Trouble clamping onto tow ball

[kernwig]

When we first got our trailer and new weight distributing hitch system, the only challenge hitching up was getting the ball and receiver lined up. I've gotten better at that, but a new problem started now: trouble camping down the receiver.

The last couple of months, I can rarely get that clamp down without driving a few feet first. No debris in the receiver. Ball is greased and positioned just forward of the receiver before lowering it. Visibly see the clamp underneath is perfectly positioned. Close clamp... and not quite. Tow forward several feet, go back out, and everything look exactly the same but now it'll close.

Any ideas?

[Amel]

We have had our escape for about six months now. And for the first little bit I had some difficulties hitching to the back of our tow vehicle. Here's a few things that I have found that have helped mitigate the issues.



The first thing I do is put the airbags in our tow vehicle into manual mode. I found early on that the tow vehicle was trying to maintain a certain height and it moving around just started complicating matters when I was trying to lock the hitch. I think I could probably get away without doing that now, but it was easier at first if the vehicle would just stay put when I was trying to hook up.



The second thing that I do is just mainly technique. When I am lowering the trailer onto the ball I am closely watching when weight starts being transferred to the tow vehicle. When I see the tow vehicle start to go down just a tiny bit, I reverse the Jack and start going back up until there is no weight on the tow vehicle, this basically means that the trailer is hovering over the ball, and that's when I'm able to close the hitch. Hopefully that makes sense and is a little help to you.

[cpaharley2008]

Sometimes it helps to have the wheels "unchocked" so that the trailer can move a little down onto the ball, but be sure you only move the chocks forward a little, do not remove until you are
fully hitched.

[kernwig]

Originally Posted by Amel

When I see the tow vehicle start to go down just a tiny bit, I reverse the Jack and start going back up until there is no weight on the tow vehicle, this basically means that the trailer is hovering over the ball, and that's when I'm able to close the hitch.

No airbags on mine, but this technique sounds promising. Thanks!

[kernwig]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Sometimes it helps to have the wheels "unchocked" so that the trailer can move a little down onto the ball, but be sure you only move the chocks forward a little, do not remove until you are
fully hitched.

Hmm. I think I used a traditional chock once so far, don't recall why. We've always been parked someplace flat. I sometimes put an X-Chock on, but to reduce trailer wiggle and as a minor theft deterrent.