Trouble unhooking

[LOFAT36]

It is a quest every time we try to unhook our trailer. Back and forth until it will finally release. Drives me nuts. Any suggestions ?

[Ralph_Cramden]

Take a look for the manufacturer of the coupler assembly which should be stamped on top. Chances are if your frame is made by Lippert, the coupler assembly is made by RAM and it's a $12 Chinese POS with no adjustment capability on the pawl. They usually loosen up with time and use, but when new can be a real SOB.

[MitchF150]

Dunno.. I've heard people having this problem for a long time.. I just park the trailer, hold the brake, put truck in park, set parking brake. Put wheel choke on trailer.

Lift tongue up on hitch to take WD bars off. Lower tongue back down. Release latch. Lift tongue back up and it always just comes off.

Do this at different angles of the truck pointing in all kinds of different directions or up or down.

Good luck!

Mitch

[oyarsa]

I had the same problem. I lubricated the ball and that may be what helped, but I also saw a video that suggested putting tension on the coupler as you raise the trailer. That way it releases at the sweet spot.

One of those two things has seemed to be the trick for me...

[JWP127]

Like others have said, I raise the tongue until it's level.

[htss]

WNYBob wrote:
I've found that "park" position of the transmission is the culprit! There is always a little play in the transaction and that allows the TV to roll against the hitch.

My solution is to level the TT then put the TV in Neutral, and then set the parking or emergency brake. Then move the trany to park. (NO roll) now the hitch should come off quite easily.

This was pretty much what I used to do too; it worked for me.

[Edd505]

If it is a 5W reverse just before you go to park. That puts the pin to the front of the hitch, away from the jaws that are designed to stay closed with pressure.

[Passin_Thru]

Unhook the pin and drive away with the ball attached. Just gotta have the trailer even and wt off the hitch.

[dieselbobcat]

WNYBob wrote:
I've found that "park" position of the transmission is the culprit! There is always a little play in the transaction and that allows the TV to roll against the hitch.

My solution is to level the TT then put the TV in Neutral, and then set the parking or emergency brake. Then move the trany to park. (NO roll) now the hitch should come off quite easily.

X2 - any preload forward or back will make the unhitching difficult... especially after using X-chocks and wedge chocks....

[ScottG]

Do you have an electric tongue jack?
I just lift until it finally breaks loose.

[GordonThree]

Chock the trailer tires firmly, go back to the truck and put it in neutral, let it settle. This will take stress off the hitch, it should dismount with ease

Fyi this only works on level sites.

[WNYBob]

I've found that "park" position of the transmission is the culprit! There is always a little play in the transaction and that allows the TV to roll against the hitch.

My solution is to level the TT then put the TV in Neutral, and then set the parking or emergency brake. Then move the trany to park. (NO roll) now the hitch should come off quite easily.

[LOFAT36]

drsteve wrote:

LOFAT36 wrote:
It is a quest every time we try to unhook our trailer. Back and forth until it will finally release. Drives me nuts. Any suggestions ?

Lubricate the hitch ball with a little grease. Make sure the mechanism in the tongue is working freely, lube it too.

Tried that.

[bluie5]

If it’s brand new it will take a few hooking/unhooking times to rub off paint around the moving parts.

[SDcampowneroper]

What type of trailer, brand and hitch make? Your profile would help.

[lawrosa]

Head tilt may be too much of an angle?