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Sandia Man
Rio Rancho, NM
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Joined: 08/09/2008
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Yes, I always do, no reason just because I want to.
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Huntindog
Phoenix AZ
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Joined: 04/08/2002
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valhalla360 wrote:Huntindog wrote:Everyone that is locking thiers...
I assume you are all using WD?
If so try this the next time you are hitched up with WD engaged.
Open/unlatch the coupler. Then use your jack to try and lift it off of the ball.
It can't be done.
Your test is not the same as when driving down the road:
- When slowly lifting with the jack, the bars will bend a little before lifting the back of the truck, which keeps the ball in the hitch.
- Hit a big pothole just right and the forces can be many times higher. The bars can bend 2-3 inches allowing the ball to drop far enough to come out.
So, far less likely with the WDH engaged but not impossible. Still silly not to put a pin thru the latch. Only if you have so little tension on them as to not be transfering any weight.
Huntindog
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Huntindog
Phoenix AZ
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Joined: 04/08/2002
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Gdetrailer wrote:Huntindog wrote:Everyone that is locking thiers...
I assume you are all using WD?
If so try this the next time you are hitched up with WD engaged.
Open/unlatch the coupler. Then use your jack to try and lift it off of the ball.
It can't be done.
And, if just one thing fails on your WD system your trailer is free to pop right off the ball
Actually if you think it thru, a whole lot of things would have to fail.
1. The coupler would need to become unlatched.
2.both equalizer bars would need for their pins to fall out.
3.Both bars would need to become disconnected to their brackets.
It is highly unlikely that all of this would occur without the driver feeling the loss of WD.
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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Joined: 06/22/2005
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valhalla360 wrote:ktmrfs wrote: However if your trailer uses a 2 5/16" ball and the keyed security lock is one that goes through the hitch pin, it's at best a cosmetic lock. that leaves the ball socket on the hitch open and all it takes for someone to drive off with your trailer is for them to drop the hitch onto a 2" ball, and then drive off.
I believe the OP was referring to while driving...so there's already a 2 5/6" ball blocking a thief from dropping it on their 2" ball...not to mention, it's doing 60mph down the freeway.
To the OP: We have a simple spring clip that keeps it from accidentally being released. No key'd lock.
agreed, but if that is also the OP's "lock against possible theft when unhooed" it's not providing much protection while in storage
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Huntindog wrote:
Actually if you think it thru, a whole lot of things would have to fail.
1. The coupler would need to become unlatched.
2.both equalizer bars would need for their pins to fall out.
3.Both bars would need to become disconnected to their brackets.
It is highly unlikely that all of this would occur without the driver feeling the loss of WD.
![[image]](http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/hand-gestures/facepalm-hand-gesture-smiley-emoticon.gif)
Regardless of what YOU think, if anything goes wrong for any reason and your trailer becomes uncoupled and there was no evidence of any attempt on YOUR part to fully ensure ALL safety devices are fully engaged YOU will be called out by law enforcement.
Many yrs ago an entire family (with kids) was KILLED when the mini van they were riding in was completely obliterated by a run away tow behind chipper.
In the aftermath, the investigation of the accident revealed that the driver was negligent for failing to properly SECURE the chipper hitch. The latch was not secured and neither was the safety chains.
Being stupid ruined the drivers life, took out a family and ruined the remaining friends and families lives all for being lazy and stupid.
How blasted hard is it to stick a cheap pin into the latch hole?
You may "feel" you are right, but you are not and someone else may pay the ultimate price (IE DEATH) of your wrong.
If that hole and pin was not important, then the manufacturers would not bother spending money to include that hole.
WD under normal driving conditions "might" hold the tongue on the ball, but under severe conditions (hard stops, rough roads, ect) it just might not.
Why take the chance?
WD does not supersede other safety items, WD is not a Federally or State DOT mandated item but yet that little pin hole exists on ALL tongue hitch latches..
It (the latch pin) is a safety item and an import one at that.
If I showed up to my inspection station with no pin in place the inspection station WILL fail my inspection until I fix the problem (replace missing pin).
If I were to get pulled over, failure to have ALL required safety items engaged and working can result in fines and/or dropping an leaving the trailer until ALL safety items have been fixed.
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Lwiddis
Southern California :(
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Joined: 08/12/2016
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Yes...I want it attached solidly and a lock makes it more so.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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And now we’re past dissecting “Trailering 101” to death and on to the ole liability, “You’ll kill a bus load of nuns if you _____ or don’t _____.” and end up in a lawsuit and jail….
Once in a while some of y’all should go back and read what you write…..or not. The ridiculousness of it is great entertainment….and unfortunately good insight into how some people think.
PS, not saying that one shouldn’t pin their trailer hitch closed. Back to trailering 101.
But GDE, when’s the last time you were pulled over for an inspection of your camper trailer hitch? Lol
* This post was
edited 08/08/22 03:23pm by an administrator/moderator *
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MitchF150
Puyallup, WA
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Joined: 07/13/2002
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Quote:Do you lock or unlock the hitch while pulling your TT?
Yes.. ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile")
Mitch
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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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.
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Huntindog
Phoenix AZ
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Joined: 04/08/2002
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This topic is a hot button issue.
Like many other subjects, some have an irrational fear of potential bad things.Lightening, towing with the propane on, guns, etc.,etc,, A common theme is that they do not fully understand how low the risk really is... I am more likely to have a heart attack while towing and crash into someone... Yet I doubt many would give up driving based on that risk.....
And standard fare for these discussions is someone making a imppassioned, overly dramatic argument, complete with name calling, telling some story that may or may have happened to somone.
I try to keeps risks in perspective. I tend to not believe I will be hit by lightening, and I do not buy lottery tickets.
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