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05-21-2020, 11:52 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Cherry Hill
Posts: 193
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Thanks uechikid for your OP. I've been having the same issue with my 2020 Cougar 22RBS and assumed it was just me. We haven't had it long enough to use it much and the issue seemed random when it occurred. I always lube the ball before each trip so I think the times we had the issue is when the coupler is under compression like when we back into our driveway or the camp site isn't level. Then the truck is in park with the brake on and the camper is chocked. Bouncing on the bumper doesn't always work but when it does it usually scares the s**t out of me because I think the coupler is going to hit me or the truck (never really gets close). If I have to move the truck slightly then my wife gets upset when camper pops off. Lesson learned: Don't run the tongue jack up so high that the truck is getting lifted more than an inch or so by the ball.
Just went out to wipe the grease off the ball and it appears to have a smooth transition from the shank to the ball. Inspection of the coupler revealed that it was rusted inside and and felt pitted (maybe galled from fabrication?). I wiped all the grease off then hit it with some sand paper. Sprayed it out with WD-40 wiped it clean then buffed it shinny with a wire brush on my drill and cleaned it again. Made sure it was smooth to the touch and greased it with ball grease. I'll have to pay more attention to this maintenance in the future. Don't know if this was a factor or not. We are taking a short trip this weekend so I'll let you know if I see any improvement.
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05-21-2020, 01:38 PM
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#22
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Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Wrightstown Pa.
Posts: 80
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Ball stuck
it helps to use a pin to hold the latch up.
Jack the trailer up a bit to put upward tension on it.
Make sure the trailer is chocked.
Then just release the parking brake on the tow vehicle
It just pops.
This usually happens when a lot of tension is between the Trailer & vehicle.
Bit of forward or reverse it will pop off.
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05-21-2020, 02:46 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Tucson
Posts: 117
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Stuck Ball
This is not a rare problem with Keystone. I even had them replace the hitch on the A-frame and it still happen once in a while. I solved the problem by using a rubber mallet from Harbor freight, I just lift the latch lever and than tap it with the mallet. Works every time. Easy and painless.
Happy camping.
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05-21-2020, 03:07 PM
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#24
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 61
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I've had the same issue with getting grease on my jeans. My wife observed I was trying to push the tongue & receiver to get the ball to release. Once I stopped doing that and adjusted how I was working to get them apart, I stopped getting grease on my jeans.
Another thing I have done is to keep an old tennis ball on the ball. This is a great way to avoid getting grease on my jeans since the tennis ball keeps the grease on the steel ball and not on me.
Great discussion! I've learned a lot. I don't have as many issues about disconnecting since I usually use my Truck Camper but I also have a trailer to carry my Jeep when (if we aren't under quarantine) I go to a Jeep event.
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05-21-2020, 05:13 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: South US
Posts: 712
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When I had my TT I had the same problem. I would lift the latch lever and then try to raise the tongue off the ball and it would always get stuck. I carried a large hammer that I would retrieve and tap the top of the ball housing (with some lift tension) and it would always break free. Then kind of like the monkey who discovered a rock to clobber coconuts I realized that I already had a "hammer" in hand when I removed one of the torsion bars on the WDH. Just used it to tap the ball housing. Worked great.
RMc
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 SRW Aisin Trans. HO CTD
Air Lift Bags -Curt 16K Slider Hitch
2017 Laredo 350 FB
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05-22-2020, 09:49 AM
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#26
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 17
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Placing wax paper on the ball before connecting serves as a cleaner substitute for grease. Sledog is right when he suggests trashing the rusty ball. You get what you pay for when you buy balls. My preference is for Curt balls; HF or Princess Auto balls are cheaper for a reason.
Trial and error is why we can answer your questions. Better to learn about slope in your driveway than at 10 PM on a rainy, hungry Friday night.
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05-22-2020, 10:20 AM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Cherry Hill
Posts: 193
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[QUOTE=Garfman;Better to learn about slope in your driveway than at 10 PM on a rainy, hungry Friday night.[/QUOTE]
You must be talking about me! Friday the 13th, Dec 2019: brand new TT first trip home from the dealer at rush hour, with improperly setup rear view camera (thanks dealer), dark and raining! Somehow got in the driveway without hitting the neighbors' cars. Strangely, I don't recall having an issue unhitching. Maybe I don't recall because of being overwhelmed by everything else.
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05-22-2020, 10:34 AM
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#28
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Theodore
Posts: 89
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Just for clarification. The picture of the rusty ball is a picture that JRTJH posted as and example of different style ball shanks. That's not the ball on my setup.
That being said. I used to pull an inflatable dive boat that the ball looked a little like that.
__________________
Rich
2020 Bullet 269 RLSWE
2019 Ram 3500 Diesel 4X4 Long Bed
2008 Royal Star Venture
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05-22-2020, 05:11 PM
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#29
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Gone Traveling
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Ridgefield WA
Posts: 190
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Laugh all you want, but ours was in and out several times for this issue.
We've trailered for many years, but this trailer grabs the ball.
The dealer even gave up and pulled the pin.
Folkie, please share when you find the answer.
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05-22-2020, 06:51 PM
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#30
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Theodore
Posts: 89
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Oh, and when I get grease on my clothes, I’m really pissed because I do my own laundry.
__________________
Rich
2020 Bullet 269 RLSWE
2019 Ram 3500 Diesel 4X4 Long Bed
2008 Royal Star Venture
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05-23-2020, 04:26 AM
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#31
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,743
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uechikid
Oh, and when I get grease on my close, I’m really pissed because I do my own laundry.
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Wear shorts, that way the grease is on you not the pants. Works for me but I'm longlegged so I miss the shorts.
But seriously, I keep my ball cover in the bed of the truck. When I uncouple and raise the tongue I immediately place the cover over the ball. Seems simple enough even for my simple mind.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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05-23-2020, 06:12 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Cherry Hill
Posts: 193
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I "delegated" the responsibility of covering the greasy ball to my DW. Since she is stuck with doing the laundry there is some motivation in helping me keep grease off of my shorts. Short legs = grease on shorts.
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05-23-2020, 06:45 AM
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#33
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,985
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Learn to walk in high heels... That way the grease will be "slightly below the shorts and just above the knee". That makes it easier to clean it off your leg while sitting in a lawn chair with an adult beverage... It's much easier than having to lean over to even see the grease "below the knee"...
Tough part, if you have large feet, the "selection of camping heels" may be limited to only the basic styles... Most of the "frilly ones" stop at a "tight toe size" for anyone with big feet.....
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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05-23-2020, 07:00 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Cherry Hill
Posts: 193
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Stuck hitch, short legs and big feet! You're making me feel bad!
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05-23-2020, 07:08 AM
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#35
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,985
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Folkie
Stuck hitch, short legs and big feet! You're making me feel bad!
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Hey, look on the bright side, if you're complaining about the stuck hitch, at least you're not at home pushing a lawn mower in those high heels
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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05-23-2020, 07:37 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Cherry Hill
Posts: 193
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05-23-2020, 08:56 AM
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#37
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,743
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Thank the Lord I'm 6'3" mainly in the legs! No high heels in a men's 15 EEE and wearing "Daisy Dukes" to Expose enough leg ain't a look anyone would want to gaze upon with me as the subject!
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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05-23-2020, 09:03 AM
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#38
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Parker, Colorado
Posts: 126
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You have been given many good examples of how to get the ball to
break loose.
Not mentioned is check the ball and the inside of the hitch for bures
if you find any use some emery paper to clean up, also a file would
help.
__________________
Phil & Alberta Saran
2019 Keystone Cougar 30 RLS 5er
2012 Dodge Ram 3500 diesel 4x4
Colorado
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05-23-2020, 09:55 AM
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#39
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Cherry Hill
Posts: 193
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Saran
Not mentioned is check the ball and the inside of the hitch for bures
if you find any use some emery paper to clean up, also a file would
help.
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Touched on it in post 21. I'll let you know if my attempt to clean it up the coupler makes a difference for us next week after we get home.
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05-24-2020, 03:15 AM
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#40
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,328
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Marshall, my eyes simply can't erase the visual with that description....
__________________
Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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