I'm having trouble unhitching receiver from ball

[kwise_6]

I have a 2017 Jayco White Hawk 27DSRL equipped with Husky Centerline TS hitch. My question is about the difficulty I consistently have with the connection between the receiver and ball. (I didn’t have any such difficulty with the hitch on my previous trailer.) When connecting to the hitch, it’s not uncommon to run into difficulty getting the receiver to accept the hitch ball easily. Disconnecting is even worse. It is consistently problematic: I routinely have to use a tool that I bought at my local Jayco dealer to pry the receiver off the ball, and even that is difficult. If anyone else has had similar problems with a Husky Centerline hitch and has been able to resolve the issue, your advice would be much appreciated.

[Bobbo]

Bobbo wrote:
I have found that after backing the trailer in, pulling forward about 1/2 to 1 inch greatly reduces the amount of difficulty I have in opening the coupler.

Bionic Man wrote:
What I eventually discovered, was if I would just push the trailer back after I was parked, and before I blocked the wheels, it would take enough pressure off the hitch to easily come free.

Great minds, and all of that. Pushing the trailer back has the same effect on the coupler as pulling the tow vehicle forward. It takes some pressure off of the moving parts on the back side of the coupler.

[rockhillmanor]

kwise_6 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
I routinely lubricate my hitch and ball with a lube especially formulated for hitches.
And I hit the latch/lock mechanisms with silicone or PB blaster to keep it working smoothly.



If it's jammed, after you stop put the truck in park and let it roll back its slop amount, then put it back in drive and just inch forward ('not' enough to move trailer just enough to move the ball back for a better release). sometimes that is enough to push it in front of the release clamp.

I checked the reviews of this product on amazon, and they were very positive; sounding much more so than I would write about the axle grease that I routinely use for this purpose. Some folks even mentioned noticing an improvement in the ease with which the ball and receiver could be coupled/uncoupled. I'm going to give this stuff a try. From a mechanical standpoint, though,

I'm also going to take it in to the dealer and ask that a service rep take look at it to see if all the various adjustments that needed to be done upon installation are still up to snuff.

I check the torque periodically on the key components as recommended by Husky, but, nonetheless, I'd like to see if maybe something has tweaked a bit or possibly wasn't set up quite properly to begin with.

I had the dealer pick out the receiver and set up/hitched to my truck on my TT. I just didn't want to be bothered with it. Certainly not my first rodeo, but as I get older I get lazier!

When I walked out there it was NOT even close to level. :R:R

When you step back is your set up level? Unlevel jams the ball up or down and it won't come out easily. Not mention a rig set up unlevel is just plum not correct.

I often wonder just how many TT's bought by 'first time RV'ers' are sent out the door hooked up not level?

I know mine would have been if I had been a newbie at it. BTW: the service guy actually said it was ok the way it was.

[Bionic_Man]

My last ski boat caused me all sorts of similar problems, especially getting it off the hitch. So much so that I burned up two of my trailer tongue jacks trying to force it off.

What I eventually discovered, was if I would just push the trailer back after I was parked, and before I blocked the wheels, it would take enough pressure off the hitch to easily come free.

You might have a completely different issue, but it would be worth a try.

[Bobbo]

I have found that after backing the trailer in, pulling forward about 1/2 to 1 inch greatly reduces the amount of difficulty I have in opening the coupler.

[BenK]

Also....gotta get the flat spot on top of the ball to align with the dome top portion that allows the ball to back out of the dome capture area. This includes making sure the setup is level so that the ball’s flat spot top will be allowed to move backwards. If the ball/coupler is at the ‘high’ spot of the ‘v’, then no amount of force can move the ball backwards...as the coupler dome won’t allow it

The latch assembly is an area checked, lubed at the beginning of EACH trip. And grease the ball lightly with regular greases gun grease.


HITCH WON'T RELEASE.

BenK wrote:
Good to hear the OP has solved this and add for others and future reference

Below quote from an old comment and add...

Backing up moves the ball out of the front coupler hemisphere
...where it goes below the ball equator to keep the ball from moving down and out

The rear portion of the coupler dome has nothing to hole the ball except for the latch pawl.

Undoing the latch removes that interference to allow the ball to move backwards. Again, why backing up with the trailer tires blocked and unlatched allows the ball to come out of the front couple dome

This image shows one type of latch, but they all (most) look like this



This image is of the flat stop on top of most balls and is to allow the ball to move rear wards, out of the coupler dome capture area






HITCH BALL STUCK IN TRAILER TOUNGE

benk wrote:

Posted: 12/09/10 07:27pm

I've had a few experiences with this on various trailers.

First, you know how 'most' couplers work? That might help understand how/why it is
stuck

The forward portion of the coupler (towards the TV) is 'cupped' with the bottom
end of the 'round' complete enough to go 'underneath' the ball's lower hemisphere

Meaning it won't allow the coupler to move up and off of the ball.

The latch has a 'tang' or 'pawl' that goes underneath the rear of the ball.

This 'tang' or 'pawl' is most likely stuck and/or the ball is still 'up' against
the couple's 'cup'

The latch should have an adjustment to tighten or loosen that 'tang'/'pawl'. If
you haven't, try squirting some sort of frozen bolt whatever into that.

Finally, I'd just take the balls nut off and then work on it

[wnjj]

kwise_6 wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
There was another poster a couple months ago that had problems uncoupling from his trailer. After lots and lots of suggestions, someone finally asked if he simply lifted the handle. Well, he did, and that was his problem. So, not to sound so simplistic here, but... are you lifting the handle before trying to raise the trailer so it will separate from the ball?

I appreciate your question because I know it's sometimes the simplest things that can cause the biggest problems, but, yes, I do make sure the latch handle is up when coupling or uncoupling the receiver and hitch ball.

In that post, it wasn’t a matter of lifting. The OP had the style where you have to slide it back to fully release.

If you’re operating it correctly and pulling forward slightly after chocking, it may just need the adjustment backed off slightly as others have posted.

[toedtoes]

BarneyS wrote:
Toedtoes,
If you are using a weight distributing hitch you don't have to worry about the coupler coming off the ball while towing.

OP,
A long shot, but are you sure you have the right sized ball on your Husky hitch?
Barney

Yeah, I didn't have a WD. And I had heard family stories over the years, so it was something I was always conscious of...

[jerryjay11]

On every trailer I had the coupler latch plate is adjustable. Usually all you have to do is rotate the coupler latching plate (the part that grips the ball) for the ball size so it won't lift off when latched. Just lay on the ground and look up into the coupler. You can do a Google search for trailer ball adjustment.

[kwise_6]

rockhillmanor wrote:
I routinely lubricate my hitch and ball with a lube especially formulated for hitches.
And I hit the latch/lock mechanisms with silicone or PB blaster to keep it working smoothly.



If it's jammed, after you stop put the truck in park and let it roll back its slop amount, then put it back in drive and just inch forward ('not' enough to move trailer just enough to move the ball back for a better release). sometimes that is enough to push it in front of the release clamp.

I checked the reviews of this product on amazon, and they were very positive; sounding much more so than I would write about the axle grease that I routinely use for this purpose. Some folks even mentioned noticing an improvement in the ease with which the ball and receiver could be coupled/uncoupled. I'm going to give this stuff a try. From a mechanical standpoint, though, I'm also going to take it in to the dealer and ask that a service rep take look at it to see if all the various adjustments that needed to be done upon installation are still up to snuff. I check the torque periodically on the key components as recommended by Husky, but, nonetheless, I'd like to see if maybe something has tweaked a bit or possibly wasn't set up quite properly to begin with.

[kwise_6]

DutchmenSport wrote:
There was another poster a couple months ago that had problems uncoupling from his trailer. After lots and lots of suggestions, someone finally asked if he simply lifted the handle. Well, he did, and that was his problem. So, not to sound so simplistic here, but... are you lifting the handle before trying to raise the trailer so it will separate from the ball?

I appreciate your question because I know it's sometimes the simplest things that can cause the biggest problems, but, yes, I do make sure the latch handle is up when coupling or uncoupling the receiver and hitch ball.

[DutchmenSport]

There was another poster a couple months ago that had problems uncoupling from his trailer. After lots and lots of suggestions, someone finally asked if he simply lifted the handle. Well, he did, and that was his problem. So, not to sound so simplistic here, but... are you lifting the handle before trying to raise the trailer so it will separate from the ball?

[BarneyS]

Toedtoes,
If you are using a weight distributing hitch you don't have to worry about the coupler coming off the ball while towing.

OP,
A long shot, but are you sure you have the right sized ball on your Husky hitch?
Barney

[rockhillmanor]

I routinely lubricate my hitch and ball with a lube especially formulated for hitches.
And I hit the latch/lock mechanisms with silicone or PB blaster to keep it working smoothly.



If it's jammed, after you stop put the truck in park and let it roll back its slop amount, then put it back in drive and just inch forward ('not' enough to move trailer just enough to move the ball back for a better release). sometimes that is enough to push it in front of the release clamp.

[toedtoes]

Have you tried WD-40? It may just need some lubrication.

Also, sometimes the fit it just snug enough that to have it drop on the ball or pop off the ball, you have to back up or go forward with the tow vehicle just a nudge for the connection (with the trailer tires blocked).

I had to do both those things with my old shasta trailer - the WD-40 once real good, and then the other most every time I hitched and unhitched. I swear the round hole was slightly off shape to the ball. It did make me a little more at ease that it wouldn't pop off the ball while driving.