BOLT HITCH LOCKS

High zoot trailers can be vulnerable and a decent trailer and receiver hitch lock are absolutely prudent purchases. Options for these critical pieces of equipment are pretty endless, most being a subtly different version of the other, except for the Bolt lock What makes it special? How about having them keyed to match your rig's ignition key? Yeh, imagine your hitch pin lock, trailer coupler lock and maybe even the cable lock you use for your bike keyed to match your Jeep, Tacoma or other truck How is that even possible? This is where the Bolt guys have it pretty figured out

The locks are shipped to you keyless Weird, right? How do they get keyed to match your ignition? Perhaps black Magic, or a spendy trip to the local locksmith? Interestingly it may be a bit closer to black magic than anything else The short answer is you insert your key into the lock and turn it That’s the entire process Bolt claims the first time you insert your ignition key into the lock, the spring-loaded plate tumblers move up and down until they are matched exactly to your key. As you rotate your key for the first time, the position of the plate tumblers permanently sets to your key

I hate carrying a wad of keys, so the Bolt system seemed appealing. I went to their site, keyed in (no pun intended) my vehicle info and was greeted with a page of lock options I selected the hitch pin lock and a padlock for the trailer coupler A few days later they arrived and I reviewed the instructions. A simple insert of the Jeep’s ignition key into each and they were magically matched to my rig. I even tested a few other vehicles' ignition keys to see if it would undo the first effort and the locks said no

Bolt explains their lock mechanisms are a six-plate tumbler design which makes it almost impossible to pick or bump, and the lock mechanism is also protected by a plastic jacket which includes an end cap to cover the key slot Construction is largely solid stainless steel (as opposed to chromed steel) so it should be durable and rust resistant as well I’m a year into using them, including a very salty winter in the midwest and both continue to function perfectly.

Downside? Hard to imagine there is a downside to a durable lock system that reduces the amount of keys I need to carry and actually makes my life easier If I were to get nitpicky, maybe price? The Bolt hitch pin goes for $39.95, the padlock is $25.99 and a cable lock is priced at $41 99 Certainly not cheap, but I have countless dollars and a 1000 hours into my trailer build, so I’m pretty happy to spend a few bucks more to secure it, so that one is a bit of a reach

Northology Torture Tested scale rates the Bolt lock system a 9.5 out of 10 and I’ll also be adding the hood lock for my Gladiator in the near future Check them out at https://www boltlock com/

September 14-17, 2023 in Copper Harbor, MI