Coupler latch Not Closing Properly. Please Help

[John in Santa Cruz]

any time i've had trouble sliding the yoke closed, I've pulleed the tow vehicle forward a bit, like 1/2" and the coupler has just dropped down and locked.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by fudge_brownie

I am not sure it is essential that you choose the 7000# model of the Bulldog hitch. After all the Escape trailer is a 5000# trailer, chances are your ball is 5000# and your hitch may also be 5000#. What is available maybe a better criteria, price difference is probably minor, weight?, shipping? are other considerations.

It is possible to be within the trailer weight rating but exceed the tongue weight limit, especially with a tongue weight greater than 10% of the trailer weight and trailer weight close to the coupler rating. It's probably not a problem, but it might be worth checking the specs.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

any time i've had trouble sliding the yoke closed, I've pulleed the tow vehicle forward a bit, like 1/2" and the coupler has just dropped down and locked.

Works for me also..........

[Bobbie54]

I had the same problem but haven't tried it with the ball not under it-I assume it will close. I have had it with other couplers but reading through this today I realized the wheel jack allowed me to tweak the position and the Fastway extension does not. Doing it with the truck is a pain. Back to the wheel jack, I guess.

[MTDave]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

any time i've had trouble sliding the yoke closed, I've pulled the tow vehicle forward a bit, like 1/2" and the coupler has just dropped down and locked.

I have to move the truck forward (or backward) a bit just about every time before the coupler will drop down and lock. Has anyone tried a 50mm hitch ball? 50mm is just a hair smaller (1.9485 inches) than the 2-inch ball. Is this enough to make a difference and still be safe to tow? It would be a lot cheaper than replacing the coupler.

[DT6]

I think you have enough responses here to make an informed decision. I will add that we had an issue initially, but that was due to the guy delivering the trailer over the border not instructing me properly to ensure the hitch was properly latched. It was not and the trailer came off the ball about a mile away, and it was a real pain getting the truck moved so we could reattach it due to the way it dragged and settled once we stopped, and we were going less than 25mph.

We had several recommendations to switch to the bulldog, and when I researched it, it appeared that it would cost under $300 to buy the new hitch and have it welded in place. However, since then our hitch has worked fine, so I have not pursued the bulldog option yet, but suspect I will sometime down the road. So, if ours had continued to be troublesome I would not hesitate to replace it.

Not much new I'm offering here other than the estimates I gathered up for a replacement, which is not a bad investment to make if the stock one is giving you any trouble.

[John in Santa Cruz]

the tolerances are probably larger than 5 1/100ths

there's one common brand of ball mounts that are somewhat undersized (note, this is the 2" square mount I'm talking about, not the ball itself), and I found they clanked something awful, and got rid of it first chance I could and went back to Curt stuff.

[cpaharley2008]

I'd rather it be too tight than too loose.........

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I'd rather it be too tight than too loose.........

bigtime on that one!

a loose coupler will be banging around each time you accelerate or brake or turn, which will greatly accelerate wear.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Works for me also..........

And me , it’s about 5 out of 10 that the truck has to come forward a hair to get the hitch to latch.

[tractors1]

After 30 years of fighting with couplers on various trailers and various situations (steep, angled, etc) I switched to a Bulldogs. Life is pleasant now. Maybe a simple tap with a rubber mallet to close the coupler. No swearing, no bruised fingers, no issues once the learning curve is done (engages about 3/4 inch further back than the usual hardware. You can SEE the ball and it will not lock unless you get it right.


It also releases quite nicely..............life is good!

[Flint]

Have had our 21C for a year now and the lube in my original post still works as it should. Flint

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Flint

Have had our 21C for a year now and the lube in my original post still works as it should. Flint

pretty much any grease will do just fine. I usually have a spray can of white lithium grease on hand at home, a shot up into the hitch, and a shot on the ball that you smear around then wipe off with a paper towel, and its good for months.

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

pretty much any grease will do just fine. I usually have a spray can of white lithium grease on hand at home, a shot up into the hitch, and a shot on the ball that you smear around then wipe off with a paper towel, and its good for months.

Or if you don’t remember to wipe the ball off, the knee on your good camping pants will be the
next thing in contact with the ball and you will develop a strange limp for a couple days.
Iowa Dave

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Or if you don’t remember to wipe the ball off, the knee on your good camping pants will be the
next thing in contact with the ball and you will develop a strange limp for a couple days.
Iowa Dave

yeah, which is why I try and remove the ball and mount each time I unhitch.

oh, and I really should get one of those bright yellow rubber covers for the ball to keep the grease from picking up dirt when its not mounted.

[Iowa Dave]

After
A few years of hearing my lame Excuses and apologies Rita watches me pull ahead after I unhitch and by the time I get out of the tow vehicle she has a Walmart bag tied on the coupler and m ball cover slid down over the ball. Then I just whack my knee without getting any grease on my pants. If we’re going to be camped for a couple days I take the coupler off and put it in the front box. It’s all good.
Iowa Dave