The best caravan hitchlock is a highly useful piece of tourer security, coming with a false lowball that will lock into the socket in your hitch, subsequently preventing a potential thief from attaching your van to their towing vehicle and stealing it.
It makes a great double deterrent alongside the best caravan wheel lock, giving you the reassurance that even if they manage to get past the clamp, they then have to bypass your caravan’s hitch lock. A hitchlock is also required by the majority of caravan insurance providers to validate your policy – just ensure the one you’re thinking of is suitable for your cover.
Most caravan hitch locks can be attached even when the tourer is still hitched to the car. You may think this is unnecessary, but it is perfectly possible that some passing thief could have a go if you have parked your outfit and stepped away for a moment – particularly when you consider how out of the way many dedicated caravan parking bays are in Britain’s motorway service stations. This gives you that extra peace of mind that good caravan security options should provide, particularly if used alongside gadgets such as a caravan tracker.
In this guide, we share our picks for the best caravan hitch lock, featuring options from well-known names in the industry such as Milenco, Al-Ko and Bulldog, as well as answering some of the common questions you could have when looking at the options on the market.
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What is the best caravan hitch lock?
Al-Ko Premium Safety Hitchlock
Stronghold 5412C hitchlock
SAS Products Fortress 2 Hitchlock
Bulldog AJ10 Hitchlock
Saracen FHL400 Hitch Lock
Milenco Compact Hitchlock
The best caravan hitchlock:
Al-Ko Premium Safety Hitchlock
Reason to buy:
- Al-Ko’s own hitchlock
Reason to avoid:
- Not as brightly coloured as other options
A hitchlock made by the same company that has almost certainly made your chassis sounds like a wise choice, in our opinion. Al-Ko is a widely regarded name in the caravanning industry, and we reckon this option will offer not only reassurance when you’re away from your tourer but also some good protection in the process, two essential traits of the best caravan hitchlock.
This option is designed for AKS3004 hitches and works by fitting over both the hitch handle and the stabiliser, with a key locking it in place.
Al-Ko says you can even leave it on while towing, but this isn’t something we would necessarily recommend, just in case a towing emergency occurs. Something we will highlight – it’s not as brightly coloured as some of the caravan hitchlocks in our guide, which means it’s less of a visual deterrent. However, we think it’s a solid and robust option, one that should give you some valuable peace of mind.
Stronghold 5412C hitchlock
Reason to buy:
- For a wide range of hitches, relatively lightweight
Reason to avoid:
- Stabiliser handle needs to stay up.
A hitchlock for hitches with AK160, AK180, AK300, AKS1300, AKS2004 or AKS 3004 stabilisers attached, this Stronghold product comes with its own storage case and plastic false towball. We like how it has been rated gold standard by Sold Secure too.
It comes to 3kg in weight, so we reckon it should be relatively light and easy to move, while it’s also fairly compact, which will be a big plus when it comes to storing it. We reckon it will make a great visual deterrent too, thanks to its bright yellow hardened steel casing, while it also covers the fixing bolts of the hitch. Both water- and corrosion-proof, it comes with three keys, something that we reckon is always handy, just incase you misplace one.
SAS Products Fortress 2 Hitchlock
Reason to buy:
- Covers all bolts, bright visual deterrent
Reason to avoid:
- Not for hitches without stabilisers
Designed to fit any hitch with an AK160, AK180, AK300, AKS1300, AKS2004 or AKS3004 stabiliser fitted, we like how this hitch lock covers all potential bolts to make it hard for anyone to drill into it.
It can be fitted when the caravan is stationary but still hitched to the car, and also ticks the box of coming in an eye-catching colour – it’s painted bright red to make a visible deterrent to would-be opportunist thieves. At 3.3kg, it’s also a lightweight option to consider and one that is also Sold Secure Gold Approved. We like how it comes with anti-drill protection too, making it even harder for opportunists to break through.
One thing worth noting is that it doesn’t come with a carry case but if you’re happy buying a one separately or already have somewhere to store it, we think this offers some excellent protection for your tourer’s hitch.
Bulldog AJ10 hitchlock
Reason to buy:
- 5-year guarantee
Reason to avoid:
- Only for AKS 1300, 2004 and 3004 stabilisers, on the heavy side
Bulldog is another well-known name in the van security sphere, making robust and reliable security products. One thing we particularly like about this caravan hitchlock – it unusually allows you to lower the stabiliser handle completely while the lock is in position.
The lock itself also fits under the hitch handle, another feature we’re fans of as it minimises the chances of anyone being able to lever the device off. It can be used with the caravan hitched or unhitched, and in conjunction with an associated Bulldog lock post. The drill- and pick-resistant lock comes with a five-year guarantee and we like how its bright red colour means it will act as a good visual deterrent as well.
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Purple Line Saracen FHL400 Hitch Lock
Reason to buy:
- Fits plenty of stabilisers
Reason to avoid:
- Stabiliser handle needs to be up.
Made by Purple Line, the Saracen is another caravan hitchlock that is designed to fit a wide range of stabilisers. It’s helpful that it comes with its own carry bag too, making storage that bit more straightforward.
We like how its bright orange colour will make it stand out as a deterrent to potential thieves, and it should be both quick to fit and straightforward to use. Once in place, thieves will be unable to access the main coupling hitch handle. We always like to see three keys provided too, as we like the extra reassurance it provides, just incase you misplace one.
There is a similarly coloured and designed wheel lock that can be bought to go alongside it if you want a matching set.
Milenco Compact Hitchlock
Reason to buy:
- Easy to install, lightweight
Reason to avoid:
- It doesn’t cover up all bolts, so a determined thief could still get through
We would say this is one to go for if you would rather not take up storage space with anything bulky. The hitchlock is designed to fit on any hitch with an AKS3004 stabiliser attached and we like how it should be relatively straightforward to fit – simply fit it underneath the stabiliser in front of the tow hitch handle, and bolt it on. You don’t have to slip it under anything to make sure it is secure.
It’s quick and simple to set up, and for added ease, comes with a lightweight design too, weighing less than 1.4kg.
What is a hitch lock on a caravan?
A hitchlock is a real caravan essential when it comes to safeguarding your tourer. Compact and lightweight, it will clamp and securely lock around the hitch-head. This means a towball cannot be inserted into the hitch by a would-be thief. As well as this, they act as a good visual deterrent too. Relatively quick and simple to fit, they can then be stored in a front locker so it’s ready for you when you next need it.
Do you need a hitch lock and a wheel clamp for a caravan?
These are two useful pieces of security kit for your caravan, but more importantly, these two are normally considered the bare minimum provision by the majority of insurance companies. Failing to have both this and a wheel clamp fitted at all times when you’ve left your caravan unhitched could result in your insurance being invalidated too.
Are hitch locks worth it?
While professional thieves have been known to remove hitchlocks with an angle-grinder or an oxy-acetylene torch, they are a security product that is definitely worth investing in. At the bare minimum, a hitch lock will make your caravan harder to steal, but many would-be thieves would rather focus on a tourer with no security at all.
Can you tow a caravan with a hitch lock on?
Some manufacturers say you can keep their hitchlock on while you are driving. However, this isn’t something that we would necessarily recommend. That’s not because a caravan hitch lock could affect your towing – it shouldn’t really. However, in the event of an accident emergency services sometimes like to be able to move affected vehicles off the road quickly. In such circumstances, they might not look too kindly on a mangled caravan that is still attached to a car (or vice versa) with a lock that no one has the key for.
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