New Coupler for HF Trailer

[bdosborn]

Well I can't remember who did this first but thanks for the info! My stupid HF coupler is no more.



It took a little persuading for everything to line up but its on. Now I just need to clean everything and paint. My tongue got pretty scratched up during construction anyways. My tip for the next guy is - bolt the tongue to the trailer and then muscle the coupler into place.
Bruce

[TonyCooper]

Bruce,

It looks great. I am sure you will enjoy the convenience.

[bdosborn]

Tony,

It wasn't so much the convenience as it was having to beat the old coupler off with a hammer. The last time I didn't think I would get it off it was so tight and I bent the little bar that you screw it on with. I figured I'd better replace before I had to grind it off. Also, I couldn't find a coupler lock that would fit. I get nervous when we leave it at a campground with no lock.
Bruce

[Ira]

What was your problem with the original coupler?

[bdosborn]

It was a screw type coupler and it was hard to tighten properly. Once it was on and I'd towed awhile, it seemed to tighten up so that I was having an increasingly harder time getting it off.


(Photo courtesy of Bev)
I had to beat on the pin with a hammer to get it off and the last time I beat on it so hard I bent the pin. I figured it was a warning to replace it or I'd have to grind it off the next time I used it. Tony came up with a slick way to replace it without having to weld or grind using the exisiting bolt holes in the tongue. The new coupler has a jack mount as well so you can ditch the swing up jack. It took me about 1.5 hours to replace it (not counting painting time)
Bruce

[davel]

That's a wierd looking hitch. I can see why you would change it. It's nothing like the one that comes on the other HF trailers.

[bdosborn]

It works fine, its just hard to get off. I guess that could be a good thing.
Bruce

[Ira]

That's what threw me about the post:

That coupler looks nothing like mine at all.

But what does the swing-back jack have to do with it? You still need one, right?

[madjack]

Ira, if you look at the pic of the coupler, you will see a large hole in the center with 3 bolt holes around it...this is for a jack that mounts on the coupler and goes thru the big hole...an alternative to the swing jack
madjack

[Geron]

That's what came with mine. I replaced it with what looks like the identical coupler you used. Much, Much better.

I hated the old one.

Geron

[Ira]

you will see a large hole in the center with 3 bolt holes around it...this is for a jack that mounts on the coupler and goes thru the big hole...an alternative to the swing jack
madjack

OH! NOW THAT MAKES SENSE!

I learn something new EVERY day here!

[dacrazyrn]

Sometimes coming into the middle of a conversation can give ya the wrong idea.

... it was having to beat the old coupler off with a hammer. The last time I didn't think I would get it off it was so tight and I bent the little bar that you screw it on with.
I had to beat on the pin with a hammer to get it off and the last time I beat on it so hard I bent the pin
It works fine, its just hard to get off. I guess that could be a good thing

[bdosborn]

Shame on you!
Bruce