How Do You Know When Your Trailer Hitch Coupler Needs Repaired

Information technology's like shooting fish in a barrel to fail a trailer coupler even though information technology's that 1 small link that can lead to a big disaster should components suddenly fail.

A quick Google search on the subject revealed 'Truck Trailer Hitch Failure Attorneys' on the first folio. Not a skilful sign.

Then there were the pictures: trucks and trailers mangled from coupler failure. Guess that explains the attorneys.

I noticed the coupler on my ain trailer was getting rusty, simply ignored it because I inappreciably always used it. Plus, on those rare times when I did utilise it, the coupler latch all the same locked down on a two-inch ball and stayed put—or at to the lowest degree I idea. Turns out that was just tongue weight and merciful gravity.

Get down depression–or use a mirror–and accept a wait underneath the coupler once in a while. Rust had devoured parts in mine which made information technology dangerous for towing.

A recent inspection revealed that the grab underneath the coupler was non really locking onto the ball. Information technology was a rusty wasteland that should have been replaced a long time ago.

Thankfully information technology's been a while since I've towed that old B&S boat trailer. It holds an equally old nineteen-pes Chaparral 198 F that my kids and I are restoring. Hopefully earlier too long it'll exist headed back to the gunkhole launch.

To aid stride-upward the boat project, I towed it closer to the house in the back yard. This was before I discovered the coupler problem. Thankfully, I had no problems moving information technology, only then again I had only towed it about 100 yards from another spot in the yard.

I came beyond the problem later on getting out my clipboard to make our to-do list. Given all the rust on the coupler latch I decided to get downward for a closer expect. So glad I did. Underneath the coupler, a flashlight showed that the latch springs had rusted away and that the ball take hold of had been transformed into an ineffectual rusty lip.

It was fourth dimension for a change. I grabbed my propane torch and got that rusty latch nut prissy and hot before attempting to intermission it gratis. It came off fairly easy and brought downwardly remnants of rusty springs and God knows what else.

Next, I wrote downwards the model number of the Fulton Course 2 coupler and hitting the spider web. Complete, bolt-on couplers popped up below $20 just there was no style I was cutting through any of that perfectly good galvanized frame simply to bolt on a vivid and shiny replacement. Not going to happen. By modifying the search to include 'repair kit' Google came dorsum with what I was looking for.

A few clicks later on and I narrowed down my search on Amazon to Brusk'due south Form 2 'Straight tongue posi-lock coupler repair kit' (#25194). With four-and-a-half stars out of 36 reviews information technology looked pretty promising. I compared it with my old latch and they looked the same. (I hate information technology when vendors don't offering measurements of replacement parts, simply items like this are adequately mutual, so for $six.26 and two-day Prime shipping, I made the purchase and I'm glad I did).

Installation was fairly easy. I lubed up the ball take hold of shaft with some marine grade grease prior to installation. Keeping the two latch springs compressed while threading on the latch nut was a little challenging, but that was the worst of it.

Adjacent up was ball catch adjustment. I grabbed an extra ii-inch ball, inserted it into the coupler and pushed downwardly the latch lever. The brawl was way besides loose. To eliminate play I but tightened the nut until the ball was nice and snug.

That'due south it! Piece of work done. Grab the clipboard and check it off the list!

Adjacent up are bicycle bearing rebuilds and a footling rust removal and prevention on the leaf springs. Though I rinsed this trailer off every fourth dimension it was doused in salt water, corrosion still snuck in, which reminds me of that F-150 rebuild we're doing. Salty roads from up due north took a cost on transmission and brake lines. No big bargain. I've already replaced those too. That's another clipboard and another list 😉

Curt repair kit did the play a trick on! Onetime latch on the right was way past its prime.

Source: https://cdn.hardworkingtrucks.com/products/product/15051031/avoiding-disaster-trailer-coupler-inspection-rebuild-takes-little-time-and-money

Posted by: comptoncorant85.blogspot.com

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