Don't be a safety chain slacker

[Ford850]

The only way you're going to keep the trailer hitch off the ground in case the hitch fails, is if the total length of the chain is less than the distance between the truck ball and the ground Like pictured in the lower left photo. Sometimes that is not possible since you need enough chain to make turns.

 

[ray66v]

My decoupling wasn't due to the ball failing, it was due to the fact that since I was only going a few miles I decided putting my lock on the coupler was to much trouble. And, perhaps if I hadn't crossed those railroad tracks, it would have been fine.

My minimum now is, a bolt through the lock hole. But, I usually put the lock on.

 

[LD48750]

My decoupling wasn't due to the ball failing, it was due to the fact that since I was only going a few miles I decided putting my lock on the coupler was to much trouble. And, perhaps if I hadn't crossed those railroad tracks, it would have been fine.

My minimum now is, a bolt through the lock hole. But, I usually put the lock on.

Are you saying that the lock came undone?
It was OPEN when you retrieved the trailer?

I've seen hitches come off the ball because they were not adjusted correctly or the wrong size ball but never seen a lock come unlocked.

 

[Ford850]

My decoupling wasn't due to the ball failing, it was due to the fact that since I was only going a few miles I decided putting my lock on the coupler was to much trouble. And, perhaps if I hadn't crossed those railroad tracks, it would have been fine.

My minimum now is, a bolt through the lock hole. But, I usually put the lock on.

Thanks, I changed "ball" to hitch" in my post above, since that covers any hitch failure. I had a near failure similar to yours. My son forgot to add the pin to the coupler after hooking everything up. He nervously asked me to pull over a few minutes after we pulled out, still maneuvering city streets. He hopped out, found the coupler open and just resting on the ball, and the pin still sitting on the bumper. Thank God we had good tongue weight and that my son did the right thing and asked me to stop. I think he was 16 at the time. I can guarantee he will not mess up again when connection trailers. He had connected trailers many dozens of times before that day, and many dozens since. His safety check routine after that day makes me proud.

 

[LD48750]

Thanks, I changed "ball" to hitch" in my post above, since that covers any hitch failure. I had a near failure similar to yours. My son forgot to add the pin to the coupler after hooking everything up. He nervously asked me to pull over a few minutes after we pulled out, still maneuvering city streets. He hopped out, found the coupler open and just resting on the ball, and the pin still sitting on the bumper. Thank God we had good tongue weight and that my son did the right thing and asked me to stop. I think he was 16 at the time. I can guarantee he will not mess up again when connection trailers. He had connected trailers many dozens of times before that day, and many dozens since. His safety check routine after that day makes me proud.

Sounds to me like he never closed the coupler, not that it came open.

 

[Ford850]

Sounds to me like he never closed the coupler, not that it came open.

We think so too. But he realized he didn't remember adding the pin to the coupler. That's what raised the flag in his mind. Now he does two walk arounds, once while checking the lights and once afterwards.

 

[Degolyerent]

I use a lynchpin on the coupler

 

[Looking4new]

I use a lynchpin on the coupler

X2:thumbsup:

 

[white cloud]

Has anyone here seen a coupler fail? I have four things that need to be towed. My BigTex trailer has a bulldog style Chinese made coupler. It seems pretty stout but I may be confused. The boat trailer looks pretty well made also. The coupler on my single axle utility trailer is just folded metal as is the one on our travel trailer. I have thought about replacing these two. Am I being paranoid?

 

[ray66v]

Are you saying that the lock came undone?
It was OPEN when you retrieved the trailer?

I've seen hitches come off the ball because they were not adjusted correctly or the wrong size ball but never seen a lock come unlocked.

The hitch was on the ball, and the lever on the top was closed. I went to put the lock on, and decided not to bother, because it was only a 15 minute trip, and I was going to drop the trailer off. The key for the lock, was on the same key ring as the car, and I didn't want to bother turning the car off to unlock it.

I drove quite a few miles, before crossing some rough railroad tracks. About a mile after that, was when it came unhitched.

Yes, the coupler was was open.

It never came off before, or after that. But, I always put the lock on it.