Trailer by the side of the road

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

The problem is that most trailers made in the last few years (decades maybe), have a single attachment point to the tongue behind the couple so it might be impossible to cross them.

Absolutely true. I modified mine to remedy that. Now I have a cradle.

The other scary part was that single loop was way undersized to my micrometer eyes. My mod doubled the loops and the size of the loops.

I'm good now. :-)

[besot11]

I had a trailer with single point you can still cross them to make a cradle and if the chains are to long twist them to take up the slack. Worked for me for years on multiple style trailers

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by besot11

I had a trailer with single point you can still cross them to make a cradle and if the chains are to long twist them to take up the slack. Worked for me for years on multiple style trailers

It worked for you? Does that mean that you had a trailer come off the ball and your twisted safety chains caught it and kept the tongue from dragging on the ground? If yes, how many times did it "work for you"? I'm not being sarcastic. It's a real question, how exactly did it work for you?

[gw1800]

Originally Posted by NavyLCDR

I have to do that anyway to connect the weight distribution spring bars.

Same here. Have to lift it about 1-1/2" to get the bars on.

Strange part is, if the ball wasn't seated in the coupler, the latch shouldn't close, or he didn't close the latch.

[besot11]

I did have a trailer come off the ball one time from operator error too much weight on the back of the trailer and coupler not adjusted correctly on a roughy dirt road. Just to be clear I am not saying twisting the chains together I am saying twisting them individually to shorten. And yes it did help. That was the one and only time I made the mistake of not having the coupler adjusted correctly. As someone else stated connect the trailer, lower tongue jack and lift weight off tow vehicle and you shouldn’t ever have that problem. In my case was youthful user error and thankfully no one got hurt and only minor damage to truck when first popped off hitch. Never happened again because I learnt my lesson.

[Rover Podder]

Originally Posted by besot11

I had a trailer with single point you can still cross them to make a cradle and if the chains are to long twist them to take up the slack. Worked for me for years on multiple style trailers

Probably not a good idea.


https://mechanicalelements.com/twisting-safety-chains/

[21wolfpupfq]

Originally Posted by gw1800

Same here. Have to lift it about 1-1/2" to get the bars on.

X3

[NavyLCDR]

Originally Posted by Rover Podder

Probably not a good idea.


https://mechanicalelements.com/twisting-safety-chains/

That is what I was getting at. Lot's of people say, "I have done such and such for years without a problem." It isn't a problem until it become a problem. I'm not one to really talk, though. I've plugged my trailers into campground power pedestals without an EMS for 3 years now and never had a problem.

[LarryB.]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

A little extra work to check during hook-up can save a whole lot more work later ...

My method:

1. Drop trailer's tongue onto hitch ball
2. Lock trailer's tongue onto hitch ball
3. Using the trailer's tongue jack, raise the tongue until the back of the tow vehicle raises up
4. Raise tongue jack more to facilitate setting of the weight distribution hitch's chains or trunnion bars
5. Lower tongue jack until the jack's foot plate is securely and completely raised into position

That allows me easily set my weight distribution hitch and to to confirm that the trailer is secured to the hitch.

[Freetyme]

Apparently some lighter weight teardrop trailers can use a 2" ball, but most trailers require a 2- 5/16 ball. Agree that being able to lift the rear of the tv with the tongue jack once attached is a good idea even if you don't need to for bars on a WDH. A pin through the latch once seated also a good idea. Not sure what happened to this guy, maybe in a hurry and not insuring a proper coupling. Guilty myself once on a lite utility trailer. Lesson learned.

[czachry]

After connecting the tailer on the ball I always try get it off by cranking my electric crank. If it lifts the tow vehicle, it is on. If not it comes off. Learned that lesson when it came off when driving down the road years ago.

[lilmikey_ab]

I always lift my tongue back up after connecting, firstly to confirm it's properly connected & secondly it makes hooking up the WD bars much easier. It's the way I was shown, it makes sense.
I noticed one member said it was in front of a residence, but I don't see that in the original post..
Also, if it's happened more than once to that person, there is obviously an issue & should have been addressed after the first occurrence!