Front compartment locks?

[madweazl]

Is there a latch/lock option for the front compartment on the 5th wheels that is more like the basement slam latches? I feel like the basement locks are at least somewhat secure but the most expensive items I have (2 lithium batteries) seem to be in the least secure area of the trailer. I'd at least feel better about it if there was something like the basement latch/locks on the front compartment.

[chuckster57]

I suppose if your real good with a saw and such, you could take the lock out and cut out for a slam latch. Since your current lock is probably a CH751, you could change it to another key.

Trust me when I say a slam latch on the front compartment isn’t much more secure, you could simply get a longer locking tab, and it will be more secure.

Don’t spend a lot of time/money on the compartment door, maybe work on a way to secure the batteries in the compartment. JMHO YMMV

[madweazl]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I suppose if your real good with a saw and such, you could take the lock out and cut out for a slam latch. Since your current lock is probably a CH751, you could change it to another key.

Trust me when I say a slam latch on the front compartment isn’t much more secure, you could simply get a longer locking tab, and it will be more secure.

Don’t spend a lot of time/money on the compartment door, maybe work on a way to secure the batteries in the compartment. JMHO YMMV

It's at least keyed to match the slam latches vs the CH751. Any suggestions on how to secure them within the compartment?

[chuckster57]

Compartment floor is steel, eye bolts with nylock nuts, quality cable with a decent padlock. If it looks like it may take a while to get them out, most thief’s will move to the next one.

[JRTJH]

Possibly you could consider moving the batteries to a more secure location in the trailer ??

Lithium batteries don't emit "explosive gas" and don't really get hot enough to cause a problem. They need to be "protected during cold weather" either by ambient temperatures or internal heaters. They also don't require "frequent maintenance/hydration" so they are, for the most part, "store 'em and forget 'em" components.

So, why not move them to the internal passthrough, where there's slam locks already installed, mount the battery boxes in that location and just "cut a small hole through the separation wall to pass the battery cables....

And, as for "reclaiming that space for other storage".... Think twice (or more times) before storing the spare tire in that compartment. You can't get it out of the compartment without unhitching the trailer (unless you have a sliding hitch)... Why Keystone ever installed a spare tire rack in that compartment certainly was decided by a "non-RV'er" rather than by anyone who has ever towed a trailer and needed to change a tire on the side of the road.....

[madweazl]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Possibly you could consider moving the batteries to a more secure location in the trailer ??

Lithium batteries don't emit "explosive gas" and don't really get hot enough to cause a problem. They need to be "protected during cold weather" either by ambient temperatures or internal heaters. They also don't require "frequent maintenance/hydration" so they are, for the most part, "store 'em and forget 'em" components.

So, why not move them to the internal passthrough, where there's slam locks already installed, mount the battery boxes in that location and just "cut a small hole through the separation wall to pass the battery cables....

And, as for "reclaiming that space for other storage".... Think twice (or more times) before storing the spare tire in that compartment. You can't get it out of the compartment without unhitching the trailer (unless you have a sliding hitch)... Why Keystone ever installed a spare tire rack in that compartment certainly was decided by a "non-RV'er" rather than by anyone who has ever towed a trailer and needed to change a tire on the side of the road.....

What prevents you from getting the tire out of that compartment when it's connected to the truck?

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by madweazl

What prevents you from getting the tire out of that compartment when it's connected to the truck?

Next time you're hitched, try to open the front compartment door enough to get into the compartment and "wrestle a spare tire out"... You'll understand, with the door laying on your head and the tire in your hands while you're kneeling on the ground between the truck bumper and the trailer front wall, that the 26" of "space" is woefully inadequate to lift a 70 pound tire and wheel over the lip with the door falling down on top of you and your elbows can't hold the door up and lift the tire at the same time....

Try it, you'll understand.....

[madweazl]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Next time you're hitched, try to open the front compartment door enough to get into the compartment and "wrestle a spare tire out"... You'll understand, with the door laying on your head and the tire in your hands while you're kneeling on the ground between the truck bumper and the trailer front wall, that the 26" of "space" is woefully inadequate to lift a 70 pound tire and wheel over the lip with the door falling down on top of you and your elbows can't hold the door up and lift the tire at the same time....

Try it, you'll understand.....

Front door can be latched in the raised position with room to spare when connected to our truck. I take it that isn't the norm

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by madweazl

Front door can be latched in the raised position with room to spare when connected to our truck. I take it that isn't the norm

I can't even open our front door to 45 degrees when hitched. With the tailgate down, when hitching, I've got less than 4" between the tail gate and the front of the trailer wall. When hitched with tail gate up, there's about 22" between the truck bumper and the trailer front wall. In turns, the corner of the truck bumper clears the trailer by about 3". If the tail gate were down, it would "slice the trailer wall" in turns.

[madweazl]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I can't even open our front door to 45 degrees when hitched. With the tailgate down, when hitching, I've got less than 4" between the tail gate and the front of the trailer wall. When hitched with tail gate up, there's about 22" between the truck bumper and the trailer front wall. In turns, the corner of the truck bumper clears the trailer by about 3". If the tail gate were down, it would "slice the trailer wall" in turns.

Oh dang. I can still walk between the two with the tailgate down; well, more shimmy across but I'm not a narrow guy at 240lbs lol.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by madweazl

Front door can be latched in the raised position with room to spare when connected to our truck. I take it that isn't the norm

Here's the space on our F-150 and the Springdale as compared to the F-250 and the Cougar

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by madweazl

Front door can be latched in the raised position with room to spare when connected to our truck. I take it that isn't the norm

That front hatch door can be opened just fine when hitched with ours also.

There is a good 8" of clearance with the edge of the door and the tailgate at the closest point in the swing.
And yes, it can be latched in the raised position.

[flybouy]

This hasn't been mentioned but the last place I would want to place my body would be in between the truck and trailer while stopped on the shoulder. It's not uncommon for cars to be struck on the side of a highway. There's plenty of videos from police traffic stops to see the carnage from a truck or car traveling 70 mph and hitting a vehichle setting still. On my knees, trapped between two vehichles is not a good place to be but then again, "you'd never see it comming".

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by flybouy

This hasn't been mentioned but the last place I would want to place my body would be in between the truck and trailer while stopped on the shoulder. It's not uncommon for cars to be struck on the side of a highway. There's plenty of videos from police traffic stops to see the carnage from a truck or car traveling 70 mph and hitting a vehichle setting still. On my knees, trapped between two vehichles is not a good place to be but then again, "you'd never see it comming".

That is so true!!
I believe most traffic authorities actually have a name for it.
Any vehicle parked on the side of the highway is like a magnet and some people just drive right into them. Like target fixation.

I've told my wife and anybody else that I come across, standing anywhere near your vehicle on the side of the highway is the absolute worst place to be.
I don't think I would attempt to change a tire on the shoulder of a highway. I don't care if I ruin the tire/rim, I am moving to the next exit as safe as possible.

Every year there are hundreds of troopers and/or highway workers struck and killed while doing their jobs.

[bfisher003]

Originally Posted by madweazl

Is there a latch/lock option for the front compartment on the 5th wheels that is more like the basement slam latches? I feel like the basement locks are at least somewhat secure but the most expensive items I have (2 lithium batteries) seem to be in the least secure area of the trailer. I'd at least feel better about it if there was something like the basement latch/locks on the front compartment.

You also can replace those infamous CH751 keyed locks on the front with a different lock assembly. That’s what I did on both of the front compartment doors so my lithium batteries don’t walk off. BTW, one of my sons has a travel trailer and someone stole both of his propane tanks while it was parked in front of his house in Littleton, CO.