My last trailer purchase was from the scrap yard for $200. A deck and a set of tires made it good enough but it's getting tired and frankly, it's an ugly trailer. So it was time to replace it with one of these.
This time I bought new and bought aluminum. I don't want it to disappear. Good locks only go so far.
What does the Hive Mind know about GPS tracking for trailers?
Anyone using one? Like it? Worth it? Just buy insurance and keep the premiums paid up?
Thanks
Maybe mount a small waterproof box in an unobtrusive spot on a frame rail and put something like an Airtag in it?
There are a few out there. I would check with the drag n drive guys and see what they use. It's definitely been an issue on a few dnd's...
All I know about commercial GPS tracking systems is that the last time I looked into them I determined that I could have an uninsured open trailer stolen every five years and it would be cheaper than paying for a monitored GPS tracking solution.
Tom Bailey recently started selling some that didn't seem crazily priced. https://www.sickmachining.com/products/sick-gps-gt502-battery-powered-tracker-with-magnetic-mount-copy
APEowner said:All I know about commercial GPS tracking systems is that the last time I looked into them I determined that I could have an uninsured open trailer stolen every five years and it would be cheaper than paying for a monitored GPS tracking solution.
Hmmm. There may be some sort of insurance benefit or tax break available if you fitted the company trucks with a system. If so, maybe get a couple more than you need for those, for when a work truck is in the shop or breaks down or you get a deal on another one.
IF you want just an AirTag mounted, I can 3D print a little enclosure that would make spotting it and removing it a little harder. On my BILs boat trailer I stored for a year, I just dropped one in the end of the tubing upright. Never got it back when he sold the boat, and I can still track the trailer.
+1 for airtag. Its the super cheap easy solution.
At work we toss them in shipping crates all the time and we end up with better knowledge of their location than the shipping company does.
one thing , an Airtag (which I love} is not exactly a GPS ,
it works by pinging a nearby iPhone which then transmits to the Apple network the GPS info ,
But you need a nearby iPhone to do this , yes there are millions of IPhones and that is what makes it a great tool for $30, plus there is no service fee and battery life is over a year. Battery can also be user replaced for a couple bucks.
But there is a delay until an iPhone is nearby and can get pinged !,
Your cell phone has real GPS in it , and is real time , there are trackers that use a Mobile phone Sim card , but most charge a monthly fee , and you need to recharge the battery . And some will text / call you when it moves out of a local area that you set-up.
I have Airtags , which have helped me tell the police where my van was and arrest the thiefs !
In reply to APEowner :
The commercial ones I've looked at would take 57 years to equal the trailer value.
I'm an android user. Will airtags still work? It also looks like they are primarily for local use. How does it work long distance?
Samsung has a Smart Tag. But it looks like it is a local tracker as well with a 100'+ range.
Toyman! said:I'm an android user. Will airtags still work? It also looks like they are primarily for local use. How does it work long distance?
Samsung has a Smart Tag. But it looks like it is a local tracker as well with a 100'+ range.
We tracked a car in Europe that was sent over for Retro LeMans , other friends have used it in Australia with lost bags at the airport ,
Google just started the same set-up , that will have Android phones doing the "pinging" so that will be great to have the choice ,
Here is the Google info
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