No matter how much it costs you, and whether it’s new or secondhand, your motorhome is your pride and joy – with that in mind, it’s important to do everything you can to help protect it. One simple, straightforward way to do so is to have the best motorhome wheel clamp.
After buying a house, purchasing one of the best motorhomes is likely to be among the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make. This is why doing everything you can to keep your leisure vehicle safe is so crucial. A wheel clamp does just what it says on the tin – it attaches to your vehicle’s wheels to help prevent would-be thieves from driving off with your ‘van. This important piece of motorhome security kit generally comes in bright, eye-catching colours to make them visual deterrents that could be enough to make a thief move on from your ‘van.
As a result, a good wheel clamp for a motorhome will need to combine how well it stands out with being easy to install, providing a secure fitting, and – of course – a price that’s right. Just don’t forget to ensure it’s the right size for your ‘van’s wheels before you buy it.
To help you find the one for you, we’re sharing our pick of the best wheel clamps for a motorhome, featuring products from Maypole, Milenco, and more.
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What is the best motorhome wheel clamp?
Milenco 2745 Compact Wheel Clamp
SAS New Defender Wheel Clamp
Full Stop Purpleline Nemesis PLUS Motorhome & Camper Van Wheel Clamp
Bulldog EuroClamp Sold Secure 4 x 4
Maypole SH5452 STRONGHOLD Apex Wheelclamp B2
Bulldog DC400 Auto Clamp
Alca Auto Safe
Tresor XL Alca wheel clamp
Milenco Wraith 2 Motorhome Wheel Lock
The best wheel clamp for a motorhome:
Milenco 2745 Compact Wheel Clamp
- Weight: 3.9kg
- Lock type: Key
Reason to buy:
- Simple to use, high-visibility colour
Reason to avoid:
- Fairly pricey
Milenco is perhaps the biggest name in motorhome security, and its products are very popular – it offers a range of wheel locks and clamps suitable for a variety of situations.
The Practical Motorhome team has been using one of these motorhome wheel clamps as part of our vehicle security set-up for a couple of years, and we have been impressed with its performance so far. It’s easy to use: after unlocking it, simply move the arms apart before refitting them around the wheel, locating the larger arm over one of the wheel nuts. Then, turn the locking handle to bring the arms together until the wheel is safely clamped.
We like the unit’s bright-yellow colour, making it very visible, while its weight of around 3.9kg makes it relatively easy to transport and store.
SAS New Defender Wheel Clamp
- Weight: 12.7kg
- Lock type: keys
Reason to buy:
- Sold Secure Gold Approved, has an anti-drill and anti-pick lock
Reason to avoid:
- Fairly weighty
Coming in an eye-catching red colour to ensure it acts as a highly visual deterrent, this wheel clamp from SAS will cover all of the wheel nuts, giving a security accessory that, in our opinion, should provide some beefy protection.
When it comes to the wheel sizes it fits, it’s suitable for wheels with either alloy or steel rims with a diameter of 12-18 inches and a width of 170-275mm – as always, don’t forget to check before you buy. It offers further reassurance in the form of being Sold Secure Gold Approved, and should be straightforward to fit, securing in a matter of seconds.
We also like how it has an anti-drill and anti-pick lock, ensuring it should provide you with some peace of mind when you’re away from your motorhome.
There’s also what the manufacturer describes as a “tough plastic carry case” to keep it in when you don’t need it. One thing we will highlight is its weight – it comes to 12.7kg, making this the heaviest of the motorhome wheel clamps to feature in our guide. This means you’ll not only need to be comfortable moving such a weight around, but will also need to have somewhere suitable to store it when it’s not in use too.
However, if that’s not an issue, we reckon this should provide some solid and reliable security for your motorhome.
Full Stop Purpleline Nemesis PLUS Motorhome & Camper Van Wheel Clamp
- Weight: 6.5kg
- Lock type: Key
Reason to buy:
- Bright in colour for good visual deterrence
Reason to avoid:
- Expensive
We think its bright-orange colour makes the Full Stop Purpleline Nemesis Motorhome Wheel Clamp very eye-catching, which is ideal for providing a visual deterrent against theft. The unit itself comes with a bespoke wheelbolt receiver, with which you need to replace two of your existing wheelbolts (M14 bolts are included, while M14 nuts and M16 bolts are available separately).
To secure the tear-drop-shaped lock, you simply need to pass the toughened steel bar through the wheel, before securing it to the fitted wheelbolt – it doesn’t require much in the way of fiddly alignment, which should make fitting a quick and stress-free process. The Full Stop Purpleline Nemesis weighs in at a sturdy 6.5kg.
Bulldog EuroClamp Sold Secure 4 x 4
- Weight: 3.18kg
- Lock type: Key
Reason to buy:
- Light in weight, easy to fit
Reason to avoid:
- Fairly pricey
Suitable for motorhomes with a tyre width of up to 280mm and a tyre profile distance of up to 230mm, the Bulldog Euroclamp Sold Secure 4 x 4 wheel clamp claims to be suitable for “most 4x4s, vans, and motorhomes”.
Fitting this wheel lock for a motorhome is easy – the pair of steel arms simply need to be placed around the wheel, before being fitted together, then secured by pushing the lock inwards; no key is required to lock. We like how reinforcing strips have been positioned on the inside of the lock for additional security and strength, the ends of the arms are fitted with plastic sleeves to help prevent your wheels and tyres from suffering any damage. The product also comes with a five-year Bulldog guarantee.
Maypole SH5452 STRONGHOLD Apex Wheelclamp B2
- Weight: 6.55kg
- Lock type: Key
Reason to buy:
- Triangular design protects all part of wheel
Reason to avoid:
- May be trickier to fit than other locks here
We should start by pointing out that the steel-constructed Maypole SH5452 STRONGHOLD Apex Wheelclamp B2 is a fairly weighty beast – it comes in at around 6.55kg – but we also think it looks very secure. We also reckon its bright yellow colouring will help alert potential thieves to its presence.
The triangular design helps to cover not only the wheel nuts but the trims and alloys themselves, helping to further increase the security of your motorhome; it’s suitable for wheel sizes of 504-704 x 195. The back of the main panel features a rubber coating, to help prevent your wheels suffering any damage; the manufacturers claim that the unit is water- and corrosion-resistant; and a trio of keys are supplied.
Bulldog DC400 Auto Clamp
- Weight: 9kg
- Lock type: Key
Reason to buy:
- A great visual deterrent, insurance approved (although you should check your policy to confirm)
Reason to avoid:
- Fairly weighty, quite pricey
Motorhome protection is as much about visual deterrents as it is about security products, and this large Auto Clamp from popular brand Bulldog certainly ticks all the boxes.
Its bright-yellow colour scheme makes it highly visible on your vehicle, while its high-security drill- and pick-resistant lock promises to help keep thieves at bay. It’s not the lightest of units – it weighs in at 9kg, making it the heaviest of the options in our guide – but it should be easy to fit to your motorhome’s wheels.
The rubber-back steel disk can help prevent damage to the ‘van’s wheel nuts, too. Note that this wheel clamp is suitable for a motorhome with a wheel diameter of 580 – 740mm.
Alca Auto Safe
- Weight: 2.5kg
- Lock type: key
Reasons to buy:
- Robust unit at reasonable price
Reasons to avoid:
- Not Sold Secure rated
This locking wheel clamp is made of high-strength steel plate and is suitable for a range of motorhomes. The universal wheel locks can be adjusted to fit tyres between seven and 11 inches wide. The unit is easy to lock with the ‘push to close’ lock and we like how it comes in bright yellow and black for maximum visibility and deterrent. The surface of the clamp is soft-coated to ensure there will be no damage to your vehicle. The clamp is easy to fit – simply adjust it to the appropriate hole and push the lock cylinder.
Alca Tresor XL wheel clamp
- Weight: 3kg
- Lock type: key
Reasons to buy:
- Easy to fit
Reasons to avoid:
- Not Sold Secure rated
Suitable for larger vehicles with tyres measuring between 16 and 19 inches, this wheel clamp is built by German manufacturer Alca. It comes in bright yellow and grey to deter thieves and is suitable for use with aluminium and steel rims, which are protected by rubberised claws. The clamp is simple to fit using the easy-to-adjust claws. The unit helpfully comes with three keys and we also like its light weight of only 3kg.
Milenco Wraith 2 Motorhome Wheel Lock
- Weight: TBC
- Lock type: Key
Reason to buy:
- High level of security
Reason to avoid:
- Pricey, only suitable for Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroën Relay-based motorhomes
The Sold Secure rating is a guide to the effectiveness of leisure vehicle security products, and the sturdy Milenco Wraith 2 Wheel Lock has, according to its manufacturer, been “designed and engineered to far exceed the Sold Secure Gold Standard”.
It’s a chunky, well-manufactured unit for Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroën Relay-based motorhomes, and fitting it is simple. However, one thing we will point out is you do need to replace one of your motorhome’s wheel nuts with the (supplied) Wraith Low Mass Security Wheel Bolt Receiver. After that, it’s just a case of positioning the lock around the wheel, before securing using one of the three supplied keys.
The motorhome wheel lock comes with a five-year guarantee, and we like how a carry case is also supplied for easier transportation.
How to choose the best motorhome wheel clamp
When you’re looking for the best motorhome wheel clamp, there are a few considerations that can help you pick the one for you.
Firstly, will it be a good visual deterrent? This on its own doesn’t mean it will be a good motorhome wheel clamp, but having a brightly coloured accessory could be enough to deter potential thieves, making them move on. The next thing to look for is whether or not it is Sold Secure rated – this can give you an idea of its performance.
The ease of fitting it will be another important consideration, particularly if you regularly use your motorhome. A wheel clamp which takes a lot of time to apply could quickly become a hassle if it needs to be taken off and put back on frequently. Make sure it’s suitable for your ‘van and the width of your motorhome tyres too.
Don’t forget to consider its weight and size too. After all, you’ll need somewhere to store it when it’s not in use and will also need to be able to put it on and off without too much hassle, which could be enough to deter you from a heavier option. As our contributor Peter Rosenthal says, “I’ve used several different types over the years and, while they are very effective, they’re large, heavy lumps of metal to lug around and are not necessarily going to be tremedously easy to use if you have any mobility problems or a bad back.”
“They also generally comprise several components and can sometimes be quite cumbersome to fit. This used to put me off using my motorhome for short trips, as I didn’t like having to wrestle with heavy bits of metal for half an hour. However, for long-term storage or winter lay-up, they are really are well worth considering.”
Are wheel clamps effective?
It’s important to remember that no security gadget will make your ‘van invulnerable to the most determined of thieves – and a wheel clamp is no different. However, what one can do is offer two very useful purposes, both of which can help to keep your ‘van safe and provide you with some valuable peace of mind when you’re away from your vehicle.
Firstly, the best motorhome wheel clamp will be brightly coloured, ensuring it’s eye-catching and can’t be missed by a potential thief. This could, in its own right, be enough to make a thief move on from your pride and joy.
The other useful factor of having a wheel clamp is if a thief is set on stealing your ‘van, it will slow them down, making it more likely that they could be caught in the act as they try to make off with your ‘van.
When you think of it like that, it’s easy to see how effective a wheel clamp can be, especially when combined with other security accessories such as a steering wheel lock.
Written with contributions from Paul Critcher and Peter Rosenthal.
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