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Old 02-05-2017, 02:36 PM   #1
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trouble with hitch

Am having difficulty detaching from the hitch ball on my trailer. We raise it but it will not release unless we push down on back of truck. It seems to be sticking.
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Old 02-05-2017, 03:02 PM   #2
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I do lubricate the ball and tongue with the dry spray lubricant you can get at most places.

The second thing is to make sure that the trailer is chocked and doesn't move, as any forward or backward movement the trailer wants to make creates lateral pressure on the connection.

I have a downward sloping driveway so my Eagle wants to move backwards when uncoupling. As the tongue goes up, the trailer actually gets pulled forward about half an inch, enough that I will go back and snug the chocks before separation. This allows for a straight up and down uncoupling without issues.

Good luck.
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Old 02-05-2017, 03:20 PM   #3
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Welcome!

Make sure there is no pressure on the ball when you go to release by putting the TV in neutral momentarily but be SURE it's back in Park before releasing the TT. As milw156 said, lubrication on the ball helps too.

Having a hard time unhitching a new TT isn't that unusual as nothing has worn in yet, and there could also be paint in the coupler that's binding it up. Our White Hawk was miserable to unhitch the first few times we used her, but got easier and easier with time.
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Old 02-05-2017, 03:26 PM   #4
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Welcome to the forum.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jdvalles View Post
Am having difficulty detaching from the hitch ball on my trailer. We raise it but it will not release unless we push down on back of truck. It seems to be sticking.
As others have said, this is not unusual. If you can push down on the back of the truck and detach, then it is not sticking as much as some folks have found. It will get easier with use.
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Old 02-05-2017, 04:03 PM   #5
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We used to have this "ball sticking" problem from time to time on our last trailer. The ball would heat the paint inside the tongue where the ball wears. Chunks of paint would come off on top of the ball. I started lubing heavily with high temp bearing grease, and the problem stopped. I also keep the ball lock and all moving parts hosed down in Lucas Chain Lube or WD40 (water and resistant formula).
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Old 02-05-2017, 04:24 PM   #6
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When I park, I chock the trailer, then put the truck in neutral to let the trailer roll into position against the downhill chocks (sometimes you can't tell), then adjust my chocks.

When I'm detaching and it sticks, MAKE SURE UR CHOCKED. I have a good idea how much to raise my trailer to get it off the hitch. If it sticks after that, I go to the truck, foot on brake, parking brake off, foot on off the brake, if it doesn't release, I put the truck in neutral and again foot on and off the break. This seem to move the truck enough to release the ball without moving the trailer...The trailer shouldn't move because I already chocked it..
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Old 02-05-2017, 04:34 PM   #7
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As said before the trailer or tv may want to move a little effectively holding onto the ball.

ALWAYS leave the chains attached in case the chocks don't hold and your trailer goes rolling away.

I learned the hard way after dark one on the first times I camped with a popup 40 years ago and still make sure the Jayco is off the ball before I unhook the chains. (In retrospect it was hilarious, at the time really embarrassing, no damage)
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Old 02-05-2017, 04:35 PM   #8
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Welcome aboard. What tt and TV do you have?

This seams to be a common issue with both very new tt!'s and very old and neglected hitches.

I lube the ball about every 1500 miles with high temp bearing grease. Between trips I put a red silo cup on the ball, I do not recall the size, maybe a 12 Oz cup. Stays on at highway speeds, and it makes seeing the hitch in camp a bit easier.

Sprays like wd40 are just to light and will not lube the hitch well.
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Old 02-13-2017, 12:27 PM   #9
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Old 02-13-2017, 01:54 PM   #10
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I had the same problem when my unit was new. Found that the inside of the coupler was covered with paint overspray. Spent an hour with a wire brush etc. cleaning that out (as someone on this forum suggested - thanks) and it's been easy peasy ever since.
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Old 02-13-2017, 02:01 PM   #11
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With the new ball hitches, you MUST have the full weight of the trailer resting on the hitch or the hitch will not release. Older hitches (I had one) didn't need that.

Keep the ball well lubricated.

If it's new, as others have mentioned, you could have some paint that hasn't worn off yet.

Patience! It will work, just let the trailer down as far as it will go before you try to release the hitch mechanism.

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