Do you lock or unlock the hitch while pulling your TT?
I've always have locked the hitch when towing my TT, simply because I don't want to lose the lock. But should you lock the hitch when towing?
Forum Discussion
Hunting, don't be like this guy..
DRIVER SENTENCED for improperly hitching of a chipper..
"Last year (2006), a Cranberry man and two of his three triplets were killed when a wood-chipper broke free from a truck and slammed into their minivan on Route 8 in Richland Township. The driver of the truck, Bradley Demitras, 35, of Pine Township, was sentenced Tuesday to nine to 18 months in prison and six years of probation on involuntary manslaughter and other charges. Prosecutors said the chipper came free from Demitras’ truck and went into the opposing lanes, killing Spencer Morrison and his 4-year-olds, Alaina and Garrett, on April 13, 2006."
Fun fact.. I recently towed a "park model" trailer for my FIL and hr and half drive. I spent 4 hrs checking and repairing lights and brakes, added breakaway and safety chains. Since it was a park model those are typically not supplied with safety chains or breakaway switch. I added all items plus verified I had the correct ball size before I attempted to tow the rig..
All hitched up with everything verified and working I then proceeded to tow it an hr and a half with no issues.
After we got the trailer home, FIL decided trailer was not big enough so we ended up selling it to someone else..
They showed up and connected the trailer with a 2" ball (hitch required 2 5/16" ball, didn't use chains nor breakaway nor did they repair the one rear taillight that I temporarily bypassed with a LED module (I removed the chains, breakaway switch and the LED taillight module when I got it onto FILs land).
They towed it 200 miles with the wrong ball and zero safety equipment safely..
Would I do that?
Absolutely not.
If I was there when they picked it up, I would have made them at least go buy the correct ball but I was not there and it wasn't my responsibility to tell them since it was my FILs decision.
So in reality, only the TW was keeping the tongue on the ball and no WD is needed to keep it on the ball either and your whole premise of WD keeping it on the ball is not true.
Now, if for any reason those folks encountered any thing that would have given enough upward force on the trailer tongue they story would not have ended on the happy side of life.
DRIVER SENTENCED for improperly hitching of a chipper..
"Last year (2006), a Cranberry man and two of his three triplets were killed when a wood-chipper broke free from a truck and slammed into their minivan on Route 8 in Richland Township. The driver of the truck, Bradley Demitras, 35, of Pine Township, was sentenced Tuesday to nine to 18 months in prison and six years of probation on involuntary manslaughter and other charges. Prosecutors said the chipper came free from Demitras’ truck and went into the opposing lanes, killing Spencer Morrison and his 4-year-olds, Alaina and Garrett, on April 13, 2006."
Fun fact.. I recently towed a "park model" trailer for my FIL and hr and half drive. I spent 4 hrs checking and repairing lights and brakes, added breakaway and safety chains. Since it was a park model those are typically not supplied with safety chains or breakaway switch. I added all items plus verified I had the correct ball size before I attempted to tow the rig..
All hitched up with everything verified and working I then proceeded to tow it an hr and a half with no issues.
After we got the trailer home, FIL decided trailer was not big enough so we ended up selling it to someone else..
They showed up and connected the trailer with a 2" ball (hitch required 2 5/16" ball, didn't use chains nor breakaway nor did they repair the one rear taillight that I temporarily bypassed with a LED module (I removed the chains, breakaway switch and the LED taillight module when I got it onto FILs land).
They towed it 200 miles with the wrong ball and zero safety equipment safely..
Would I do that?
Absolutely not.
If I was there when they picked it up, I would have made them at least go buy the correct ball but I was not there and it wasn't my responsibility to tell them since it was my FILs decision.
So in reality, only the TW was keeping the tongue on the ball and no WD is needed to keep it on the ball either and your whole premise of WD keeping it on the ball is not true.
Now, if for any reason those folks encountered any thing that would have given enough upward force on the trailer tongue they story would not have ended on the happy side of life.
