Hitch issues

2Cougs

OK- We struggle hitching and unhitching.  We have become used to our "routine" and can get it done, but it is not pretty.  This weekend I watched @Homebodyatheart hitch up.  She basically did it with 2 fingers!  We have used LOTS of silicone spray, and hitched and unhitched MANY times, but there is no way we can do it as easily as she does.  Rumor has it that there may have been a "bad batch" of hitches out there, and that maybe ours is among those.  Does anyone know anything about this possibility?

Tabaz

I was in the same boat for over a year until someone on this forum posted a video about the Atwood coupler. Search "Atwood." It explains how to easily Hitch and unhitch. 

ColoradoJon

Ours is a little stiff, and I have found that you really must pull forward a bit before latching/unlatching the hitch - keep the tow ball against the front of the hitch.  Search for the video @Tabaz mentioned, it really helps

Whacked

As stated above, it's all about ball placement. I like to have the ball just slightly forward of the center of ball compartment on the hitch of the trailer so when you crank the trailer down, it pulls the trailer about 1/4 of an inch forward, placing the ball as far to the front of the trailer's hitch as possible.  If the latch on the trailer is well lubricated, it should be very easy to latch.

2Cougs

Done all that.  Well lunricated, good placement.   We can get it hitched, it just doesn't look anything like @Homebodyatheart's.

Luckyj

All hitch ball coupler have ajustment.  If all else fail, it could just be too tight!

how does it work w/o a ball.  Does the lever work easly when empty?

Dalehelman

These hitches do not have any adjustment.  Silicone is not a  sufficient lubricant. Try a  spray lithium or white grease. Fore and aft ball pressure on these hitches is very critical. I have seen the afore mentioned video and it is quite good.

ClaudeA

I'm with 2Cougs. Place ball forward a bit ahead of hitch, lub it...I've had a lot a trailers but never had this much trouble. I keep a pry bar near by to unhitch.

Dalehelman

Here is the video 
http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/5229/coupling-issues-hitching-issues-couple-stuck-on-the-ball-stuck-coupler#latest

2Cougs

We have seen the video.  @Dalehelman- We will be at Fall J@m this week too... Would love for you to look at it.  Still want to hear if there was a bad batch out there.

Dalehelman

2Cougs said:

We have seen the video.  @Dalehelman- We will be at Fall J@m this week too... Would love for you to look at it.  Still want to hear if there was a bad batch out there.

Your on. See you there. We leave tomorrow.

Michigan_Mike

I agree with everyone's comments above and remember my first encounter with the hitch.  I had to call the dealer and get instructions to get the trailer off the ball and it was around 9 PM at night and that surge of adrenaline, fear and anxiety all set in at once.   Does this mean I will have a permanently attached trailer to my vehicle that stays there full time???  

As noted above the ball has to be seated at the front if you are going to get the trailer off from it.  Since my drive has a slight angle to it I oft times have to back up, hit the brakes some and jolt the trailer in order to get into a position where it will come up off the ball.  And once that's done you pull up on the handle and pull toward the tow vehicle and this action releases the hitch, allowing you to crank the jack handle and get the trailer high enough to pull the vehicle away from it.  The same goes for loading the trailer and allowing it to align and lower down onto the ball.  



I will just say that the above is an acquired task and talent and it does take a few times before the knack is acquired, the locking handle clicks into place, you know it is secure and a lock can be installed on the handle, securing the hitch in place and allowing for safe travel.   I've had my moments, but the jolt or thud you get when things are in position will make this chore easier and with time, travel, some wear on the front components, etc. it does become routine and simple.  

Tabaz

After watching the video, here's my routine for hitching: ball seems to be seated, but sliding lock won't go down. Make sure Tab is chocked, Get in TV and inch it forward (you'll feel the ball seat). Lock should now easily slide down. When unhitching, I simply put my weight against the Tab and push back. This relieves the pressure on the ball and allows the lock to slide up and back.

Ratkity

Like Mike, it doesn't matter if I have the Atwood hitch or the regular lever hitch. For some reason, my truck seems to rock forward, putting pressure on the ball engagement and not letting the thing go! Geesh. Hard to do in the dark. Have lithium spray, have mallet (good for releasing frustration) and also usually have multiple friends giving "helpful" instructions. Usually, if I turn on the truck and put it in reverse with foot on brake, then put in park, it rocks the truck backwards enough to release the pressure.

Now add weight distribution/sway bars to the mix!! hehe... for the toy hauler. I *have* to have the ball connected as I lift the rear of the truck and tongue to take off the bars. Then I have to drop the jack to the point where it's time to take the sucker off the ball. Then do the truck rock (after the mallet bang). It's never been easy. I look forward to the day where it's as easy as that old popup I used to have!!

alchemist

Sorry if this has already been mentioned. I'm in a rush and can't read through all the threads. I am in the same boat as you. I bought the T@B used and it has always been stiff and difficult to hitch and unhitch. 

I have been camping full-time for the last almost 60 days and the more I camp, the HARDER it gets to hitch and unhitch. In other words, its not loosening up. It is tightening up.

Mine is a 2015 and there were some hitches during that year apparently that were cast incorrectly. No matter how much white grease and what technique you use, if you have one of these couplers, it is going to cause you problems. 

Like I said, mine started off stiff but doable. Slowly it became harder and harder to engage the hitch ball inside the coupler.

Eventually about 2 weeks ago, I unhitched with some problems only to find I couldn't stick the coupler lock up in the coupler. A nice gentleman came by and looked inside. When you move the couple up, forward and then back, the INSIDE mechanism should also move back. Mine was sticking. So he sprayed some white grease up there and I was able to hitch up the next and unhitch, but once again, I couldn't lock the coupler. This time, no amount of white grease would unstick the metal mechanism inside. It took the rubber mallet banging the piece back.

The next time, I had to bang it backward to hitch it up. Now, I have to bang it backward to hitch it up and forward to lock it into place. And again on the other end to get the trailer off the hitch ball.

In other words....it is getting WORSE. I called NuCamp and they confirmed that I probably had one of the defective couplers and I am bringing it in to get replaced. Fingers crossed that I can actually GET the dang thing there as it has now become a circus of me banging the coupler with all my might just to move the inside metal piece back and forward to engage or disengage the coupler. 

Ratkity

@alchemist glad you shared your experience. If things get worse, something is wrong!! 60 days of full time and getting harder to hitch, geesh! Must have some saint in ya Good luck on your upcoming fix

alchemist

Ratkity said:

@alchemist glad you shared your experience. If things get worse, something is wrong!! 60 days of full time and getting harder to hitch, geesh! Must have some saint in ya Good luck on your upcoming fix

Not a saint....a very stubborn woman. LOL

HerFineMess

I about lost my mind last weekend with the very same issue with my hitch. I was alone and almost in tears because the dang thing LOOKED like it was in, but the latch refused to move. It took me a half an hour to get the thing to work. It was maddening.  I am not glad you all have experienced the same thing, but I'm glad there are some solutions out there. I'm about to head on another adventure next week and I'm dreading the hooking up. 

Michigan_Mike

I know it's been mentioned before, some folks use a claw hammer or cat's paw nail style removed to get the latch mechanism up.  I bought a small cat's paw at Harbor Freight intended for this purpose but that I now use for difficult tent stakes as needed.  That might work for those of you having issues?  

ericnliz

@Michigan_Mike, Mine becomes the mystery hitch every time we go somewhere. I've tried pulling up a bit, backing up a bit, raising, lowering, pretty much everything suggested. Sometimes, the latch comes right up, other times...not so much. I've paid real close attention to when it comes up easy, tried to duplicate the event to no avail, and eventually use a small dead-blow hammer on the front (use it to tap the hitch front to back), and a claw hammer to "pry" it up. It's been about the same right from the get-go, and something I've just "gotten used to" hitching & un-hitching. I've used the silicone spray, white lithium grease, and still had the same issues. Just my experience, and still the mystery continues why sometimes it's easy, and sometimes...not so much. In any event...CAMP ON!!!

HerFineMess

I will get some grease, a claw hammer, and most of all, patience. 

ericnliz

@HerFineMess, That's what I use!!! Works every time.

Michigan_Mike

@ericnliz - oft times (back in the quiet/remote areas of the forest) mine sounds like a 100 car train, starting up, lurching a bit and ending with that BIG Slam you hear, in an effort to move and position the hitch on the ball.  

ericnliz

So...... @Michigan_Mike, Do 'ya STILL own that rig????!

Michigan_Mike

Sold it to a Canadian named Eddie!  

Replaced the hitch too!  

ericnliz

Atta boy!

boudin

We've had our T@B for a couple of months now, and also struggled with hitch. I have lots of trailers, and have been trailering a long time, but the T@B seems especially stubborn.

What I've found works is to hitch up normally, and if you find the T@B is not dropping down on the hitch, get on the side of the hitch and jerk it side-to-side as hard as you can. It drops on every time for me. 

Hope this helps someone. 

-Greg

jgram2

@boudin Well thank you! I have never seen the side to side shake mentioned. Maybe that's the magic. Gonna try it anyway.

Mellow_Yellow

I learned something interesting this past week. My 2014 T@B 320 S has a BAL hitch with surge brakes, similar to the one shown below. I had been having a heck of a time with the coupler getting stuck on the ball of the TV and it was getting more and more difficult to un-hitch. The coupler looked like it was almost hyper-extending downwards over the ball and would not let go. Then I noticed that the hinge of the coupler was not moving freely. After a bit of 'rust release' WD-40 (see red arrows below), it let go and now decoupling is a breeze. 
I also regularly apply a spray-on white lithium grease, both up inside the coupler and on the ball itself. 

a61strat

Michigan_Mike said:

Sold it to a Canadian named Eddie!  

Replaced the hitch too!  

Here's my solution for my 2009 TAB T1made by Thor (Dutchman). 

It took careful measurment and drilling to match the AL-KO coupler holes, plus a washer on each side of the pipe to make the standard 2" square coupling fit, but no more issues sticking to the ball.

Anybody wanna buy an AL-KO coupler and keylock cylinder?

dragonsdofly

@a61strat, just fyi to many of our new forum members, this modificatoon is done on an older (first u.s. manufacturer) Dutchman (Thor) trailer. It is not a Pleasant Valley/nüCamp model.
 And welcome to the forum. Out of curiosity what year Dutchman t@b do you have? You might also consider putting that info in your signature line, so it is available to forum members on your future posts. Then we have a basis to make comments, provide information, and make suggestions.
Btw, bravo on such an ambitious modification. -Denise