Hooking up TT to Hitch Ball on Tow Vehicle

[Slow and Steady]

I am having a real problem with trying to hook up/unhook my Equalizer Hitch to my Jayco 29 RKS. The hitch isn't adjustable. When hooking up, I have a hard time getting the hitch to lock onto the ball of the hitch. I have oiled the ball/hitch. I also have a hard time when parking the TT and unhooking the hitch from the ball. Often I will have to use the jack and raise the TT really high, and when it comes off, it is normally with violent. At times I will have to have the wife stand on the bumper of the tow vehicle. I have tried to put the truck in neutral and rock it back and fourth trying to take the pressure of the hitch.

Does anyone else have this problem, and has anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to make this easier and safer?

Thanks for any and all suggestions. Have a wonderful summer traveling.

Tom and Kathy
North Ga

[ggilbert]

i use this lube from Equal-i-zer on my 2018 264BH and hitching the trailer it just slips right on. unhitching I have to take a little weight off with the jack just a crank or two after the foot touches the ground then either pull up or roll back a hair and the hitch frees.
you can usual look and see down through the hole with the lock is and see if you need to go forward or backwards.


https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...SAAEgK-XfD_BwE


also maybe your hitch needs adjustment there is a nut under it you can loosen


https://www.etrailer.com/question-134607.html

[ALJO]

Apply Lube to moving points and also the ball (check if the mechanism moves freely).
To un-couple never put pressure on the coupler assembly by raising the front of the Trailer. Be sure the pall to un-leash is fully backwards when raising of the ball, visible you can see the lock part (1/4 cup) through the opening. Sometimes it will come off with a jump (normal) because the ball is in the cup and pressed forward. When coupling; be sure the latch is back as per above procedure and it should slide easy over the ball.

[kayakterp]

I used to have the same problem when I first started.
Now I use a "High Temperature Grease" (not oil) on the BALL of the hitch and that makes it much easier to slide the hitch on and off the ball without having to violently shaking anything. I don't need an excessive amount, just enough to cover it.
They also recommend to use "WD 40 / oil" on just the "Handle Assembly" (pictured above).
I no longer have to bounce the back of truck bumper up and down like I did when I first started.
I'm sure it goes without saying to make sure the handle is in the proper up position before you start attaching & detaching.
Hope this helps
Good Luck

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Slow and Steady

I am having a real problem with trying to hook up/unhook my Equalizer Hitch to my Jayco 29 RKS. The hitch isn't adjustable. When hooking up, I have a hard time getting the hitch to lock onto the ball of the hitch. I have oiled the ball/hitch. I also have a hard time when parking the TT and unhooking the hitch from the ball. Often I will have to use the jack and raise the TT really high, and when it comes off, it is normally with violent. At times I will have to have the wife stand on the bumper of the tow vehicle. I have tried to put the truck in neutral and rock it back and fourth trying to take the pressure of the hitch.

Does anyone else have this problem, and has anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to make this easier and safer?

Thanks for any and all suggestions. Have a wonderful summer traveling.

Tom and Kathy
North Ga

This is a new trailer, correct? Often the paint inside the coupler makes hitching/unhitching a bit difficult. The cure is to go camping more often! Each time some paint will get worn off and it will get easier.

Until then, to disconnect...
- Disconnect the weight bars.
- chock your trailer tires so the trailer won't put tension on the ball/coupler.
- Slide the latch lever away from the ball to be sure it is completely released.
- With the tow vehicle, put a slight 'pull' tension on the coupler then put the gear shift in neutral (you may try using the parking brake to hold the tow vehicle in position) or park.
- Use the tongue jack and raise the tongue a bit.
- Shake the tongue from side to side (I push/pull the tongue jack column).
- Keep raising the tongue and shaking from side to side.


When my trailer was new, that has always done the trick for me.
Hope it helps.

[2edgesword]

The key for me is making sure most of the horizontal tension is off the ball when going to unhitch. The more tension (trailer or truck is pulling in one direction) the more difficult it is to unhitch. Some lubricate on the ball will help but if there is a lot of horizontal tension on the ball you end up have to drop the trailer and release the ball using the weight of the trailer to do it. You'll know if there is tension on the ball if you're dropping the trailer and it's pulling the rear end of the truck down rather than releasing the ball.

The other issue will be the underjaw is not full to the rear. There is the happy spot where enough weight is off the underjaw that it's easy to move it backward away from the ball so the trailer can be unhitched. Sometimes that mechanism needs to be lubricated and manipulated, especially at the beginning of the season when it hasn't be "exercised" for months, to make the job of unhitching easier.

[Bigpoppa56]

I lubricate the ball and when I’m hitching I put the bars on when I’m lowering and it gets to that point where they can go on. Sometimes I might have to use that tool to put the bar on and put the pins in to lock in place and then continue to lower it. When unhooking I’ll put the vehicle in neutral and make sure that the tow vehicle wheels are chocked. As I raise it I’ll keep checking to see when the bars have some movement in them. Sometimes I might have to use my rubber mallet to knock the bars off. After the bars are off I’ll continue to raise the jack until it’s free from the vehicle. I also have the jack pretty high if that makes sense.

[mikegray]

Make sure the "latch" is open before trying to get it off. I had this problem the first time I took the hitch off the ball.
Mike

[jbrnigan]

As with others, the coupler locking lever and underjaw must be FULLY released! As you can see from the attached "very generic" coupler diagram...the underjaw is the coupler part that keeps the coupler on the ball. If the underjaw is not fully released, hitching and unhitching can be dificult if not impossible.
You get the picture....LOL