Hitch popped off -- Replacement

[John Linck]

I was able to turn the latch adjusting screw 2-3 turns tighter on my brand new scamp. I figure better snug with grease than too loose. I knew to check since a previous trailer popped off 10 years ago. Love those safety chains. They worked.

[War Eagle]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

I missed that one Gary,

Thought I should add that sometimes the clunk one hears is from the bar rattling in the receiver. I bought one of those anti rattle devices and it solved the problem.

I have a bar that is slightly undersized, so as is, it rattles in the receiver. To stop the rattle, I made a couple wraps around both ends of the bar with electrician's tape (the rubberized kind) so it fits snuggly front and rear when slid into place (kind of like adding a thin rubber bushing at the front and back of the bar). With use, the tape gets pretty smashed in there, but it stays stuck to the bar when I swap it in and out, and no more rattle.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by karrowr

I've since learned that this is not at all uncommon. Lots of folks have their hitches pop off and some boat towers even put extra weight on the front fork to prevent it.


I just replaced the ball hitch with a Lock 'n Roll hitch from Chicago Forge, an incredibly heavy-duty affair that is absolutely secure <www.locknroll.com>. It also tows much more smoothly without the "clunk" that you hear when the ball hits the side of its socket. Highly recommended.

I have never had a hitch that was locked and adjusted correctly pop off - either on a travel trailer or a boat. If your hearing clunk its a good bet the hitch nut on the underside isn't set correctly.

I do know it not all that uncommon for folks to do a false hitch lock as we have had more than a few really experienced folks here confess to having done that at least once in their towing life. Don't think one needs to spend much if any money to fix that problem. As others have indicated its avoided by taking the time to adjust the nut on the underside of the tongue and then jacking the tongue back up once you have connected the hitch to make sure you haven't false locked it.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

I have a bar that is slightly undersized, so as is, it rattles in the receiver. To stop the rattle, I made a couple wraps around both ends of the bar with electrician's tape (the rubberized kind) so it fits snuggly front and rear when slid into place (kind of like adding a thin rubber bushing at the front and back of the bar). With use, the tape gets pretty smashed in there, but it stays stuck to the bar when I swap it in and out, and no more rattle.

You might want to look over post #11 and the link therein.... just a suggestion.

[Roger C H]

I used to have a small utility trailer with a 1-7/8" ball and a boat trailer with a 2" ball. The inevitable happened and I towed the boat with the smaller ball until crossing a RR track when the hitch and ball departed ways. So that would be something to add to your checklist if you have the same situation.

When I first started towing Homelet, I would get clunking on cement roadways with the seams. That was fixed by torquing the ball to the draw bar properly.

[Borrego Dave]

Never had one pop off but years ago I got tired of changing the balls for different sizes. Changed all of them to 2", life's easier that way. I have loaned utility trails to a few friends with one condition. If your TV is wired different than mine change your wiring not mine. Never had a problem but have one side note. A long time buddy used one of my utility trailers from San Diego to mid California. Two weeks after he got back he reluctantly told me he had forgot to lock the ball down on the return trip. Glad he had enough TW cuz it never popped off. Lesson learned . Bet everybody has a story of.....happenings.

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

years ago I got tired of changing the balls for different sizes. Changed all of them to 2", life's easier that way.

Ditto, I once swore I would make it my life's mission to replace every 1 7/8" hitch that came my way with a 2". So you know what happened, my Scamp came to me with a 1 7/8" hitch. I have a lot of other fish to fry before I will get around to cutting off a perfectly good hitch just to change sizes. Never say never. And I have had trailers jump off, becasue I did not really have them hooked up. I do the finger thing now out of habit, it is easy enough to feel the tougue under there snug up to the ball. Those clam-shell hitches are pretty cool too. I had one on a larger trailer I cut off in favor of a pintle. People were always trying to borrow the trailer, the pintle hitch solved that problem.

[Bob Miller]

I think that the O.P. has left the building......
As if he was ever here....?

[fusedlight]

*chuckle* You have to be amused at someone who tries something like that HERE.

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by fusedlight

*chuckle* You have to be amused at someone who tries something like that HERE.

Yep, with our duty bird-dog "Willy Ketchum" on the job, the slippery ones seldom get by....

Now about that BigFoot dealer..... Moderators, where are you?

[rabbit]

Never heard of a 2-1/8" coupler or ball. Sure isn't commonly available. 2-5/16" maybe?

jack

[Bob Miller]

U-Haul used to use an odd over- size ball on their trucks to have control over was being towed with their trucks, at least they did in 1976.

[Darwin Maring]

Checking the gap between the hitch and ball to determine if the hitch is totally seated on the ball.

Be extremely careful when you place your finger under the hitch to test the gap. A friend and/or spouse assisting by jiggling the trailer / hitch can prove to be a painful situation should the hitch suddenly seat itself. (Past experience speaking)

[KevinScamps]

I had the same experience. The issue was that the bolt that holds the catch on the reverse side of the hitch was a little loose (also I was driving over a speed bump, rain gutter far too fast). I tightened that up and have not had a problem since. Scared the crap out of me when it happened. Fortunately the trailer landed on the handle of the tongue jack and no damage was done to anything besides grinding down the metal handle some.

[Darrell in Al]

I've had 1 trailer to disconnect while being towed... my fathers pontoon boat trailer, I had stored at Aunt's house in IL. She moved and had a family member to tow it to new house. They decided to tow it with a 2in. Ball not the 1 7/8in Ball. It was assisted by BFH to go on.
When I picked it up and towed down to AL. I had it to disconnect after hitting a expansion crack in road at 55 mph. Safety chains worked "flat spotted" spare tire. The couplers was stretched to almost fit 2in ball. I had to change out my 1 7/8 ball for 2in force on to continue trip. I had to cut off old coupler and replace after I got to AL.

[David Tilston]

BFH, Big Friendly Hammer?

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I think that the O.P. has left the building......
As if he was ever here....?

Yeah, from his public profile:

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[Joe MacDonald]

I am a regular poster here and will verify that some of the cheap hitches out there will pop off if the weight is too light on the tongue. I recently had a utility trailer pop off the hitch and put a nice smile on my plastic bumper cover when dropping a big load in. The trailer coupler was adjusted right and pinned down and verified before hand. The weight was dropped into the trailer too far back behind the axle and the coupler slipped off the ball like it wasn't even clamped down. This is an extreme case though and shouldn't happen with our trailers as we don't dump 2500 pounds in to take with us, at least not all in one shot anyway

Joe

[CampyTime]

I've been reading this thread with great interest as I'm curious to learn more about this adjuster screw under the tongue that's been mentioned several times. Thinking I need to check that before I leave on my trip Thursday. Have towed a pop up before my scamp and never knew about this. Could someone please tell me what/.where to look for this and how to tell if it's snug enough to the ball?

I always do an eyeball test after hooking up yo make sure that all I see is the neck of the ball. I grease the tongue and ball with lithium and Also use a padlock.

In addition after hooking up, is this finger test to see if the tongue is next to the ball? If I find thus adjuster screw, how snug do ya go?

Now you got me thinking. And the only time I ever hear a clunk is when I'm jacking the coupler off the ball when I unhook from the truck after arriving at site or home. It makes a clunking noise then pops up/off. Normal?


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Donna D.]

Honestly, if everything is hitched up right and you use the tongue jack to determine if everything is good-to-go... like raising the rear of the tug... it doesn't matter whether you have a 2" ball or a 1-7/8 inch ball. That extra 1/8 inch isn't going to make it better.

Pay attention! Hookup properly and don't assume!

There is a reason your knees bend. If you don't trust the hitchup. Get down and LOOK to make sure the EARS on the trailer tongue are around the BALL of the tug.

Easy Peasy