Hitch pin won't lock into place/latch won't drop without popping back up.

immanence

New tab 320 owner here. I'm have trouble with the latch that hooks trailer onto ball hitch. See pictures. Basically, when I try to lock it the ball into place per the videos, the latch pops back up. The two teeth won't sit correctly. Any ideas?

immanence

Woops. Looks like pictures didn't post.

immanence

I also tried latching it nor connected to the trailer ball. It doesn't latch even disconnected. Is this just a broken part and is it replaceable?

immanence

I found this thread: https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/11836/2021-tab-320s-boondock-what-type-of-hitch-coupler-is-used-by-nucamp

Looks like it uses a Norco coupler. I can't find anywhere that actually sells those though. It seems to be the same design as all of the a frame couplers. Will any a frame coupler work?

falcon1970

What size ball have you installed?  I may be wrong but I think TABs all use a 2" ball.

MuttonChops

@immanence; The coupler in your picture is an " A-Frame - Yoke Latch ". Atwood held the original patent.  Several companies now produce these Yoke Latch couplers.  Provided the A-Frame angles are the same any brand coupler of the same load rating (stamped on coupler) could be used as a replacement.  They are available as Weld-On or Bolt-On.

You have not shared the build year and model of the TaB or how long you have owned it.
Yoke Latch couplers have an operator learning curve so there is a very good chance you just need more practice.  The Yoke Latch can also be cleaned and greased to help it slide.

Suggestions:

First, confirm your tow vehicle ball is a 2-inch size . . . not larger or smaller.

Second, watch this youTube video {others also available}
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq3f8b37laQ 

Third,  for your education.
This cross-section highlights the primary parts inside the Yoke Latch.
  -  Item #18 Clamp Assembly slides forward to engage the tow ball.
  -  Holding the Latch Handle #38 fully back while lowering the coupler on to the ball helps
      get new/stiff/dirty couplers down low enough on the tow ball by keeping #18 pulled back.

The Front Yoke #47 moves up and back as the Latch Handle #38 is pulled back - - - that action forces the Clamp Assembly #18 out of the way.

immanence

Thanks for all of the info MuttonChops! The trailer is a 2021, but it is new to me. Here is a video to illustrate the issue I am having. Even when then trailer is disconnected, the latch does not slide into position. It is like something is out of alignment. One thing to note which I tried to show in the video is that since the teeth never drop into place, the alignment where you place the pin never lines up.

https://youtube.com/shorts/qonLHS4MlbA?feature=share

qhumberd

The video is very helpful and to my eye as this is a used trailer, it appears that someone has applied force on the latch yoke area, perhaps to try to get it off the ball by force.  To those not familiar with this system (I was not),  it can get stuck and the natural tendency is to just force it. In reality others on the forum have taught me that the ball alignment fore and aft can fix this and that has worked for me each time now. It should not require any significant force to open or close the yoke when it is aligned on the ball correctly. Excessive force could have messed up the alignment with the latch handle. I would have a trailer shop or dealer who understands these latches take a look and see if it would be safe to try to realign the parts versus replacing the moving yoke and latch, if that is an option. If it is not working it can be a safety hazard so be careful.

immanence

Thanks qhumberd - this is what I was afraid of. I also don't want to operate it in this condition. At this point I think replacing the coupler is the easiest fix with the least amount of money, but I'm trying to get someone from Nucamp on the phone to confirm. 

Jay_and_Kat

@qhumberd I am SO glad I read your response!  I've been somewhat forcing my coupler to lock and now I both know better why it's bad to do it and likely what I've been having to do it!

Thankfully we've only had the camper a few months and only gone out with it a couple times, so I'm catching this before I cause serious damage!

immanence

Hi all, I got in touch with Nucamp who didn't have much to offer but they did give me the contact info for Norco. A tech at Norco said this is really common and happens all of the time at the factory. The solution is vice grips and tapping it down with a 2x4. He is sending me some pictures so I'll pass those along as well.

immanence

Norco tech fix worked like a charm. Here's the picture he sent me. Said to vice grip it at the indicated locations, basically to hold it in the lock position, then put a 2x4 center on top of the teeth. Then you pound that back into position. Just hooked it up and it locks smoothly again.

immanence

To clarify: the C is where he said to put the vice grips. The arrow is pointing to where the offending bend happens. This was exactly true in my case. The teeth are designed so that when you hammer down on them it will bend the front piece back into the correct position.

MuttonChops

@immanence ; Thanks for posting the 'Fix'
That is much nicer than having to replace parts

P.S.
Does seem the Norco product is not as robust or production controlled as the original Atwood product if this is a normal production line adjustment.

qhumberd

Glad it could be fixed @immanence. The heavy gauge steel parts are fixed together and the thinner pressed metal gets the whacking. Good to know you can call the factory folks. We should be able to trust them. 

qhumberd

@Jay_and_Kat I’m the guy that has hammered and levered so many things to their death so I try to control that impulse in my older years. This latch just seems like it should not be that tough to engage and release and by golly it is not.

manyman297

Yeah, the hitch on these is really temperamental. The first few times out it was so stuck that we bent the latch trying to force it open. Luckily I was able to google the fix (fore aft issue @qhumberd spoke of). Now whenever we hitch or unhitch I always make sure to just give the truck a little gas to get the ball more fore so the coupler releases. 

CharlieRN

I too have a 2021 T@B 320 and use a Reese Rockerball. My technique for hitching is based on the information gleaned from the many posts of those who have had trouble doing so and is quite simple: Position the trailer hitch very slightly aft of the ball and let it slide into place when hithching up. To unhitch, I use the reverse, which is to say that after backing the camper into place, I let the TV move just a bit to the fore.

I have never had to use force either to hitch or unhitch using this technique. In the few times that the clamp did not slide easily into place, the problem was fixed by raising the trailer and slightly repositioning things as noted. I'm a newbie to the trailer world, so far from expert in anything towing related. It may well be that I have a very forgiving hitch on my T@B and my technique is not universally applicable.

Denny16

That’s the best technique to unhitch or hitch the trailer, but don’t forget to chock your wheels first before un-hitching the TV.
 Cheers 

qhumberd

Just today moving the 400 with my tractor to get ready for a trip learned one additional thing when it seemed the ball would not drop out and down when the yoke pulled back easily. Takes another set of hands but on mine the teeth open up just a bit more when you hold the yoke back from its “resting “ open position. Ball easily released then. Likely reason was I was on an angled slope so all the parts were just a bit mal aligned. So something else you might try when it seems stuck before you start hitting stuff

Glee

We have trouble with this coupler also.  Great thread.  Also pleased to find another patent nerd @MuttonChops in the Nucamp cult!

KCarlson

2022 320S Boondock:  When we have trouble with the hitch binding when hitching up, I get down and look at where the Ball is. Usually the ball is back too far. We "tap" the tow vehicle (TV) in reverse to move the ball to the front of the hitch and this usually gets the hitch to lock down. 
When unhitching, we also run into binding problems. We usually get on the bumper of the TV and gently bounce up and down. The last time I tried this by myself, it wasn't working. So (still standing on the bumper) I reached my toe under the hitch lever and popped it up - making the spring really pop. This incredibly worked!! Try doing the "Spring Pop".   And it's a really good idea to grease the Ball!