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Old 11-02-16, 01:32 PM
  #24  
Canker
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Originally Posted by Maconi
A bolt cutter will easily remove both of the padlocks (and then the chain just falls right off) on that setup. That or a good pry-bar (although it'd be hard to get enough clearance on that second padlock). It'll deter the majority of people, but a determined thief will have no problem with it (same goes with U-locks on bikes). As mentioned before though, it's likely even easier to just remove the hitch's bolts and take the whole setup. It only takes a few tools and 10 minutes either way.
If you look back at the other pics I posted though that padlock on the rack itself covers a special hex head bolt you have to loosen to remove a 1up rack. They don't use a hitch pin. The chain isn't to stop thieves. The chain is only there to stop the rack from falling off if the 1up retention system fails which is very very rare but it does happen. I carry one of the special 1up hex wrenches with me so I could steal all the 1up racks I want but most thieves won't have one.

Nobody is going to steal the whole hitch and they are more of a PITA to take off than you think on a lot of cars. My current car has a bolt head inside the frame that would just spin if you tried to loosen it and my other car has 4 bolt heads inside the hatch that would just spin if you tried to loosen them. A thief would have to cut those bolts off or break into my car in the case of my VW to get those 4 bolts off and the exhaust is in their way too. At the very least it would take more than 10 mins of fighting to get those bolts out.

Last edited by Canker; 11-02-16 at 01:36 PM.
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