Trailer coupler safety pin

[Patandlinda]

I got it now must take guidance from our leader . You don’t know what someone is dealing with at the moment so go ahead if it makes you feel superior. Have your fun . Have a nice day ! Pat

[Ops]

Here's a photo of my hitch (taken for the benefit of Proven Locks) which shows the stamped information of manufacturer (RAM) and rating(6,000 lbs). This is on a 2020 21NE.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Wanna see ewwww? 120 mule deer dead in avalanche.

Migrating Mule Deer Deaths in High Sierra

You can still see the carcasses rotting hiking down Bishop Pass. Unsettling to be sure.

That happened 3 years ago. What it meant for those of us who camp and fish in the high Sierras was that the bears within 300 miles (CFG and USFS info) made their way there for a feeding frenzy, and so, were not around campgrounds to pan-handle ignorant tourists for food in exchange for selfies.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Ops

Here's a photo of my hitch (taken for the benefit of Proven Locks) which shows the stamped information of manufacturer (RAM) and rating(6,000 lbs). This is on a 2020 21NE.

Interesting... the most interesting number to me being the tongue weight limit of 1,200 pounds! Lots of capacity there.

The coupler is also marked "CSA" in addition to "SAE" in the class designation... apparently the CSA (formerly Canadian Standards Association) published a version of the SAE J684 towing equipment standards as D284... but that standard was last updated in 1976 and has since been withdrawn (it's obsolete).

[Gasguy]

Plus side on these is they are a bit of a theft deterrent for your stinger as well 👍

[Greg A]

Originally Posted by lilkuma

Hello,

The past couple of hookups I have experienced difficulty with inserting the safety pin on the trailer coupler. I have been using a “Master” locking style pin. The lever hole seems like the angle isn’t exactly lined up with the holes on either side which the safety pin slides through. In the past I haven’t had an issue. I pretty much had to lightly tap it in with a hammer. Well not pretty much - I did tap it in.

Has anyone had similar issues or advice?

Thanks.

Had the same issue with mine and had to take a hammer and tap the front of the latch to get the holes to lineup again. The latches get bent out of shape on these couplers.
Also had the mentioned slop after hitching where the ball was rattling around in the coupler.
Solution: Changed the coupler out to a Bulldog and extremely happy.

[Jon Mayer]

Originally Posted by lilkuma

Thanks,
I will give it a good cleaning and lubrication. It worked great in the past just recently it’s been acting up. Just for the record it was the safety pin that was tapped in not the actual coupler lever :-).

Thanks for all the advice and debate over QC - interesting points.

For what it’s worth, I have found on numerous trailers over the years that whether it is securing the latch over the ball, or the safety pin, often there is resistance and a simple fix is often place the tow vehicle in gear and inch forward (literally an inch or so) by taking your foot off the brake. Then apply the parking brake first, then place in park (this way the TV is less likely to roll back). Now try your pin again...this takes the pressure off the front of the ball, and slightly affects the alignment of all the mechanical parts of the hitch

[brightday]

Originally Posted by Jon Mayer

For what it’s worth, I have found on numerous trailers over the years that whether it is securing the latch over the ball, or the safety pin, often there is resistance and a simple fix is often place the tow vehicle in gear and inch forward (literally an inch or so) by taking your foot off the brake. Then apply the parking brake first, then place in park (this way the TV is less likely to roll back). Now try your pin again...this takes the pressure off the front of the ball, and slightly affects the alignment of all the mechanical parts of the hitch

Getting the coupler seated properly has been the most difficult and frustrating lesson for this newbie to learn and perfect. In the short time I've had my 17B (and from the very first), I've learned to bump my van back and forth (just barely) and listen to hear when the coupler drops completely onto the ball. When I go back to look, I find that the securing latch has dropped down, sometimes all the way, and the hole securing the pin is perfectly aligned.

Reminds me of days when I was learning to use the clutch at a stoplight atop a hill with a line of folks behind.

[rjbny]

Originally Posted by lilkuma

Hello,

The past couple of hookups I have experienced difficulty with inserting the safety pin on the trailer coupler.

Has anyone had similar issues or advice?

Thanks.

Yes, we just started having this problem this year, although the last few hookups have gone okay. It can be quite frustrating, but as others have said, pulling the truck forward an inch or so can improve the experience.

[kennull]

Originally Posted by lilkuma

Hello,

The past couple of hookups I have experienced difficulty with inserting the safety pin on the trailer coupler. I have been using a “Master” locking style pin. The lever hole seems like the angle isn’t exactly lined up with the holes on either side which the safety pin slides through. In the past I haven’t had an issue. I pretty much had to lightly tap it in with a hammer. Well not pretty much - I did tap it in.

Has anyone had similar issues or advice?

Thanks.

I have experienced this a few times.

The issue is usually resolved by releasing the TV emergency brake while applying some pressure on the brake pedal, and placing TV in reverse and then drive and then nuetral slightly moving TV with the coupler on the ball and not latched. This results in whatever bind on the coupler latch being freed up allowing it to latch completely thus allowing the safety pin to slide all the way through. If the TV and trailer are on a slope I sometimes pull forward slowly to as level spot to accomplish the same thing.

Of course a lubricated mechanism works better than a non lubricated one.

Hope this is helpful.

Ken

[Woody]

I have had this issue with my 2020 E21C. The advice I got was if the pin will not go in, put the transmission in neutral. While keeping your foot on the brake let the car settle. Sometimes the latch in the hitch will not seat because the ball is too far to the back. Since I have done this, when needed, I have had no problem.

[Woody]

Make sure you keep foot on brake BEFORE putting the transmission in Neutral. Had to correct this.

[BilltheGil]

After lowering the coupler on the ball, I often have a problem with locking down the coupler lever and then inserting the hitch pin. Driving forward an inch or two fixes the issue, gets everything aligned and positioned properly. Then all works well. Bill

[Mucram]

Some wise person on the forum posted to place ball just slightly behind forward lip of coupler rather than precisely in the middle. I found this really helped with the issue.

[casejh]

Originally Posted by Mucram

Some wise person on the forum posted to place ball just slightly behind forward lip of coupler rather than precisely in the middle. I found this really helped with the issue.

Yes that works. I have the ball where it looks like the tow vehicle is not quite backed up enough toward the trailer. Then when I lower the hitch onto the ball the front edge of the hitch contacts on the front edge of the ball and it slides down and drops onto the ball correctly. The key is to not have the ball toward the rear so it does not engage with or touch the coupler as the hitch drops onto the ball.

[ocala guy]

E trailer has a repair kit and video on how to adjust the RAM hitch. Mine on our 21 escape has been a pain from day one. The ball has to be in the perfect position to uncouple. There a nut located on the bottom that addresses how tight the ball is in the hitch.

[Rossue]

Originally Posted by ocala guy

E trailer has a repair kit and video on how to adjust the RAM hitch. Mine on our 21 escape has been a pain from day one. The ball has to be in the perfect position to uncouple. There a nut located on the bottom that addresses how tight the ball is in the hitch.

No- the repair kit referenced on etrailer is for a RAM coupler with trigger latch. There is no adjustment on the yoke style RAM Escape uses.

[ocala guy]

Russell, you are correct, my bad thanks for the correction. My hitch does have a large nut on the lower part, however, I have not determined it's exact use. Mine has also developed an issue where it is a bit difficult in lining up the holes for the hitch pin. I will probably replace the coupler in the future with a better option.

[Rossue]

My name is Darryl!

[ocala guy]

Well Russell, once again I was wrong. I just went down and looked at my hitch again and there is no nut anywhere on the hitch. Wanted to rectify my post and not have bad information out in cyber land.