Trailer came off hitch.

[Forrest747]

Good to know about the welded and bolted. Mine are bolted

 

[hoytedow]

problem to me is

RV HITCH>

cut it off with a cutting torch and trow it as far as you can trow it with your arms.

toss it where no good person will find it and try to use it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then go look up a bull dog hitch and

buy it and have a welder if you can't weld do the job and weld it to your trailers tongues.

you don't have this type of problem with a bull dog hitch.

rv hitches are like.

disposbale cameras to the digtal camera world.

or rv hitches are like donot tires for spare wheels.

you wont regreat this change to a bull dog hitch.

rv hitches are

KNOWN TO NOT BE ON THE BALL PROPERLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

its a major thing with the rv hitch.

and alot of the times when they do hitch and fitt proper.

it takes a lot of cussing and a pry bar to get them un hitched and

OFF YOUR BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to me a rv hitch is junk.

slow

After you throw it as far as you can, go back and pick it up. You can sell it for 10 cents a pound at the scrap metal yard.

 

[bobhenry-TNT]

By wrapping the safety chains several times you can greatly shorten them.

If you look in the top couple of links of the safety chains you will see my lynch pin I used thru the coupler eye to keep it closed while towing

 

[Jim Edgerly]

I have my trailer hitch adjusted to the ball (using the nut on the bottom) so it is a fairly snug fit...needs some pressure to close the hitch latch (or what ever it is called) onto the ball. That keeps a lot of the "bucking" down when traveling on rough roads, and ALWAYS keep the ball well greased. I would never even consider pulling away without at least a pin in the hole. I ALWAYS use a lock myself so that if I have to stop somewhere someone won't come up and disconnect my trailer and drive away with it while I'm in a restaurant or someplace. Plus the lock guarantees that the pin can't fall out making it possible for the hitch to come open and some resulting disaster happening. It is just one more safety item like chains and proper air pressure...something really quick to do but absolutely necessary for your safety.

 

[pete4330]

Jim brought up a point about someone taking the pin from the hitch latch lever.

on another forum a member went into a store and when he came out noticed the hitch didn't look right.
while he was in the store someone had removed the pin that holds the ball mount in the hitch receiver,
if he had not noticed it and had driven away who knows what could have happened.
the trailer could have stayed attached for some time before coming loose maybe while driving at highway speeds.

I check my side going and coming I have my GF check her side she found a blister on one of the trailer tires once
we changed it at the rest stop may have prevented a major disaster

 

[Forrest747]

I am going to be replacing the chains as a precaution. several of the links have road rash. so looking at the position of where they connect to the trailer frame I am wondering are tehy too far back. its less than 6 inchs from teh rear of the coupler. in looking at photos online some are right there within an inch of teh edge of the tongue. so wondering do i take this time and move them or are they ok. getting new nuts and bolts as well.

 

[hoytedow]

From the last photo with the trailer hooked up I couldn't discern if you had your chains crossed under the tongue as it should be. That would have kept it out of the asphalt.

 

[Brumasterm01]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I might just resurrect this one and share my experience.

This past weekend, after breaking camp, hooking up my little 4x8 trailer, and traveling five miles down a dirt road, my trailer became unhitched.

I was traveling about 15–20 mph when I felt a jerk. I looked back to see my trailer bobbing up and down. I applied my brakes gently and let the truck and trailer slowly come to a stop.
Unbelievably, the truck and trailer suffered no damage. I was 30 miles from the nearest paved road to civilization and 1,000 miles from home. The safety chains held, and the coupler just slid through the dirt.

I am so thankful this didn't happen on a more aggressive off-road trail or on pavement at highway speeds. The most unnerving part is not fully understanding why it happened, leaving me with 1,000 miles of uncertainty traveling back home.

Clues:

1. The trailer latch was closed and the pin was still inserted when I inspected the trailer laying on the ground.
2. I felt the trailer drop onto the ball before latching it.
3. I felt a slight clunk as I departed camp.
4. The trailer is only a year old, but I've put 2,000 miles on it, including a hundred or so off-road miles on more difficult, washed-out, and washboard trails.
5. The trail into camp two days prior was washed out, rutted, and filled with washboard sections.
6. I was able to tighten the nut within the latch mechanism no more than a full turn after the incident.
7. The coupler is marked 2" and the ball is 2".
8. Jack test: After re-securing the latch and ensuring the wedge/clamp was under the ball after the accident, I was able to jack up the trailer and bumper without the trailer unhitching.

Theories:

1. "False latch" (80% confident): The latch tongue wasn't fully down under the ball, or the latch was sitting higher than the ball. The clue is the clunk, but I could swear it was latched properly.
2. Latch nut loose (10% confident).
3. Worn coupler components from off-roading (10% confident).

Fixes:

1. Do a visual check to ensure the wedge/clamp is positioned under the ball.
2. Perform a jack test after latching.
3. Replace the coupler — it's already on order (less than $30 for a new Curt 3,500 lb coupler). I figure this is cheap insurance if the original coupler components have stretched or worn.
4. Occasionally check the coupler nut tension on the new coupler.

Please let me know if I am missing anything. This whole experience was completely unnerving.

---

 

[foxontherun]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I might just resurrect this one and share my experience.

This past weekend, after breaking camp, hooking up my little 4x8 trailer, and traveling five miles down a dirt road, my trailer became unhitched.

I was traveling about 15–20 mph when I felt a jerk. I looked back to see my trailer bobbing up and down. I applied my brakes gently and let the truck and trailer slowly come to a stop.
Unbelievably, the truck and trailer suffered no damage. I was 30 miles from the nearest paved road to civilization and 1,000 miles from home. The safety chains held, and the coupler just slid through the dirt.

I am so thankful this didn't happen on a more aggressive off-road trail or on pavement at highway speeds. The most unnerving part is not fully understanding why it happened, leaving me with 1,000 miles of uncertainty traveling back home.

Clues:

1. The trailer latch was closed and the pin was still inserted when I inspected the trailer laying on the ground.
2. I felt the trailer drop onto the ball before latching it.
3. I felt a slight clunk as I departed camp.
4. The trailer is only a year old, but I've put 2,000 miles on it, including a hundred or so off-road miles on more difficult, washed-out, and washboard trails.
5. The trail into camp two days prior was washed out, rutted, and filled with washboard sections.
6. I was able to tighten the nut within the latch mechanism no more than a full turn after the incident.
7. The coupler is marked 2" and the ball is 2".
8. Jack test: After re-securing the latch and ensuring the wedge/clamp was under the ball after the accident, I was able to jack up the trailer and bumper without the trailer unhitching.

Theories:

1. "False latch" (80% confident): The latch tongue wasn't fully down under the ball, or the latch was sitting higher than the ball. The clue is the clunk, but I could swear it was latched properly.
2. Latch nut loose (10% confident).
3. Worn coupler components from off-roading (10% confident).

Fixes:

1. Do a visual check to ensure the wedge/clamp is positioned under the ball.
2. Perform a jack test after latching.
3. Replace the coupler — it's already on order (less than $30 for a new Curt 3,500 lb coupler). I figure this is cheap insurance if the original coupler components have stretched or worn.
4. Occasionally check the coupler nut tension on the new coupler.

Please let me know if I am missing anything. This whole experience was completely unnerving.

---

Have you checked the spring inside the coupler? (See attached picture). I have a utility trailer for my mower and had a similar issue happen and the spring was broken. To fix mine, I bought a new coupler kit similar to this: Replacement 2" Posi-Lock Coupler Latch for Straight-Tongue Couplers

Hope it's that easy; that is very unnerving to say the least. Good luck.
Harry

 

[Brumasterm01]

Have you checked the spring inside the coupler? (See attached picture). I have a utility trailer for my mower and had a similar issue happen and the spring was broken. To fix mine, I bought a new coupler kit similar to this: Replacement 2" Posi-Lock Coupler Latch for Straight-Tongue Couplers

Hope it's that easy; that is very unnerving to say the least. Good luck.
Harry

I did not check the spring. It's coming off this weekend, I'll check it then. Finding something broken would give me peace of mind!

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I might just resurrect this one and share my experience.

This past weekend, after breaking camp, hooking up my little 4x8 trailer, and traveling five miles down a dirt road, my trailer became unhitched.

I was traveling about 15–20 mph when I felt a jerk. I looked back to see my trailer bobbing up and down. I applied my brakes gently and let the truck and trailer slowly come to a stop.
Unbelievably, the truck and trailer suffered no damage. I was 30 miles from the nearest paved road to civilization and 1,000 miles from home. The safety chains held, and the coupler just slid through the dirt.

I am so thankful this didn't happen on a more aggressive off-road trail or on pavement at highway speeds. The most unnerving part is not fully understanding why it happened, leaving me with 1,000 miles of uncertainty traveling back home.

Clues:

1. The trailer latch was closed and the pin was still inserted when I inspected the trailer laying on the ground.
2. I felt the trailer drop onto the ball before latching it.
3. I felt a slight clunk as I departed camp.
4. The trailer is only a year old, but I've put 2,000 miles on it, including a hundred or so off-road miles on more difficult, washed-out, and washboard trails.
5. The trail into camp two days prior was washed out, rutted, and filled with washboard sections.
6. I was able to tighten the nut within the latch mechanism no more than a full turn after the incident.
7. The coupler is marked 2" and the ball is 2".
8. Jack test: After re-securing the latch and ensuring the wedge/clamp was under the ball after the accident, I was able to jack up the trailer and bumper without the trailer unhitching.

Theories:

1. "False latch" (80% confident): The latch tongue wasn't fully down under the ball, or the latch was sitting higher than the ball. The clue is the clunk, but I could swear it was latched properly.
2. Latch nut loose (10% confident).
3. Worn coupler components from off-roading (10% confident).

Fixes:

1. Do a visual check to ensure the wedge/clamp is positioned under the ball.
2. Perform a jack test after latching.
3. Replace the coupler — it's already on order (less than $30 for a new Curt 3,500 lb coupler). I figure this is cheap insurance if the original coupler components have stretched or worn.
4. Occasionally check the coupler nut tension on the new coupler.

Please let me know if I am missing anything. This whole experience was completely unnerving.

---

After having a cargo trailer come off the ball during heavy traffic on I-84 in Portland, I have gone to a Bulldog coupler on that trailer. Thankfully, our Oliver came with a Bulldog. To the best of my knowledge , you can’t close a Bulldog if the ball is not seated properly.

I recently read that Bulldog is no longer in business(? Not sure about that) but Curt and Demco make similar style slide lock couplers.

I have a Max Coupler on the teardrop.

 

[Brumasterm01]

Have you checked the spring inside the coupler? (See attached picture). I have a utility trailer for my mower and had a similar issue happen and the spring was broken. To fix mine, I bought a new coupler kit similar to this: Replacement 2" Posi-Lock Coupler Latch for Straight-Tongue Couplers

Hope it's that easy; that is very unnerving to say the least. Good luck.
Harry

Just pulled the latch apart. The springs look ok. Can’t see any signs of abnormal wear. I was hoping to see a broken spring or some sign of failure.

 

[Brumasterm01]

Opted to go with the Curt Quick Pin No-Latch coupler.