axle and suspension

[Governor Bud]

After winter storage in the driveway, Just brought my 1980 Trillium to her summer campground 120 miles north. Before the trip, mostly highway (65 mph max) Checked tires, pressures, lug nuts. looked underneath for wires or anything unusual.

Had a problem with the coupler lock which wouldn't secure under the ball. Eventually did after many attempts. I probably need a new coupler but its all one welded piece. A trip to the parts store showed many but all are bolt on. How does this work? Would anyone have some and experience on what to look for in a safety check with older suspensions?

Along with the terrible secondary frost heaved road conditions I wasn’t entirely confident on the highway either. Made it safely without issues however i’d like to be more educated on potential issues with suspension on my thirty year old Trillium.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by Governor Bud

Had a problem with the coupler lock which wouldn't secure under the ball. Eventually did after many attempts. I probably need a new coupler but its all one welded piece. A trip to the parts store showed many but all are bolt on. How does this work? Would anyone have some and experience on what to look for in a safety check with older suspensions? .

Ball hitches can be persnickety. They are adjustable, but before you adjust, just be sure that the hitch is all the way down on the ball and that the ball is pulled forward in the hitch, They all have that problem.

[Jon in AZ]

Several thoughts regarding the coupler…
(1) Lubrication. If you lubricate your ball (with white lithium grease) that will typically keep the internal coupler parts lubricated as well. If you don’t (and there are various schools of thought on that), they might need separate lubrication. If they’re dry and don’t move freely, I might start with WD-40 to loosen things up.
(2) Adjustment. There’s a nut that controls how tightly the underjaw clamps the ball. Check the adjustment by separating the ball mount from your vehicle and latching the ball into the coupler. Move the ball around manually. It should be snug enough to feel resistance, but it should not bind. I usually tighten mine until it binds, then back off until it just moves freely.
(3) Wear. Check the coupler body for distortion and thin spots. Check the internal parts for wear and deep rust. The vertical pin that holds the pieces together is often the first to fail. Make sure it doesn’t have any narrow spots. Any signs of excessive wear leads to…
(4) Replacement. Any competent trailer or welding shop can cut off the old coupler and weld on a new one. You can keep the original 1-7/8” ball size or upgrade to the more common 2”.
(5) Hitching. Try to align the ball slightly forward under the coupler opening so that the trailer moves forward slightly as the coupler drops onto the ball. That prevents the ball from binding on the internal parts, sometimes leading to a dangerous “false hitch,” in which the latch appears to close, but the underjaw is pinched on top of the ball rather than under it.

As to the suspension, rubber torsion axles have a typical working life of 15-20 years, but can often roll on well past that mark with gradually decreasing ride quality. Uneven tire wear can be a sign the axle is bent or worn out. The wear pattern provides clues.

A rough ride is an indication the rubber inside the axle is getting brittle. One test is to jack up one side of the trailer (on the frame behind the axle). Note how much the wheel drops as the frame rises (measure hub to wheel arch). Little or no movement means an aged out axle.

Rubber torsion axles are non-serviceable and replaced as a unit. If it’s riding on the original axle, it may well be time. They can be bolted to a bracket welded to the frame or welded directly to the frame. If yours is welded, it will have to be cut off. You can then decide whether to weld or bolt the new one. Either way you will need the services of a welder.

Before starting an axle replacement, you will want to know the real-world, fully loaded gross axle weight of your trailer in order to spec the weight rating of the replacement axle.

Last thought… are you using some kind of hitch tightening device to prevent movement of the ball mount in the receiver? Nothing like spring roads to expose any looseness in your hitch connection!

[floyd]

coupler repair kits are easy to get and install if needed...
https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...rt/C25194.html

[kellbill]

Tip from (Jon in az) #5
I had this happen to me once.
There is a spoon like device that slips underneath the ball, so if the ball is a bit too far back then the"spoon" won't be able to slip under the ball, and will lay on top instead, allowing the hitch bouncing up off the ball when you hit a small bump.
I always be sure the ball is forward before closing the latch handle.
You can check this by jacking up your trailer a small amount, and you should see it starting to lift the tow vehicle if the hitch is property hitched up.

[Governor Bud]

Thank you all for weighing in on these potential disasters. I never ran into this when we traveled with our Bigfoot 17 cross country many times... it's just with the trillium. In fact last summer the trailer did jump off the hitch sad to say ---fortunately over a frost have in a small town. Shocked the s@&t out of me. No damage!

It appears the issue is with that half moon piece below the spring. Yesterday the only way to connect was to take the hitch OFF the receiver align it with the coupler and ball then back the truck and align the hitch with the receiver. This actually worked as a work around! (Save this one in the back of your brain)

Did a tire and axle suspension. Wearing without issues.Next is the wheel bearings as no way know from previous owner. The coupler repair kit is next up as well.

[Borden]

Originally Posted by Governor Bud

After winter storage in the driveway, Just brought my 1980 Trillium to her summer campground 120 miles north. Before the trip, mostly highway (65 mph max) Checked tires, pressures, lug nuts. looked underneath for wires or anything unusual.

Had a problem with the coupler lock which wouldn't secure under the ball. Eventually did after many attempts. I probably need a new coupler but its all one welded piece. A trip to the parts store showed many but all are bolt on. How does this work? Would anyone have some and experience on what to look for in a safety check with older suspensions?

Along with the terrible secondary frost heaved road conditions I wasn’t entirely confident on the highway either. Made it safely without issues however i’d like to be more educated on potential issues with suspension on my thirty year old Trillium.

Ours will stick and not want to engage if ground is not true. We need a strait slope or flat ground. If car angle is down or up in relation to trailer angle the ball seems to prevent the unit from engaging. All is fine once it is locked though.

[marsbar]

Originally Posted by AC0GV

Ball hitches can be persnickety. They are adjustable, but before you adjust, just be sure that the hitch is all the way down on the ball and that the ball is pulled forward in the hitch, They all have that problem.

I just had to replace the coupler on my '75 boler. The nut wouldn't tighten, it would just spin the bolt. It worked when I parked it but just gave up on me.

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

You can keep the original 1-7/8” ball size or upgrade to the more common 2”.

This would be my first check.


The OP's Bigfoot likely uses a 2" ball. The Trillium is 1-7/8" coupler.
Did the OP switch balls?

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

This would be my first check.


The OP's Bigfoot likely uses a 2" ball. The Trillium is 1-7/8" coupler.
Did the OP switch balls?

Good point, I keep a separate receiver/ball assembly for my Escape which uses a 2 inch ball and my Trillium that uses 1 7/8 inch ball. One of these days, I'll change out the ball coupler on the Trillium. Of course, I also use a different receiver height at the Escape sits much higher.