How to Select a Trailer Hitch
A coupler lock protects a parked trailer. Hitch class selection on the tow vehicle is a different shopping trip.
Watch on YouTubeTrailer Coupler Lock Tips (Canada)
Trailer security shopping in Canada often mixes two different locks into one confused cart. A coupler lock sits on the trailer coupler when the trailer is parked. A hitch receiver lock sits on the tow vehicle receiver to secure a ball mount, bike rack, or empty tube. This page keeps those jobs separate, shows when each helps, and points to live CURT lock SKUs that are stocked on this store. We will not invent legal cutoffs or claim any lock makes a trailer theft-proof.
Practical Canada parts-counter advice. Free shipping on CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts when the SKU is live on this store.
Related reading:
hitch lock versus hitch pin,
hitch cover versus hitch lock, and
trailer coupler latch checklist.
Prefer the full index?
Open the towing guides hub.
Watch these CURT videos first
All four videos are from the official CURT YouTube channel (@curtmfg). Use them for hitch class, install habits, wiring basics, and ball-mount height so the tow vehicle side of the trip stays as honest as the coupler lock on the parked trailer.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card.
Trailer Hitch Installation Techniques
Hardware that sees road salt still needs a recheck habit after the first Canadian trips of the season, locks included.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Connect a Trailer Wiring Harness
Trailer lights still need a plug-test habit before you blame the trailer. A lock job and a lighting fault are different problems.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Choose a Ball Mount and Trailer Ball
Once you couple up, latch and ball-mount height habits matter more than which lock stayed on the shelf at home.
Watch on YouTubeCoupler lock when the trailer is parked
A coupler lock fills or blocks the coupler latch so a thief cannot drop the coupler onto a ball and roll away. Use it when the trailer sits unattended in a driveway, storage lot, or cottage lane. Measure the latch span on your coupler before you buy. Live CURT coupler locks on this shelf cover common latch spans such as three quarters inch, seven eighths inch, two and one half inches, and adjustable one through three inch right-angle designs.
A coupler lock is not a substitute for a closed latch while you tow. Latch first for travel, then use the lock when the trailer is parked and uncoupled. If you leave a trailer on a ball overnight at a campsite, ask whether your coupler design still accepts a lock with the ball in place. Some setups need the trailer uncoupled before the lock fits cleanly. Confirm the live product card rather than forcing a pin through a latch that was never designed for that span.
Coupler lock helps when
The trailer is parked, uncoupled, and you want to slow a hitch-and-go theft. Storage lots and roadside overnight stops are the usual cases.
- Measure latch span before you order
- Keep spare keys somewhere other than the trailer tongue
- Still use wheel chocks and common-sense parking habits
Coupler lock does not replace
A proper latch for travel, safety chains, or a wheel lock when the risk is rolling rather than coupling. It also does not replace insurance or a locked gate.
- Latch checklist still comes first for towing
- Chains and lights stay on the first-tow list
- No invented legal cutoff on this page
Hitch receiver lock on the tow vehicle
A hitch receiver lock replaces or upgrades a plain hitch pin on the tow vehicle. It secures a ball mount, bike rack, cargo carrier, or empty receiver so those parts are harder to walk away with. Match the pin diameter and usable length to the receiver tube. One and one quarter inch receivers commonly use a half inch lock pin. Two inch receivers commonly use a five eighths inch lock pin. Some locks include an adapter sleeve so one kit can cover both tube sizes.
A receiver lock is the wrong tool for a parked trailer coupler. If the trailer is sitting alone, buy a coupler lock. If the truck or SUV is sitting with a rack or ball mount in the tube, buy a receiver lock. Shoppers who want both jobs done often buy a keyed-alike set so one key ring covers the coupler and the receiver. Live CURT 23505 on this shelf is a right-angle hitch and coupler lock set keyed alike for that exact habit.
When each helps, side by side
| Situation | What we tell shoppers |
|---|---|
| Trailer parked in the driveway | Coupler lock on the trailer. Add chocks if the ground slopes. See the coupler latch checklist for latch habits when you couple back up. |
| Ball mount left in the truck | Receiver lock on the tow vehicle. Open hitch lock versus hitch pin if you are deciding between a plain pin and a lock. |
| Empty receiver tube | A cover keeps weather and debris out. A lock is for inserts you care about. Open hitch cover versus hitch lock. |
| Bike rack overnight on the vehicle | Receiver lock sized to the tube. A coupler lock on a trailer across the yard does not protect the rack. |
| Want one key for both jobs | Look at a keyed-alike hitch and coupler set such as live CURT 23505, then confirm spans and pin sizes on the card. |
| Broader security reading | Open the trailer hitch lock safety guide for more Canada-focused lock context. |
Live CURT coupler locks on this shelf
These coupler locks are stocked on this store today. Confirm latch span, finish, and pin style on each live card. We are not inventing provincial rules or trailer-maker mandates here.
Coupler lock · three quarters inch span
CURT 23521
Coupler lock padlock with a quarter inch pin for latch-type couplers with a max span around three quarters inch. Black finish. Includes two keys.
Coupler lock · seven eighths inch span
CURT 23520
Coupler lock barbell with a quarter inch pin for latch-type couplers with a max span around seven eighths inch. Chrome finish with dust cap.
Coupler lock · two and one half inch span
CURT 23522
Coupler lock barbell with a quarter inch pin for latch-type couplers with a max span around two and one half inches. Chrome finish with dust cap.
Coupler lock · adjustable one through three inch
CURT 23503
Right-angle coupler lock barbell with a quarter inch pin adjustable for about one through three inches of coupler span. Chrome with anodized aluminum head.
Live CURT hitch receiver locks on this shelf
These receiver locks are stocked on this store today. Match pin diameter to your receiver tube, then confirm usable pin length on the live card, especially on double-wall receivers.
Receiver lock · one and one quarter inch
CURT 23501
Half inch hitch lock for one and one quarter inch receivers. Chrome finish with dust cap and two keys.
Receiver lock · one and one quarter inch
CURT 23020
Half inch receiver lock for one and one quarter inch tubes. Chrome finish with dust cap and two keys.
Receiver lock · adapter kit
CURT 23024
Half inch hitch lock with a five eighths inch adapter sleeve so the same kit can cover one and one quarter inch or two inch receivers.
Receiver lock · two inch
CURT 23518
Five eighths inch hitch lock for two inch receivers. Black finish. Confirm usable pin length on the live card.
Receiver lock · two inch class tubes
CURT 23021
Five eighths inch receiver lock for two inch, two and one half inch, or three inch tubes per the live card. Strong Canada stock.
Keyed-alike set
CURT 23505
Right-angle hitch and coupler lock set keyed alike. Five eighths inch hitch lock for two inch receivers plus an adjustable coupler lock pin for about one through three inch latch span.
Related guides worth opening next
Hitch lock versus hitch pinWhen a plain pin is enough and when a lock earns its keep on the tow vehicle.
Hitch cover versus hitch lockWeather cover habits versus securing an insert in the tube.
Coupler latch checklistLatch habits for travel, separate from parked-trailer lock shopping.
Hitch lock safety guideBroader Canada lock and safety context on the hub.
Parts-counter summary: use a coupler lock on a parked trailer, use a hitch receiver lock on the tow vehicle, measure latch span and pin diameter before you click buy, treat covers and locks as different jobs, and skip any claim that a lock replaces latch habits, chains, or common-sense parking. Free shipping on live CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts across Canada when the SKU shows available on this store.
