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Old 04-16-2014, 03:02 AM   #1
rode2nowhere
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releasing trailer off ball?

I am not a professional camper but not a newbie, is there any tips to unhitching the trailer from the ball? last trip it took a while. I raise the trailer and flip the latch and move truck back and forth and still takes a while, and ball is greased well, any help appreciated?
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Old 04-16-2014, 03:14 AM   #2
zuley
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I had the same issue last spring with our new TT. Received a responce from this forum telling me after put the blocks under the tires to pull ahead slightly with the tow vehicle allowing the ball that extra 1/4 inch or so away from the locking cam of the receiver. Worked for me.
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Old 04-16-2014, 03:30 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by rode2nowhere View Post
I am not a professional camper but not a newbie, is there any tips to unhitching the trailer from the ball? last trip it took a while. I raise the trailer and flip the latch and move truck back and forth and still takes a while, and ball is greased well, any help appreciated?
1. block trailer tires
2. pull or let TV roll forward slightly to take pressure off hitch.
3. flip latch
4. raise trailer
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Old 04-16-2014, 04:54 AM   #4
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Dumb question but can you not release the safety on the trailer or can you not get the ball to drop out of the trailer??
Towards the end of my TT usage I had to sometimes jump on the hitch to make it disengage the ball from the hitch.
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Old 04-16-2014, 07:08 AM   #5
AlbertaRvMan
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Originally Posted by Javi View Post
1. block trailer tires
2. pull or let TV roll forward slightly to take pressure off hitch.
3. flip latch
4. raise trailer
It sounds simple. I had the same issue last week as we tried to get the new trailer detached from our tow vehicle (first time) We are using an Anderson hitch.

After nearly a half hour, I was covered in sweat, had moved the tow vehicle back and forth, very slightly, raised, lowered...

Finally it came off.

I will try blocking the TT tires first as suggested (can I just put some 2x10 blocks on each side of the tires?)
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Old 04-16-2014, 07:30 AM   #6
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It sounds simple. I had the same issue last week as we tried to get the new trailer detached from our tow vehicle (first time) We are using an Anderson hitch.

After nearly a half hour, I was covered in sweat, had moved the tow vehicle back and forth, very slightly, raised, lowered...

Finally it came off.

I will try blocking the TT tires first as suggested (can I just put some 2x10 blocks on each side of the tires?)
yep........
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Old 04-16-2014, 08:00 AM   #7
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Duh !! I was thinking 5th wheel. I'll stay out of it
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Old 04-16-2014, 10:14 AM   #8
murphysranch
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On my trailer, we have to lift the latch and then slide it towards the trailer for the ball to disengage. Hideout 24RLSWE
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Old 04-16-2014, 01:48 PM   #9
rode2nowhere
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Originally Posted by Ram189 View Post
Dumb question but can you not release the safety on the trailer or can you not get the ball to drop out of the trailer??
Towards the end of my TT usage I had to sometimes jump on the hitch to make it disengage the ball from the hitch.
Yes the safety pops right up,,,,i will try it again, with forward pressure, but I tried forward and back with tv and trailer jack lifting truck up a little, I dunno
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Old 04-16-2014, 03:43 PM   #10
Ken / Claudia
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You said your raiseing the trailer than lifting the lever, do not do that. Raising the trailer or any upward pressure will not allow the hitch to release the ball. So, park it, take off WD bars, block tires, pull hitch release lever up, side it back towards the trailer in it's slot to the end. The trailer will not fly free it has 100s of lbs holding it down. Now crank the jack down, raising the trailer to clear the ball. This is a travel trailer right? If you still have problems can you photo the hitch and post it.
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Old 04-16-2014, 04:00 PM   #11
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yep, maybe a funniest video....
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Old 04-16-2014, 04:22 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia View Post
You said your raiseing the trailer than lifting the lever, do not do that. Raising the trailer or any upward pressure will not allow the hitch to release the ball. So, park it, take off WD bars, block tires, pull hitch release lever up, side it back towards the trailer in it's slot to the end. The trailer will not fly free it has 100s of lbs holding it down. Now crank the jack down, raising the trailer to clear the ball. This is a travel trailer right? If you still have problems can you photo the hitch and post it.
I've been jacking before undoing my coupler as well and it has been a bear from time to time. I'm going to give this straightforward method a try next time.
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Old 04-16-2014, 04:26 PM   #13
rode2nowhere
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I always pull up the releasebefore I jack it up...
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Old 04-16-2014, 05:36 PM   #14
Ken / Claudia
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Sorry, your first post you said you raise the trailer and pull the hatch, which is wrong.. So, if you are following the advice from me and others, I do not know whats up. It sure sounds that the lever is not releaseing the ball. Get a look under the hitch around the ball and see , , have someone pull the lever and watch. Can you tell us what trailer it is and a photo of the hitch. At this point, I feel like I am telling a ford owner how to release the parking brake on a Dodge.
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Old 04-16-2014, 08:53 PM   #15
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I have found that after I take off the bars then I lower the tongue again and then release the latch on the hitch and raise it up again, then it always seems that the hitch releases from the ball, some times I need to hit the hitch with my foot to knock it totally free but that seems to have always worked for me on any trailer I have had.
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Old 04-17-2014, 02:53 AM   #16
rode2nowhere
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the safety latch releases, I can see it pop up and back, like its just tight in the socket, and at my 154 lbs. kicking has little effect.
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Old 04-17-2014, 03:28 AM   #17
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the safety latch releases, I can see it pop up and back, like its just tight in the socket, and at my 154 lbs. kicking has little effect.
If the coupling and the ball are in a bind it takes some force to jar them apart. The trick is to not put them in a bind. This is why I and others tell you to pull the TV forward after chocking the wheels.

Of course this assumes that you backed into the site and didn't pull through, if indeed you did stop with a forward load on the coupling then it should help if you back slightly into the coupling.

If all else fails and you have another driver with you I'd suggest that they sit behind the wheel with the TV in neutral while you jack up the trailer. They should be prepared to stop the TV should it begin to roll.

This should give you the best chance of easily unhitching.

In all of this I don't believe anyone asked if you are removing the weight bars first. I guess we just assumed that you are.
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Old 04-17-2014, 04:05 AM   #18
rode2nowhere
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yep weight bars first, and I had wife in truck going back and forth, maybe a fluke, but I know it took a good 15 minutes,,,
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Old 04-17-2014, 04:07 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia View Post
You said your raiseing the trailer than lifting the lever, do not do that. Raising the trailer or any upward pressure will not allow the hitch to release the ball. So, park it, take off WD bars, block tires, pull hitch release lever up, side it back towards the trailer in it's slot to the end. The trailer will not fly free it has 100s of lbs holding it down. Now crank the jack down, raising the trailer to clear the ball. This is a travel trailer right? If you still have problems can you photo the hitch and post it.

^^^ this is how we did it with our Coachman and at first with the Cougar.. Had to back the nut under the coupler a twist on the Coachman.. it was just way to tight. Have an elec jack now. Don't know whay i never got one before...
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Old 04-17-2014, 04:17 AM   #20
rode2nowhere
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^^^ this is how we did it with our Coachman and at first with the Cougar.. Had to back the nut under the coupler a twist on the Coachman.. it was just way to tight. Have an elec jack now. Don't know whay i never got one before...
what do you mean back the nut under the coupler ?
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