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Old 03-11-2017, 08:56 AM   #21
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Wdh

NW Cat Owner:

Don't know if someone mentioned it previously, but your WDH bars are not properly secured with the "L" brackets on the trailer side. Remove the hitch pin at the bottom and rotate the "L" 180 Degrees so that the top of the "L" holds the WDH bars in place.

Happy Camping!
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Old 03-11-2017, 10:29 AM   #22
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Not certain what I'm looking at in the pix posted, but Reace instructed me to pull the loop from the break away switch through the R clip and hang it from the hitch pin. Then the hitch pin is secured with the R clip.

Wish I had a photo, but I don't.
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Old 03-11-2017, 11:43 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by huskersteffy View Post
NW Cat Owner:

Don't know if someone mentioned it previously, but your WDH bars are not properly secured with the "L" brackets on the trailer side. Remove the hitch pin at the bottom and rotate the "L" 180 Degrees so that the top of the "L" holds the WDH bars in place.

Happy Camping!
Yeah, I had figured that out before I even posted the photos, but thanks for the reminder.
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:29 PM   #24
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Okay, latest photo of the hitch and coupler. I think the problem was the pin lock thingie was in the improper place, so I removed it and the top of the coupler (whatever it's called) fell into place. I then put the pin through.

Dirk put the jack down so the trailer and hitch was raised up, to see if it would come off. Stayed in place. He didn't do it too high or for too long, so that brief test should be fine.

I also moved the rig forward about 5' and everything stayed in place. All the lights work (even with water inside - need to get that situation figured out!), as well as the rear view/back up camera.

We didn't put the spring bars in place as he's still trying to finish up the Camper Trolley project and they're in the way. We'll attach them properly once he finishes with that.

So, does this look correct?

Thanks!
Attached Thumbnails
DSC05192.jpg  
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:32 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
Not certain what I'm looking at in the pix posted, but Reace instructed me to pull the loop from the break away switch through the R clip and hang it from the hitch pin. Then the hitch pin is secured with the R clip.
Dirk went to the hardware store today and picked up a decent sized carabiner (sp?) clip to attach the breakaway cable with and it's now attached to the area where the safety chain clips in. We weren't supplied with any sort of clip so I originally put it through the safety chain hook, per a friend's suggestion.
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:32 PM   #26
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looks right now....as far as the water in the clearance lights, I drilled a tiny hole in the bottom of each one to allow condensation to escape and air to enter, it took care of my issues.
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:35 PM   #27
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Looks good! I would run the electric jack all the way up to prevent it hitting something.
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:35 PM   #28
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Remember you have the large piece of metal hanging down, probably lower than your jack pad, so when entering exiting places you may scrape....
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:44 PM   #29
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Okay, latest photo of the hitch and coupler. I think the problem was the pin lock thingie was in the improper place, so I removed it and the top of the coupler (whatever it's called) fell into place. I then put the pin through.
...
So, does this look correct?
Yes.

The strap that goes around the front of the coupler is called the yoke. When the yoke is all the way down like that the coupler is closed around the ball. It's also possible to close the coupler above the ball... but if it was above the ball it would be visually obvious that the coupler was sitting on top instead of down around the ball.

When the yoke is down all the way, the lever on top can be put down into the latched position, and (if desired) a pin (in this case a pin with a spring retainer) can easily be inserted through the lever and a tab on the coupler. In the first photo in this thread it looks like the pin was under the lever instead of through it, and in the second photo (still in the first post) it looks like the pin was through the lever even though the lever wasn't down where it should be. The pin is to keep the other bits from moving and just getting it in does not ensure that the coupler is properly closed; the thing that's important is that the yoke is all the way down... and the lever and pin then fall into place.
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Old 03-11-2017, 07:49 PM   #30
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Also, It looks like both safety chains are on one side of of the jack leg. It seems like the far safety chain should go around on the far side of the jack leg, then cross to the near side of the tow vehicle's hitch. I hope that makes sense....
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Old 03-11-2017, 08:08 PM   #31
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YAY!!! where's that happy dance emoticon when you need it?

Yep, I knew the jack wasn't fully retracted. I snapped the photo while Dirk was fiddling around with it after he tested it. It's now fully retracted so there aren't any metal pieces hanging down to get scraped. And I did notice the safety chain situation when I looked at the photo, so that has been fixed as well.

So, this time tomorrow I should be all set up in my first campsite with The Trailer (knock wood!), anticipating my first driving lesson and backing that sucker up. Successfully backing it up, I should say.

Not sure if I'll have internet connection with the laptop, so the reports may have to wait till I get home on Wednesday. Everyone needs to send me positive thoughts for the next few days!

Here's the kitty happy dance:

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Old 03-11-2017, 08:10 PM   #32
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looks right now....as far as the water in the clearance lights, I drilled a tiny hole in the bottom of each one to allow condensation to escape and air to enter, it took care of my issues.
Thanks Jim, appreciate this tip. We'll do that when I get home.
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Old 03-11-2017, 11:59 PM   #33
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Everyone needs to send me positive thoughts for the next few days!
Positive waves heading your way, Laura! I hope the driving school is a success.

Gary
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Old 03-12-2017, 11:09 AM   #34
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Positive waves heading your way, Laura! I hope the driving school is a success.

Gary
I second that ! Your honesty about everything and how you handle learning and mishaps have really inspired us
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Old 03-12-2017, 12:35 PM   #35
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Unhitching question

Okay, we went out and played around with the hitch, to make sure I can do it all. Having a hell of a time putting those stupid wavy clips on that use lots of pressure to go in place. We'll figure something out differently later on, if possible.

Anywho, question for now.

We went to unhitch it to make sure I can do it by myself. Got the yoke off the coupler (is that correctly worded?). Took the pin out that holds the yoke down and flipped it up and then forward.

Nothing.

So, raised the jack up (SSSSOOO glad we got electric on that sucker). Still nothing. Raised it even more and more and more.

Still not releasing. Dirk had me move the truck forward a small bit and it finally came apart with a huge thunk. He said the trailer moved back and the truck moved forward when it released. (Yep, had the wheel blocks in place - first thing I did.)

Gotta be an easier way to do it. Dirk thought maybe moving the truck back a bit would have been better.

And do we really need to raise it up that much for them to disengage?

Help! Thanks much!

PS, thanks for the positive thoughts on my driving lessons, folks.
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Old 03-12-2017, 01:43 PM   #36
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We went to unhitch it to make sure I can do it by myself. Got the yoke off the coupler (is that correctly worded?). Took the pin out that holds the yoke down and flipped it up and then forward.
Close enough...
You must have pulled out the safety pin, flipped the latching lever up, then pulled the lever back to pivot the yoke back (which slides the jaw out of the way, unseen underneath).
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Old 03-12-2017, 01:48 PM   #37
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So, raised the jack up (SSSSOOO glad we got electric on that sucker). Still nothing. Raised it even more and more and more.

Still not releasing. Dirk had me move the truck forward a small bit and it finally came apart with a huge thunk. He said the trailer moved back and the truck moved forward when it released. (Yep, had the wheel blocks in place - first thing I did.)

Gotta be an easier way to do it. Dirk thought maybe moving the truck back a bit would have been better.

And do we really need to raise it up that much for them to disengage?
No, you shouldn't need to.

If the trailer's coupler doesn't come off the ball without lifting up on the truck significantly, I wouldn't push it further.

A lot of people seem to have problems getting the coupler to go onto and come off of the ball. The problem seems to be that the coupler curves under the ball a bit in the front, which is intentional; that means that the trailer needs to move (relative to the tow vehicle) backward a bit as it goes down onto the ball, and it needs to move forward a bit as it comes up off of the ball. Laura, it appears from your description that you and Dirk have realized this. Since many people seem to insist that both tug and trailer are braked and blocked firmly in place during both hitching an unhitching, the required motion can't occur.

I don't have this problem, but I normally have the trailer on it's tongue jack (with no wheel on the jack) with no chocks; the trailer can move a bit as required, and it goes on and off without difficulty. If find it more practical to let the trailer roll a bit than to finely move the tow vehicle forward and back during the hitching and unhitching operation (as Dirk has suggested)... after all, a trailer on flat ground won't roll away when on it's tongue jack, but the tow vehicle can't safely be left without a brake holding it in place, and I hitch and unhitch solo.
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Old 03-12-2017, 01:51 PM   #38
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Fastway e2 Hitch help needed

Question, was the ball greased.


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Old 03-12-2017, 01:56 PM   #39
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Having a hell of a time putting those stupid wavy clips on that use lots of pressure to go in place. We'll figure something out differently later on, if possible.
Yes, those clips - which I call "R-clips" due to the shape, but are also known as hair pins and by other names - are cheap and annoying. The ideal replacement would be a spring-retained quick-release lynch pin if you can find one small enough (I have only found larger sizes), but perhaps a double-loop hairpin would be an improvement on the standard style (less force needed).
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Old 03-12-2017, 02:14 PM   #40
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Laura, If you are using those "R pins" to lock your hitch, there are better options, including a small lock with a shank long enough to pass through the latch or pins like these.
CountyLine PTO Lock Pin, S070940TSC - For Life Out Here
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