Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

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Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

Postby Tom&Shelly » Fri Oct 01, 2021 11:41 am

We were hitching up our trailer yesterday for a 5 1/2 hour return from camping at Burlingame State Park Rhode Island, when we found the pin that was supposed to connect the latch handle to the underpin assembly has worked it's way part-way out.

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The image shows the pin. We initially thought there must have been a clip, or cotter pin, or something that was supposed to keep it from working its way out, but it wasn't apparent what that thing would be. Luckily, we had noticed McGrew's boat sales near the campsite.

https://www.megrewsboats.com/

I want to give them some good publicity for helping us out. They looked at the pin and said it probably should have been peened. There is a concave surface on the end of the pin. Evidently, there was a manufacturing defect at Atwood Mobile Products, the hitch manufacturer, and it was never done. Apparently then, we've been driving thousands of miles with this defect, and the only thing holding the pin in was paint! :shock:

McGrew sold us a bolt to replace it, along with a nylock (tighted down after taking the picture)

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Seems to be working fine. The defect was missed by the trailer builder, us, and our trusted mechanic back near Albuquerque. We consider ourselves considerably lucky nothing bad happened, particularly while on the interstates!

Tom
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Re: Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

Postby tony.latham » Fri Oct 01, 2021 7:42 pm

ARGGGGGHH!

:x

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Re: Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

Postby pchast » Fri Oct 01, 2021 8:36 pm

I'm glad you and your things are alright.
:thinking:
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Re: Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

Postby tony.latham » Sat Oct 02, 2021 8:57 am

We're hitching up today for another grand adventure. I think when she's locked on the ball, I'll try to jack up and see what happens. Might be a good annual practice to check the bottom clasp.

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Re: Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

Postby Tom&Shelly » Sat Oct 02, 2021 12:11 pm

tony.latham wrote:We're hitching up today for another grand adventure. I think when she's locked on the ball, I'll try to jack up and see what happens. Might be a good annual practice to check the bottom clasp.

Tony


Sounds like a good idea. On our hitch, as long as the pin was in place, it would have held the ball okay. But if the pin came out, the "under jaw" would have fallen right off.
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Re: Defective Trailer Hitch Made by Atwood Mobile Products

Postby twisted lines » Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:19 am

Note taken!
Good test is a dump trailer dumping,
Year's ago I (Forgot) 1 time :shock:
Racking up; And Rapin foam
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