by S. Heisley » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:10 am
Thanks for sharing. Interesting story. I'm glad you were able to save your trailer.
I thought my problem was unique so didn't report it at the time I found it. I bought a new Red Trailer (not cheap) and, being new at pulling a trailer, I checked the coupling very carefully. The latch was doing the same thing you described. It would not lock into position and was sitting on top of the ball. The hook part of the latch was slightly bent and misshapen on one side and would not fit over the latch bar. Luckily, I have a very good neighbor with more tools than I have; so, I asked for his help. My neighbor clamped the latch in his vice (I don't have one) and was able to file off the excess from the latch hook's inner circle with a rat tail file and tweak the one bent side just a tad so that it works well now.
After adding my story to yours, I'm thinking that somewhere in China there is a worn mold for these things that is past its prime. Anyone who has a new hitch coupler, please check your unit and be certain that the inside latch is hooked over the bar and that the coupler will come down correctly over the ball.
IT STOPED 2FT A TEN FT DITCH UNHARMED.THE REASON TELLING STORY WHEN I GOT HOME AND STARTED LOOKING AT HITCH I NOTICED WHEN I PUT IT ON BALL THE REAR LATCH WOULD PUSH UP AND RIDE ON THE TOP THE BALL BUT LATCH AS NORMAL. I NOW CARRY A 2 FT CROW BAR LOOK TO SEE WHERE THE LATCH IS. MAYBE CHEAPER IS NOT
