Trailer hitch won't come off ball

[NBE]

I'm having trouble getting my trailer hitch off the ball of the tow vehicle. I was curious if in a pinch it is possible to release the ball hitch unit from the truck and then separating the trailer hitch from the ball.

I feel like this maybe silly as I can't find any reference online.

According to Escape, I need to take the trailer into get the hitch fixed under warranty. But until then, I need to use the truck.

[Margot May]

Happens periodically to me. I usually back up or forward less than a foot. This seems to reset where the ball is to hitch. Works every time.

[brroberts]

Typically, if I ease the ball against the front of the hitch, it will work off as I raise the trailer. I do not have to move the trailer. I have already leveled the trailer side to side and chocked the wheels before uncoupling the TV and trailer. PS, I also check the electric pedestal to make sure it is wired correctly before having to move to another site if I am in a hookup location.

[Iowa Dave]

Yes it is possible and commonly done to “pull the pin” on the “stinger and pull away with the tow vehicle. Go slow and make sure your wheels are chocked.
Iowa Dave

[Selkirk]

Is the coupler seized up some how......meaning that the lock won't slide back to release the ball? If the coupler lock releases normally, it might just be a case of the TV and trailer being stretched out, where the ball gets caught under the front lip of the coupler. When this happens to me, I chock the trailer wheels, take the weight off the hitch with the tongue jack, then release the brakes on the TV and let it roll backwards a fraction of an inch. The ball normally pops off as soon as it rolls back enough to clear the front lip.

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Yes it is possible and commonly done to “pull the pin” on the “stinger and pull away with the tow vehicle. Go slow and make sure your wheels are chocked.
Iowa Dave

If you have to resort to this, I would think it would be also important take as much weight off the ball/hitch as possible with the tongue jack, before attempting to pull the hitch draw bar out of the receiver. Would it not?

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

Pull your trailer forward 1/2". That usually does it for me.

Sometimes all I have to do is put my TV in neutral, let the trailer settle and then park and unhitch.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Yes it is possible and commonly done to “pull the pin” on the “stinger and pull away with the tow vehicle. Go slow and make sure your wheels are chocked.
Iowa Dave

Originally Posted by BravoDeltaRomeo

Pull your trailer forward 1/2". That usually does it for me.

Yup and yup. Chocking the wheels and a slight amount forward usually works for me. Sometimes, if there's a slight slope just popping it neutral works without any power.

A couple of times it hasn't so I just put the claw of a claw hammer under the lip and it pops off.

Ron

[Mike G]

Same for me with pulling forward a bit, to take the load off the locking pawl.

[Sean Murry]

I too have had this problem from time to time and agree with the others who have responded. Move the Tow vehicle slightly and it usually does the trick.
I also had difficulty to slide up the locking portion of the hitch, making it impossible to detach from the ball. A little bit of lubricant between the latch and the top of the coupler fixed that problem

[MVA]

So I similarly have had this problem where the hitch ball is either forward or backwards of the ball cup on the hitch so the hitch will not come off of the ball as the trailer is raised. I believe I found a solution, but I cannot find the video so here it is in proise.

Open the clasp and raise the trailer to the point where some tension is on the ball. Assuming the trailer does not disengage, stand on the drawbar and shake the TV up and down while raising the trailer. Releases easily. A little bit of movement is only required.

[SeldomSeen]

These all sound like workable solutions. When we picked up our 19 in July 2013, Tammy's dad ( I think) towed the trailer back in to the states for us. When he went to unhitch, it hung on the ball. So...he stepped up on the bumper of the truck, and the trailer released. It happens less now, but when it does, this is still what I do. Hitching is occasionally still a little touchy. Candy often gives me the instruction to move the truck forward or back 1/4".


(Its a F150 super crew, with a 6.5' bed...so I rarely hit the 1/4" exactly!)


Over 11 years, It has not been bothersome enough to replace the hitch.


Glenn

[John in Santa Cruz]

yeah, forward just enough to take the pressure off the latch

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by SeldomSeen

Tammy's dad ( I think) towed the trailer back in to the states for us. When he went to unhitch, it hung on the ball. So...he stepped up on the bumper of the truck, and the trailer released.


Glenn

Yes, that would have been Dennis, her Dad. Great guy and really helped ETI get well established.

I've tried the stand on the stinger routine without a lot of success. If after moving the truck a little forward it's still hung up I find the claw hammer the easiest and quickest way to pop it free.

Ron

[Rossue]

Pull hitch pin while level and pull up yoke before backing up prior to unhitching. If ball is in the front of the coupler put a chock a few inches ahead of the front tire. Then slowly roll forward to push ball back.

[Beep]

Try lubricating the ball.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Beep

Try lubricating the ball.

that helps a little, but if the last move was backing the trailer up, it doesn't help enough. again, chock the trailer tires and roll the vehicle forward just a touch to release any pressure on the hitch and it comes right off every time.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Beep

Try lubricating the ball.

Good for reducing wear on the ball and getting grease all over your pant leg.

If it's mechanically hung up that won't help much.

Ron

[Bea]

Originally Posted by Beep

Try lubricating the ball.

If you have an Anderson WDH do NOT lubricate the ball. Andersen advises against it. As others have mentioned, when our ball is stuck, I pop the TV gear into neutral. If that doesn't do it, pull forward just a tad to release the pressure. Works for us!

[MarkinVan]

It is a matter of understanding the physics ball & hitch. Mostly putting it in neutral works. Once the trailer chocks are in place it depends where the ball is in the hitch. if the ball pressure is from pulling the trailer it's a matter of backing up an inch but if the pressure on the ball is from backing the trailer up and it's hard to unlach it's a matter of moving the forward an inch. When the ball is centred in the hitch it will easily un-latch and lift straight out.

We use the Andersen WDH so no grease and at first, I sometimes just put my finger up there and felt which way it needed to go.

[BravoDeltaRomeo]

Originally Posted by MarkinVan

It is a matter of understanding the physics ball & hitch. Mostly putting it in neutral works. Once the trailer chocks are in place it depends where the ball is in the hitch. if the ball pressure is from pulling the trailer it's a matter of backing up an inch but if the pressure on the ball is from backing the trailer up and it's hard to unlach it's a matter of moving the forward an inch. When the ball is centred in the hitch it will easily un-latch and lift straight out.

We use the Andersen WDH so no grease and at first, I sometimes just put my finger up there and felt which way it needed to go.

Yes.

Understanding how it works helps.

I got under mine and used a spare ball to simulate how it works and watch where the pieces engaged and why it was getting stuck in certain situations (usually too far back for me). I usually have to yank forward a touch to get it to release.