Check your couplers!

[java230]

Just a public service announcement. Please check your couplers from time to time. The latches wear out in them. Latch kits are cheap.


I lost my trailer last week, luckily i was basically in my driveway and going less than 30, but i hit a little bump and it popped the trailer right off the ball. Then proceeded into the back of my truck. Boat is fine, truck will live, its not pretty anymore.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Check your couplers!

And more importantly, crawl under them and look at the nut holding the coupler pin to the tongue piece. Those can work themselves out, and off pops the coupler.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Check your couplers!

And more importantly, crawl under them and look at the nut holding the coupler pin to the tongue piece. Those can work themselves out, and off pops the coupler.

^^^ Yup!

I was hitching up once and when I went to lock the coupler latch down, then nut fell off the bottom side..... (Now that was a very opportune time for the nut to fall off!!!) A couple drops of red Lock-tite on the "ny-lock" nut and I was back in business. That could have made for an ugly mess/accident as I was hitting the freeway...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Check your couplers!

Just a public service announcement. Please check your couplers from time to time. The latches wear out in them. Latch kits are cheap.
View attachment 210760

I lost my trailer last week, luckily i was basically in my driveway and going less than 30, but i hit a little bump and it popped the trailer right off the ball. Then proceeded into the back of my truck. Boat is fine, truck will live, its not pretty anymore.

Well, make sure to use a safety pin in the latch to keep it from being able to pop up as well. I don't trust a simple spring latch to hold the latch down with that style of coupler.

 

[SWD]

Re: Check your couplers!

Well, make sure to use a safety pin in the latch to keep it from being able to pop up as well. I don't trust a simple spring latch to hold the latch down with that style of coupler.

I totally agree! Always, always use a safety pin. That will stop the latch from letting lose.

 

[java230]

Re: Check your couplers!

Well, make sure to use a safety pin in the latch to keep it from being able to pop up as well. I don't trust a simple spring latch to hold the latch down with that style of coupler.

Completely agree! However mine had the pin in when it came free, the latch had simply stretched to the point where it could pop off. Probably mis adjusted (too loose) and letting it slop around. Its a new to me trailer and boat, and I should have checked it much better before using it!

 

[mds47588]

Re: Check your couplers!

^^^ Yup!

IA couple drops of red Lock-tite on the "ny-lock" nut and I was back in business....

Nylon lock nuts are not really meant to be re-used. In my line-of work as a airplane mechanic they never get re-used as the thread cuts into the nylon insert and degrades the locking action. Good side...they're easy to find and cheap.

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Check your couplers!

Brother in law was pulling a small box trailer,it popped off,the safety chains did their job really well! It bounced off the back of his surban 4-5 times before he could stop. It wasn't pretty,but could have been worse.
Grub

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Check your couplers!

Nylon lock nuts are not really meant to be re-used. In my line-of work as a airplane mechanic they never get re-used as the thread cuts into the nylon insert and degrades the locking action. Good side...they're easy to find and cheap.

I'd trust a nyloc nut with red threadlocker on it though! Doesn't make a difference if the nylon part is gone, the threadlocker is holding it. Also, the nylon part can age and become brittle, I've seen some OLD nylocs that literally had the plastic crumble out of them.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: Check your couplers!

I've always liked these types of couplers. Simple, and no nuts underneath to fall off...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Check your couplers!

I've always liked these types of couplers. Simple, and no nuts underneath to fall off...

Yeah, and a leading cause of carpal tunnel from twisting/untwisting the mechanism, lol. Most couplers are pretty reliable if their components are kept in good condition, regardless of what design they use to latch on to the tow vehicle. How about a simple pintle hitch?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Check your couplers!

Big mistake I see and have almost made is having the coupler sitting on top of the ball, appearing to be latched, but not.

Also you should rig and hook your safety chains so that if the trailer pops off the ball, the chains will act like a cradle and keep the tongue from hitting the pavement. In addition to the undesirable effects of rubbing the tongue on the pavement, it can prevent a serious accident if the tongue digs in, say into a pothole, soft surface (you pull to the shoulder, right?) etc. I think it may be the law in some places.

 

[moosehead]

Re: Check your couplers!

All good reminders. +1, in Colorado we are required to cross the safety chains underneath the tongue before attaching to the vehicle.

 

[BigDfromTN]

Re: Check your couplers!

One other point to mention....

If the trailer is banging the back of the tow vehicle. It may well have not been loaded with the correct amount of tongue weight to start with. This would have contributed to the likelyhood of it coming off the ball to start with.

I like my Pontoon trailer coupling. It has a pin that goes through the outside of the coupling and through the little catch on the inside that goes under the ball. That pin is on a ring and coated steel retainer cable. Positive locking right there!

 

[Brian 26]

Re: Check your couplers!

Another public service announcement, make sure the pin on your tongue jack is snapped in before you start jacking the tongue up. They can hold in place by friction without being locked and as soon as you jack the hitch off the ball the tongue will come crashing down.