When unhooking trailer from ball.....

Lukegsdaddy · 09-01-2016, 12:01 PM

the coupler sort up snaps off the ball and I get a bit of movement of my TT while the jacks sits on my wood blocks. I thought it was going to fall off the blocks. It is chocked.
Any ideas what causes this?
I hope I am clear.

Teamfour · 09-01-2016, 12:09 PM

This is normal and is caused by where the ball is positioned in the hitch receptacle. There is a slight pocket forward of where the ball rests in the hitch. To prevent the "popping off" of the hitch, you can move the tow vehicle backwards just a tick to center the ball in the hitch before unhitching. Hope this makes sense.

fella10 · 09-01-2016, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukegsdaddy

the coupler sort up snaps off the ball and I get a bit of movement of my TT while the jacks sits on my wood blocks. I thought it was going to fall off the blocks. It is chocked.
Any ideas what causes this?
I hope I am clear.

when that happens, your ball has solid contact with the front inside wall of the coupler, as you crank the trailer up off the ball that bottom lip of the coupler is forced up against the curve of the ball and when it reaches the halfway point it lets loose and that is the snap,...... if you put the vehicle in neutral and let it "relax", that should remove the forward force and somewhat allow the ball to center itself in the coupler cup and the snap will go away or be much less,....

5picker · 09-01-2016, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teamfour

This is normal and is caused by where the ball is positioned in the hitch receptacle. There is a slight pocket forward of where the ball rests in the hitch. To prevent the "popping off" of the hitch, you can move the tow vehicle backwards just a tick to center the ball in the hitch before unhitching. Hope this makes sense.

What Teamfour said... as well as... trailer ball sockets on some units fit VERY snugly. There has been quite the discussion with the ROO folks here recently about the socket being slightly undersize.

Also, make sure you use some kind of lube on the ball & socket.
I use a dry PTFE dry lube on my ball hitch trailers.

The coupler slides right off where before, sometimes the jack would lift the trailer & tow vehicle and I'd have to jump on the bumper to get it to release.

325BH · 09-01-2016, 03:26 PM

I tend to pull my truck forward (after chockin tires and starting to lift tongue) to ensure the ball is all the way forward in the coupler. This ensures it isn't caught on the latch/release. The little bump is no big deal.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rcla2014 · 09-02-2016, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukegsdaddy

the coupler sort up snaps off the ball and I get a bit of movement of my TT while the jacks sits on my wood blocks. I thought it was going to fall off the blocks. It is chocked.
Any ideas what causes this?
I hope I am clear.

As long as you are on level ground, try not setting the parking brake on the tow vehicle but, MAKE SURE IT IS IN PARK. The TV will have a little play, usually and inch or two, and then the hitch ball will not be totally tight against either the front of the coupler or the latch. May not be the correct way to unhook, but it seems to work for me.

Hope this helps.

ValMelton · 09-02-2016, 12:14 PM

we use our x-chocks before unhooking. when we had the tow trailer, and even now when we unhook our fifth wheel. the trailer won't move. we almost lost a trailer when we unhooked once and it was chocked with the plastic chocks that you place behind. and front of the wheels. the trailer rolled right over them and down a hill. My husband grabbed the tongue and pulled the tongue to direct the trailer to the hill side instead of over the hill. and yes it was being parked in a hill with just a little bit of an incline we took all the precautions, but the equipment (the plastic wheel chocks that I see lots of others using, didn't hold up

pdqparalegal1 · 09-02-2016, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ValMelton

we use our x-chocks before unhooking. when we had the tow trailer, and even now when we unhook our fifth wheel. the trailer won't move. we almost lost a trailer when we unhooked once and it was chocked with the plastic chocks that you place behind. and front of the wheels. the trailer rolled right over them and down a hill. My husband grabbed the tongue and pulled the tongue to direct the trailer to the hill side instead of over the hill. and yes it was being parked in a hill with just a little bit of an incline we took all the precautions, but the equipment (the plastic wheel chocks that I see lots of others using, didn't hold up

Those plastic chocks do good to hold a golf cart. Get the big rubber nes from harbor freight.

waynebas33 · 09-02-2016, 01:35 PM

I pull the tt emergency brake out, the one on the trailer frame' when un hooking. This keeps the tt on the blocks. A little extra security to the wheel chock. Just remember to push the brake pin back in after you un hitch.

northstar1960 · 09-02-2016, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynebas33

I pull the tt emergency brake out, the one on the trailer frame' when un hooking. This keeps the tt on the blocks. A little extra security to the wheel chock. Just remember to push the brake pin back in after you un hitch.

you can do that but not sure it's recommended . to each his own when it comes to their own tt's .

Oaklevel · 09-02-2016, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northstar1960

you can do that but not sure it's recommended . to each his own when it comes to their own tt's .

X2 I agree please do not do this.

fella10 · 09-02-2016, 02:53 PM

IMO the x-chock is the most secure system for a dual axle trailer and does not need the help of any other chocks,.... the motion of the two wheels is the exact opposite of each other, with any movement one wheel is wanting to go "up" and the other wheel is wanting to go "down",... with two x-chocks snugged in correctly between the tires on each side, the trailer can not move,.... sure, no harm done when adding other chocks, but never have and don't see the need,....

ok, I guess if our site was on a VERY SEVERE slope, maybe I would, but probably not, if it was that SEVERE I'd more likely move to another site or another cg,.....

Wolverine 1945 · 09-03-2016, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukegsdaddy

the coupler sort up snaps off the ball and I get a bit of movement of my TT while the jacks sits on my wood blocks. I thought it was going to fall off the blocks. It is chocked.
Any ideas what causes this?
I hope I am clear.

I would not set jacks until I had blocked wheels,,,
and removed TT from TV !!!

fella10 · 09-03-2016, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

I would not set jacks until I had blocked wheels,,, and removed TT from TV !!!

X2

OldCoot · 09-03-2016, 08:42 AM

BAL X Chocks are the very first thing installed and tightened when parked and the VERY LAST thing removed before pulling out of campground. I leave them installed even when hooking up and doing a pin pull test. Take them out and then do a trailer brake test and leave.

kittlecat · 09-03-2016, 10:38 PM

I recently experienced the same problem while trying to unhitch the TT from my TV. A tech at my RV dealer also suggested leaving the TV in neutral to "relax" the pressure on the ball and coupler. I have not tried this yet and to be honest, it makes me a little nervous thinking about doing it. I understand chocking the wheels on the TT but I camp alone most of the time and am not comfortable with the thought of my TV being in neutral while I'm raising the tongue of the TT off the ball. Not sure what I'm going to do next time I have trouble unhitching, especially if I am alone and my site is uneven, which the tech indicated can make unhitching more challenging.

fella10 · 09-03-2016, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittlecat

I recently experienced the same problem while trying to unhitch the TT from my TV. A tech at my RV dealer also suggested leaving the TV in neutral to "relax" the pressure on the ball and coupler. I have not tried this yet and to be honest, it makes me a little nervous thinking about doing it. I understand chocking the wheels on the TT but I camp alone most of the time and am not comfortable with the thought of my TV being in neutral while I'm raising the tongue of the TT off the ball. Not sure what I'm going to do next time I have trouble unhitching, especially if I am alone and my site is uneven, which the tech indicated can make unhitching more challenging.

the idea is not to leave it in neutral,..... if the vehicle has forward force on the coupler, then putting it in neutral for a moment will allow the vehicle to "relax", which should lessen that forward force, .... then you put it back in park, put the brake on and you should have eliminated or at least, greatly reduced that snap when jacking the coupler off the ball,.... , but as has been stated before in this thread, always have your wheels chocked(with regular wedge chocks, blocks, or I would recommend x-chocks if you have dual axles), before jacking your coupler off the ball,.....

f5moab · 09-04-2016, 07:41 AM

Parking mine in my drive, I have found that if I apply the park brake to lock the TV in place before putting the trans in Park has greatly reduced the pop off of the trailer from the ball and the slight bounce to one side.
In my case the TV is facing down an incline.

Wolverine 1945 · 09-04-2016, 08:21 AM

When parking on an incline we should always set parking brake before shifting to Park,
You will have a lot less tranny trouble !!! That is one of the first things I taught my Girls when they were learning to drive !!! Set brake,,, shift to neutral until brake takes ahold,,, then shift to park !!!

5picker · 09-04-2016, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittlecat

I recently experienced the same problem while trying to unhitch the TT from my TV. A tech at my RV dealer also suggested leaving the TV in neutral to "relax" the pressure on the ball and coupler. I have not tried this yet and to be honest, it makes me a little nervous thinking about doing it. I understand chocking the wheels on the TT but I camp alone most of the time and am not comfortable with the thought of my TV being in neutral while I'm raising the tongue of the TT off the ball. Not sure what I'm going to do next time I have trouble unhitching, especially if I am alone and my site is uneven, which the tech indicated can make unhitching more challenging.

DO NOT leave your vehile in neutral when unhitching!

As mentioned, once parked where you are going to unhitch, chock wheels of camper, then get back in tow vehicle, shift to neutral and take foot off brake to relieve pressure on the tow ball, then set parking brake and put vehicle back in park.

NEVER leave your vehicle unattended while shifted into neutral.

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