Bulldog Collar-Lok versus Curt Sleeve-Lock Coupler

[Great Eggstrications]

Maybe make a small sheet metal panel sized to cover each of the 2 openings, with a hole toward the top of each one, stick in a 1/2" 90 degree ABS elbow pointing down and out, glue in a straight length of ABS pointing downwards, and seal it on over the front of each frame opening? Could breathe but keep water out. Could maybe even do this with the coupler already on and sort of in the way.

[CE Vogel]

I had a trailer where the frame rails, A-frame, and rear bumper were all welded closed at each end. While drilling a hole to install a hose carrier on the frame, I got drenched with gallons of water. Further drilling of drain holes proved all the frame members and bumper were full of water even though they were 'sealed'. If you decide to cap one end of your A-frame, first make sure the other end of the beams are still open, otherwise they will fill up with water.

[Civilguy]

This makes sense. We have fasteners drilled in from the tops of the frames to hold the shell and the propane tray, plus who-knows-what-else other openings in the frame.

Maybe I'll toss in some zinc powder to quell the rust spirits and call it a day.

Update: It looks like the lower 4x2 frame HSS is open at the rear. I didn't take time to verify that the opening is continuous from the front, but I expect that is the case. I'll run a snake through it or listen for the ocean's roar here one day to verify.

[Civilguy]

Ballew's in Tacoma did a fine job of welding on the new coupler. Keven, the owner, is a straight shooter.

I subsequently moved the propane tray back about an inch to compensate for the tongue jack being relocated about 5/8" rearward. I also converted the tongue jack to a 3/4" hex drive which I operate with a lithium-battery drill.

Finally, I installed an Andersen WDH as a bolt-on installation. As I was getting ready to do the installation, I ran across a thread on the Forest River forum about some thin travel trailer frames which were being deformed by the Andersen's brackets. That gave me pause while I assessed the risk of having any similar problems.

In the end, I tossed the 5/8"-11 cone-point set screws that Andersen provides to help prevent their brackets from sliding. Instead, I installed 5/8"x3/8"-16 threaded inserts into the Andersen brackets, tapped the trailer frame 3/8"-16, and installed stainless steel cap screws. In retrospect, it may have been best to simply have the brackets welded per the Andersen manual, and I still may do that sometime in the future.

This is my first experience with a WDH. I've been avoiding the additional expense and particularly the additional "complication" for years, telling myself that the Jeep's 7,200-lb. tow-rating was doing the job. Now, I wish I had installed one years ago when we first got the 21.

We recently traveled through the mountains on I-90 in Idaho, and the experience through the rutted, scabby sections of pavement was night-and-day different from my two previous trips through that route. I was able to maintain higher speeds with much greater control, comfort, and confidence. The porpoising and bucking have also been virtually eliminated, and the greaseless, lightweight design has made hitching and unhitching hardly any more difficult or complicated than towing on the ball.

Though I do not have any experience with any other WDH's, I'm happy with the hitch's performance, end of story.

(For anyone who is interested in the details concerning the Andersen brackets crushing thin frames, the information is posted at the following link. The Forest River forum is run by the same company as this one, but I still had to initially contact their administrator in order to post there.)

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ch-232321.html

[Rockhead]

We are on our first long trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon with the low profile bulldog hitch. Ours worked perfectly when received from etrailer. Opens n closes smoothly. Towing with is is very smooth no clunking that I had with the factory hitch . Wish I had don’t it as soon as we got our 21 home.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

I installed an Andersen WDH as a bolt-on installation.

After 3,500 miles of towing, I can't see any evidence of problems with the frame crushing or the brackets sliding where the Andersen WDH brackets are attached.

The pictures show the bolted attachment. As mentioned above, I installed 5/8"x3/8"-16 threaded inserts into the Andersen brackets and tapped the trailer A-frame 3/8"-16 for the stainless steel cap screws. It's not superior to welding, it's just what I did as I wanted to complete the installation at home and I don't weld.

It is definitely a lot better way to prevent the brackets sliding than Andersen's cone-point screws.

(The shims on the ball assembly just forward of the hitch lock in the last picture were just there to plumb the assembly while I was establishing the location to attach the brackets to the A-frame. I placed the brackets a bit forward so I could slack the chains without dropping the whale's-tail if necessary for forest-service roads, etc.)

[Dcboyd]

When I had my Curt bulldog type hitch welded on I also had an 1/8” by 4” steel plate added to the outside framework to in-line of the trailer. This is to reinforce the lightweight frame but mainly to prevent inward cratering of the frame set screw and distribute hitch torque. May not have been necessary, but mainly a piece of mind. I am not concerned with a few extra pounds of weight.