Hitch ball / coupler near disaster

[CliffordK]

Agree....something sure isn't working like it should. The OP should lay on his back and take a good look at it from below.

Not particularly with 7,000 pounds of trailer above him on a hill.

However, it would be worthwhile to give it a gander once unloaded and in a safe location. Practice with the trailer when empty.

I do have to disconnect my trailer with a load on it from time to time. However, I also use the trailer attached to the pickup to help control how the trailer will react to various forces. Unloading, working on tires, etc.

 

[plowhog]

The OP should lay on his back and take a good look at it from below.

I will do that when I get home. I do have the trailer unloaded now.

btw, I have a Big Tex equipment trailer (same mfgr) and often face identical issues. Seems I am going to need coupler maintenance or replacement.

 

[WinterDeere]

There is a lot that goes into the "payload".
Axle weight rating
Tire weight rating
(perhaps rim weight rating)
Trailer Coupler weight rating.
For the dump, one should have hydraulics that are capable of lifting the load.
The frame should also be strong enough to carry the weight. A 20,000 pound equipment trailer will be much heavier than a 5,000 pound utility trailer.

I've not come across a trailer manufacturer who wasn't smart enough to mount the correct rims, tires and tongue, to maximize the weight rating of the axles. Put otherwise, in every case I've ever seen, the weight rating is based only on the axles and the body. In almost all cases, the body is engineered to maximize the payload to hit axle GWR.

 

[ultrarunner]

Agree....something sure isn't working like it should. The OP should lay on his back and take a good look at it from below.

Properly braced and blocked of course...

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've been plagued by the same problems releasing the hitch on my 10K dump trailer for many years.
The hitch appears to be similar to the one described by the OP.

I minimize the problem by keeping the coupler well lubed as others have described. I also use the smallest hitch ball with the correct weight rating for my 10K trailer. Dropping even 1/8" in size can make a big difference.

Usually, raising and lowering the trailer jack with the wheels chocked, the tow vehicle in neutral and emergency brake applied, does the trick.

Finding that release point by raising & lowering the tongue can be a hassle. This electric jack, powered by the dump trailer battery, makes the process a snap:

When all else fails, removing the hitch pin and driving the tow vehicle forward is necessary. Make sure the trailer wheels are chocked first.

 

[WinterDeere]

I minimize the problem by keeping the coupler well lubed as others have described. I also use the smallest hitch ball with the correct weight rating for my 10K trailer. Dropping even 1/8" in size can make a big difference.

Whoa... never heard of anyone running any ball size other than the one stamped on the coupler, and would think that has got to be a little dangerous.

When folks were spreading love all over bulldog couplers a few pages back, I didn't mention that the first bulldog coupler I ever encountered was on one of my grandfather's utility trailers, and after so many years of use, was somewhat worn. I saw the damn thing pop off the ball twice in use, a correctly-matched size ball at that.

I would think running any ball other than the size stamped on the coupler is just asking for trouble, in terms of the hitch popping off the ball on a bumpy stretch of road. I would also think it could eventually stress the capture pawl assembly beyond its design point, as you're going to have to adjust that to take up the slack, and now it is taking a greater fraction of the braking force of the tow vehicle, if brakes are not set absolutely perfectly.

 

[jyoutz]

Right!!! There are a thousand different couplers.

My favorite type of couplers are the Bulldog Clam Shell couplers. Once locked down, they don't come off. And once the side is popped open, it will come off.

I usually start jacking until the trailer starts pulling the pickup up a little bit, then climb onto the bumper and jump up and down a couple of times. If everything is set right, it breaks the coupler loose every time. And in your case, you'll largely be out of the pinch zone.

Life isn't always flat. Make sure you have some good wheel chocks.

The bulldog clam shell couplers are awful nice. I had a trailer with the same issues as the OP. I removed the problem coupler and replaced with the bulldog. No more problems.

 

[jyoutz]

Whoa... never heard of anyone running any ball size other than the one stamped on the coupler, and would think that has got to be a little dangerous.

When folks were spreading love all over bulldog couplers a few pages back, I didn't mention that the first bulldog coupler I ever encountered was on one of my grandfather's utility trailers, and after so many years of use, was somewhat worn. I saw the damn thing pop off the ball twice in use, a correctly-matched size ball at that.

I would think running any ball other than the size stamped on the coupler is just asking for trouble, in terms of the hitch popping off the ball on a bumpy stretch of road. I would also think it could eventually stress the capture pawl assembly beyond its design point, as you're going to have to adjust that to take up the slack, and now it is taking a greater fraction of the braking force of the tow vehicle, if brakes are not set absolutely perfectly.

I have personal experience with running too small of a ball and it could have been disastrous. That’s a big no.

 

[D&D]

Whoa... never heard of anyone running any ball size other than the one stamped on the coupler, and would think that has got to be a little dangerous.

I’ve never seen a 2 3/16 trailer ball for sale. I have seen what happens when using a 17/8 ball in a 2” coupler, it was expensive to fix.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Whoa... never heard of anyone running any ball size other than the one stamped on the coupler, and would think that has got to be a little dangerous.

I was not suggesting that anyone do so. I should have been more specific and said "Make sure the ball is the correct size for the coupler".

In my case, I tow several trailers with different couplers. I often use a ball that is a size larger than what is stamped on the coupler. It works fine on the dump trailer but can be harder to disconnect.

Sorry for any confusion.