Vic. The company behind the Opus range, Purpleline, also has a wide range of anti-theft devices, and it was with a sense of bitter irony that I decided to take a closer look. The Fullstop line-up of anti-theft equipment includes three different hitch locks and a few wheel clamps, two of which aren’ t actually‘ clamps’ but have the same effect and as such, we’ ll refer to them as clamps here.
In any event, what I wouldn’ t give to have had just one of these hitch locks or wheel clamps on my own Opus that night, all those years ago …
SARACEN HITCH LOCK
Let’ s start with the Saracen hitch lock. This unit is designed to fit over standard 50mm ball couplings. It has two main steel pieces: a lower section that fits inside the‘ ball’ part of the coupling, and a lid piece that covers the top.
A steel lock barrel is inserted through the two pieces, and once locked, any potential thief would need an angle grinder to slice through the steel or a drill to drill out the lock. Yes, it’ s possible that a determined thief could unbolt the coupling and fit a new one, before making off with your van … but that would be a somewhat time-consuming and noisy process that would potentially draw unwanted attention. It’ s the same deal with most hitch locks – they can virtually all be circumvented by swapping the coupling. The point is to present the thief with a challenge. Make it hard for them. A thief travelling around with a spare coupling and the equipment to swap one over is a different beast. But a decent hitch lock such as the Saracen tells an opportunistic thief that they should look for an easier target.
Price: $ 109.99
The Saracen Hitch Lock fits 50mm ball couplings and takes only seconds to fit.
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