Trouble hooking up to coupler

[M2HB]

I’ve had ball couplers come off, and it wasn’t from a shifting load. I was going over a cattle guard and when the truck went down, after the bump, the trailer force was going up and overcame the holding ability of the coupler. I pay the difference when building or rebuilding trailers. I’ve never heard of a collar lock uncoupling accidentally.

 

[MTboatguy]

I’ve had ball couplers come off, and it wasn’t from a shifting load. I was going over a cattle guard and when the truck went down, after the bump, the trailer force was going up and overcame the holding ability of the coupler. I pay the difference when building or rebuilding trailers. I’ve never heard of a collar lock uncoupling accidentally.

I am glad you have not, but after helping my buddy who owns a RV manufacturing facility for the last 12 years, I sure have!

Anyway, the guy asked a question, we have all offered our opinions, so he has to choose his path.

No more from me.

 

[M2HB]

I am glad you have not, but after helping my buddy who owns a RV manufacturing facility for the last 12 years, I sure have!

Anyway, the guy asked a question, we have all offered our opinions, so he has to choose his path.

No more from me.

Wow,
I defer to your experience. I've never seen a collar lock accidentally uncoupling. Then again, I've never seen a RV manufacturer use a collar lock coupler. I don't have a lot of experience, but I have built equipment, and boat trailers, on and off, since 1975. The way a collar lock works you would have to shear the cast steel coupler or the steel hinge. Both are unlikely. With most other ball couplers all you have to do is overcome a stamped sheet metal latch. There is a reason that a good collar lock costs about 4 times what a stamped sheet metal coupler costs.

Post some pictures of the failed collar lock you have experience with and I'll post pictures of a failed 25,000 # stamped sheet metal coupler that failed with only 6,500# on it, that I have experience with.

This is a good learning experience for all of us. Thank you for you input.

 

[MTboatguy]

Wow,
I defer to your experience. I've never seen a collar lock accidentally uncoupling. Then again, I've never seen a RV manufacturer use a collar lock coupler. I don't have a lot of experience, but I have built equipment, and boat trailers, on and off, since 1975. The way a collar lock works you would have to shear the cast steel coupler or the steel hinge. Both are unlikely. With most other ball couplers all you have to do is overcome a stamped sheet metal latch. There is a reason that a good collar lock costs about 4 times what a stamped sheet metal coupler costs.

Post some pictures of the failed collar lock you have experience with and I'll post pictures of a failed 25,000 # stamped sheet metal coupler that failed with only 6,500# on it, that I have experience with.

This is a good learning experience for all of us. Thank you for you input.

Don't have to defer at all, we all have had different experiences.

We don't use lock collar couplers in the RV business, but we do in the horse and utility trailer business. Most failures of any type of coupler is due to not maintaining them, just like anything else that is mechanical, if you don't take care, they will fail in due time. A properly maintained formed channel coupler will last a long time if you do the service on it that it requires over its life. I do agree that lock collar couplers are better in certain instances and I don't dislike them, just in the business for most guys trailering boats, they are really not needed in my opinion.