Off the Ball - connection issue

[sjlang]

I think I caught that you didn’t lower the hitch Jack all the way - was that it as at times the hitch is not set on the ball all the way and only grabs part of the ball. Once on the ball I personally lower all the way and even look under to be sure.

[Dee]

Thank you for this post - we are grateful for the warning.

We are rookies so after two weekend trips we are still working on our Arrival and Departure Checklists. Raising and lowering the jack to check the connection will definitely be added to the list.

We leave soon for an 8 week trip- hopefully all the way to the Arctic Ocean.
Making a list and checking it twice!

Dee

[luckyone]

Did you have the properly sized hitch ball of 2" ?

[abby]

Originally Posted by Rossue

John- that is a RAM coupler made in China that ETI has used for some time now. It is a knock off of the Atwood yoke coupler. My Andersen hitch ruined mine and I replaced it with the Atwood- have never had the yoke come open again and I ditched the Andersen. Now that Dometic has swallowed Atwood I don't see that 2" Atwood coupler anywhere on the market. Etrailer & Amazon had them but not anymore.

Rossue: We have the Atwood-style coupler and the Andersen ball hitch and have had no problems over the last 5 years. Could you expand upon your experience with that combination? Anyone else with that combo had problems? Recommendations for replacement?

Thanks all for explaining how the OP's issue was created and how to avoid same. An education.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by abby

Rossue: We have the Atwood-style coupler and the Andersen ball hitch and have had no problems over the last 5 years. Could you expand upon your experience with that combination? Anyone else with that combo had problems? Recommendations for replacement?

Thanks all for explaining how the OP's issue was created and how to avoid same. An education.

You say you have an Atwood coupler. Did you replace your original coupler that came with your 21 or did you have them install your own coupler in the first place? I ask because I am not aware that ETI ever used Atwood couplers.

In a previous thread I posted how the yoke was found in the open position after several hours of towing(several times) as well as the next morning after using the tongue jack to help level front to rear. It held and thus not a false hitch, yet the yoke was open. A few commented on how this couldn't happen with the pin in place but in fact it did. After doing some research I found that not only can this happen, it has been happening and Andersen has listed the Atwood couplers they feel are not compatible(primarily used by Airstream). While I thought ETI used the AT80072, they in fact use a knock off made in China and called a RAM.

Speaking with Jason Greene at Andersen, he said that because the Andersen puts a lot of force on the back of the ball and that there is a lot of forward thrust the fins that seat into place on top of the coupler in the closed position can get rounded. There are two basic fixes: 1. as mentioned on Airforums "I have drilled out the pin hole on the coupler to exactly 3/8" and use a bolt through it which effectively eliminates the coupler movement and there is absolutely no wear showing anywhere on the coupler or fin." Jason explained that you drill the hole through the coupler holes while in the closed position so that they are the same size as the middle ring hole that is fixed on the top of the coupler. As is, they are slightly different sizes which results in some slop. 2. Buy a Latch Repair Kit: Replacement Latch Repair Kit for Atwood Yoke Style A-Frame Couplers, part AT15775 for $19.95 from etrailer.

I noticed that my coupler fins became rounded some. I ordered and attempted to install the Atwood latch repair kit(which isn't available anymore) and that is when I discovered the original coupler was not an Atwood. It worked, yet it was almost impossible to unhitch. At that point I bought the Atwood AT80072 and had it welded on by a local RV repair shop. Three years later no problems.

So although the RAM is not on the radar for problems as are several Atwood couplers that were used on Airstreams I believe that it is very possible that the RAM couplers can suffer the same wear from using the Andersen with its incredible and unusual forces that are by design. They were never used on Airstreams and other than ETI am not sure if any other OEM uses the RAM.

Two references from Airforums:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...er-129761.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...hed-91132.html

[cpaharley2008]

Now that it has been mentioned, I remember when I used my Andersen there was an Atwood coupler incompatibility issue, but Escape was not using it in 2014.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Now that it has been mentioned, I remember when I used my Andersen there was an Atwood coupler incompatibility issue, but Escape was not using it in 2014.

What do you mean- that ETI was previously using an Atwood coupler? I don't think so as my 2010 17B also had a RAM coupler which I verified talking to the folks who bought it from me.

And to clarify the Atwood AT80072 coupler I have now and which RAM evidently copied was never on the list of problem couplers at Andersen's website.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Rossue

What do you mean- that ETI was previously using an Atwood coupler? I don't think so as my 2010 17B also had a RAM coupler which I verified talking to the folks who bought it from me.

And to clarify the Atwood AT80072 coupler I have now and which RAM evidently copied was never on the list of problem couplers at Andersen's website.

No, I did not say that, I said that I checked with Escape and their Atwood coupler model was not the one that Andersen had issues with.

[Rossue]

That is because they weren't using Atwood couplers.

[lostskier]

I also have a weight distribution hitch...and use this procedure to underweight the arms, by raising the hitch, to verify that the ball is engaged.

[Rrgramps]

My coupler is also the yoke-type coupler. It’s hard to get seated, and harder to unseat. I’m so glad To have the electric jack for the process, because the yoke bail won’t release as it gets extended, let down and extended again. Each time, I get under to see which direction to rock the truck-just a bit at a time. Not sure what it gets hung up on.

After it’s setup, it tows like a dream.

[Tam2004]

We really appreciate all of your trouble to report this to us. Last week we had the hitch and ball system begin to make noise. We stopped and saw our hitch was raised above the ball slightly (the weight distribution system held everything together for us). So we undid everything and got it back on fine. We try to take extra time to look under the ball to see if it is seated well as we have had similar concerns in the past - including a prior trailer. We get a LOT of comfort from the excellent weight/ sway bar system that makes it difficult for the complete disaster if you hear an odd noise and stop. We will try the new suggestion. On another note, anyone who takes the time to let us know something this important should not be criticized. I was a bit taken aback when I took time on this current trip to let anyone who wanted to know that one of the critical pressure hinges on the upper cupboard snapped and that after going to several hardware stores (smaller ones first) I found the exact item at Lowes and used the old screws to just fit it back on. Try living with an upper cupboard with a broken hinge on a trip! I now have several in stock and wanted others to know. The only person who wrote back told me he didn't know any Escape with pressure hinges. That wasn't helpful. Let's try to be as good a community as this used to be when it was smaller. Please. I also took a LONG time (as a Finance professional) to write up on transferring funds to Canada and why I found transfer wise an amazing cost savings. As far as I can tell, many of us just want to push back. But many of us are amazingly nice people with good advice. So there. I hope I didn't deliberately ramble. haha

[Tam2004]

Originally Posted by h2owmn

I went to check mine...there's a bit of play so I will tighten that nut. Here's a video I found.

https://youtu.be/m6b4eMzE1ws

WOW - good information.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by Tam2004

WOW - good information.

Except there is no nut to tighten on the style (yoke) of coupler ETI uses.

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by Tam2004

We really appreciate all of your trouble to report this to us. Last week we had the hitch and ball system begin to make noise. We stopped and saw our hitch was raised above the ball slightly (the weight distribution system held everything together for us). So we undid everything and got it back on fine. We try to take extra time to look under the ball to see if it is seated well as we have had similar concerns in the past - including a prior trailer. We get a LOT of comfort from the excellent weight/ sway bar system that makes it difficult for the complete disaster if you hear an odd noise and stop. We will try the new suggestion. On another note, anyone who takes the time to let us know something this important should not be criticized. I was a bit taken aback when I took time on this current trip to let anyone who wanted to know that one of the critical pressure hinges on the upper cupboard snapped and that after going to several hardware stores (smaller ones first) I found the exact item at Lowes and used the old screws to just fit it back on. Try living with an upper cupboard with a broken hinge on a trip! I now have several in stock and wanted others to know. The only person who wrote back told me he didn't know any Escape with pressure hinges. That wasn't helpful. Let's try to be as good a community as this used to be when it was smaller. Please. I also took a LONG time (as a Finance professional) to write up on transferring funds to Canada and why I found transfer wise an amazing cost savings. As far as I can tell, many of us just want to push back. But many of us are amazingly nice people with good advice. So there. I hope I didn't deliberately ramble. haha

Tam, don’t mistake efforts by others, like myself, to call out or correct misinformation as a personal attack, because that’s not the case at all. This is a community of helpful people. Part of that helpfulness is clarifying for everyone information that is misleading or wrong. The hinges was a very minor example. The adjustment video for a type of coupler that Escape doesn’t use is another. Small details sometimes make all the difference, which is why some folk, like myself, pay close attention to them. Again, don’t misconstrued this as something derogatory about you. It’s not. It’s simple fact-checking for the good of all here.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

Again, don’t misconstrued this as something derogatory about you. It’s not. It’s simple fact-checking for the good of all here.

I concur.
The internet is a good source of information and misinformation.

[Onestep]

The OP had a near tragic mishap and all some of you can do is complain about the structure of his post? WTF

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Onestep

The OP had a near tragic mishap and all some of you can do is complain about the structure of his post? WTF

If it's difficult to read, it won't be read, and that's no help to anybody.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Now that it has been mentioned, I remember when I used my Andersen there was an Atwood coupler incompatibility issue, but Escape was not using it in 2014.

According to the Andersen website's FAQ, only the 88xxx series of Atwood couplers are identified as having a problem with Andersen's No-Sway WD. That doesn't mean that the No-Sway won't wreck other Atwood models or other brands, only that Andersen hasn't identified a problem with them.

The Atwood 88xxx series are not if the yoke style.

[Rpcart87]

Hi - we have a 17'B Escape Trailer with a equalizer hitch so with the bars hooked on and the
safety chains we have never had a problem. Also I HAD A Foot extension welded onto the hitch. This so I can use a anti-raddle screw bolt with a safety pin in the end. As it does not move around it also allows me to be able to lower the tail gate on my Toyota Tacoma.
Best of luck