HF coupler issue

[nikwax]

My wife was on a road trip and had big problems with the coupler on our HF chassis. Problems getting the clamp on the ball. She did have the coupler come off the ball while driving, and dragged the trailer by the safety chains for a bit before stopping, fortunately not much harm done (it rode on the spare tire rather that destroying the tongue). Took her nearly an hour to get re-hitched, she found that there was a loose nut on the clamp that clamps the ball.


I'm replacing the coupler and will perform a post-mortum on the old one. I hope this was a one off and that other HF owners do not have this experience with their coupler.

[tinksdad]

I've been using mine for two years without a problem other than it being a little tight getting it latched. I always try raising the tongue jack after attaching the coupler to the ball to see if it will try to lift my tow vehicle. If it does that, I figure I have a good latch.

I am going to go outside now and inspect it again to make sure everything is still the way it's supposed to be since the last visual.

[Arne]

I suspect it was not on the ball, but sitting on top..

I take the ball mount off the tow and put it in the coupler... I tighten the adjustment nut until the ball mount won't sag, then loosen it a bit..

In 45k miles of towing 2 h/f trailers, have never had a problem.

[nikwax]

I suspect it was not on the ball, but sitting on top..

I take the ball mount off the tow and put it in the coupler... I tighten the adjustment nut until the ball mount won't sag, then loosen it a bit..

In 45k miles of towing 2 h/f trailers, have never had a problem.

no, she's sure she had it on the ball.


and good process for hookup...I'll check into that.


mark

[azmotoman]

Lost my HF utility while hauling a paddle boat a few years ago. DUH! My buddy had borrowed the thing and adjusted it to his 2" ball. I was using the 1-7/8" ball and forgot to reset the hitch. Use a little Loctite to secure the adjuster nut once it is where you want it. BLUE Loctite is recommended. If it appears to be tight, use some grease on the ball. It always pays to lubricate the pivot point. You know the old saying?:

If it moves and shouldn't: use duct tape

If it won't move and it should: WD-40 (or grease, in this case)

[parnold]

I had a trailer (hf) years ago that came off because the locking assembly had come loose. I had towed the trailer several thousand miles, and never thought to check it. I know it was on the ball when I left, I check for that, but some bad roads and a load that was probably a little on the heavy side and .. well, I found out that the chains work.

[Larry C]

I suspect it was not on the ball, but sitting on top..

I take the ball mount off the tow and put it in the coupler... I tighten the adjustment nut until the ball mount won't sag, then loosen it a bit..

In 45k miles of towing 2 h/f trailers, have never had a problem.

Arne,
Thats a great idea. Adjusting the coupler on the TV without the rest of the trailer gives you exact feel of how tight/loose it is. I like the idea of tightening till it won't sag and loosening slightly for just the right clearence. It's similar to adjusting wheel bearings. Great advise!!!

I have one of the HF couplers I will be using on my new tear. I looked it over pretty good and the only thing I see that may be an issue is the tightening nut is a jam (1/2 nut) thickness nylok nut. The nylon part of the nut is pushed out a little on one side. I think I will replace the nut and if there is enough threads , I will use a full lock nut or maybe 2 jam nuts and blue Locktite.
Any future adjustments for different TV's with different hitch balls ( same size) will get the method Arne suggested and a new locknut.

Larry C

[timlsalem]

My hitch is also a tight fit but has always mounted on the ball. I use the finger proof method. After the hitch is om the ball I feel under it and make sure the claws are under the ball and not on top of it. I also crank the tongue jack up and watch the rearend of my car rise.

[Larry C]

Lost my HF utility while hauling a paddle boat a few years ago. DUH! My buddy had borrowed the thing and adjusted it to his 2" ball. I was using the 1-7/8" ball and forgot to reset the hitch. Use a little Loctite to secure the adjuster nut once it is where you want it. BLUE Loctite is recommended. If it appears to be tight, use some grease on the ball. It always pays to lubricate the pivot point. You know the old saying?:

If it moves and shouldn't: use duct tape

If it won't move and it should: WD-40 (or grease, in this case)

I have a buddy that has several trailers using different coupler sizes. He uses a paint pen to mark the coupler ball size on the top of each coupler. During hook-up it is cleary visible, less chance of a screw up.

BTW/ I like your side hack Beemer. Is it's 60's vintage? I worked in Bike shop in those days and I always liked the quality of BMW, even though I was a speed demon at that time and not interested in superb German engineering. My boss had 600 CC (largest available engine at that time) BMW with a side car. I used to like riding in ithe sidecar when we would go to lunch. We were all dirt flat track racers at that time and he would always make the ride memorable even thought we were on the highway

Larry C

[rladams39]

Try cleaning the inside of the coupler with a scoth brite pad, and some brake cleaner. Then use some white lithium spray lube and lube the pivot points inside the coupler.

Almost sounds like it might have gotten some dirt and debri in it from coming loose, Just coming off of the ball should not be enough to make it hard to get back on, unless the coupler hit the ground which you said it didnt.

When my coupler gets to dirty inside it is hard to get onto the ball, Also you might check to see if the coupler coming off made a burr or divot on your ball, might make a difference...

[Alphacarina]

Lost my HF utility while hauling a paddle boat a few years ago. DUH! My buddy had borrowed the thing and adjusted it to his 2" ball. I was using the 1-7/8" ball and forgot to reset the hitch.

Any coupler needs to be adjusted to correctly fit the ball you're using it on the first time you hook it up, but I'll BET 90% of folks skip that step if it *seems* to fit - They'll find time to do it *after* the trailer comes uncoupled the first time though

Put the coupler on the ball, lock it and adjust the nut snug and then back it off just a touch. Couple and uncouple it a few times to see if it's snug . . . . if it's loose, tighten the adjusting nut a little more

The adjusting nut *should be* a nylock nut (like an aircraft nut) so it shouldn't need any LockTite . . . . but it does need to be adjusted the first time you use it

Don

[48Rob]

Where are the ideas coming from that a coupler designed for a 1-7/8" ball can be "safely adjusted" to fit other larger sized balls?

I'm not disputing that it can be done, only that it was never designed to handle any other size than what the manufacturer stamped into the metal on top of the coupler.

If couplers were "multi size use" why bother with different sized towing balls?

For those whose couplers fit too tightly, as others have suggested, they need to be adjusted.
Running them too tight only increases wear by metal to metal contact, eventually weakening parts and causing failure.
All couplers and balls should be cleaned and lubricated regularly, to reduce wear.
Cleaning the old grease off is also important as dirt and grit mix with the grease and act as a grinding compound on the ball and coupler.

Rob

[del]

One thing not mentioned is the latch that holds the whole thing latched. If it is not fully latched, or is later helped into opening, things will get exciting later. There is a hole on the coupler for a pad lock, the pad lock can not be installed if partially latched (and hitch is adjusted correctly, right?). Now when you are walking around the trailer at the rest area looking at tyres, and any other problems, make sure the lock is still there.


del

ps note this applies to most brands of couplers, not just the brand mentioned.