Another Reese 20K Hitch Failure
This post may comes a little late for one posted last April (see post from davidkelm "Dropped Trailer on Bed Rails Today") http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27647785.cfm but ...
Forum Discussion
dezl_dr wrote:
If the hitch is in good shape and locked around the pin, it can't open. Metal can't just squeeze past a small gap.
But the design does lend it's self to be hooked up improperly. It's hard to tell unless you get a light and check the jaws around the pin.
I've forgot twice to latch a 20k reese and towed it for an hour that way. Only noticed when I needed trailer brakes, didn't hook those either. One person got hurt and I hooked up and left in a hurry.
The second time was to move it from under a tree in an ice storm. Jerking on trailer to get it up from froze ground. Not sure how it didn't come unhooked.
That being said, my new hitch has a wrap around jaw and I feel it's easier to know your hooked correctly, I like it better.
If your 20K has the two piece jaw after the pin is in the jaws the pin can't come out because of the location of the pivot pins. When the jaws are closed and the pin puts pressure on them the pins will not allow them to open. The OP has the other style that uses a single arm that locks behind the pin.
Denny
