unhitching woes with my trailrunner

oldmannj

Well-known member
After several unrelated trials and tribulations, my wife and I got to spend our first weekend in our 2011 trailrunner 28RKS. Loved nearly everything about the experiance except....The hitch was found to be nearly impossible to unhook from my truck. I ended up having to to pull the receiver pin and actually pull the head from the receiver. When the fellow at our dealership set up the hitch, he left the ball with a slight forward pitch. I have no experiance with this kind of coupler on the trailer. Is there a trick I'm missing?? is the forward pitch not a good thing??? Do I have a problem that needs to be addressed by the dealer?? Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. Everyone here is always helpful and it IS appreciated ED.
 

hoefler

Well-known member
Most likely you have a weight distributing hitch of some configuration. First you you need to raise the front of the trailer with out unlatching the coupler on the ball to relieve the load on the equalizing bars to unhook them. Then you lower the trailer to put the weight back on the ball, unlatch the coupler and raise the trailer off of the ball. This is a very basic description that is pretty much the same for all hitches, each hitch will have more less the same steps depending on the brand and style.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Sometimes.... When you get your trailer on the spot you want, set the chocks and start to disconnect, your tow vehicle may roll a bit forward or reverse after you've put it in park. This will put the ball "off center" in the coupler. When you try to raise the trailer it will be difficult to separate.

The angle of the ball on the adjustable EQ hitches is sometimes necessary for proper height adjustment. It can go either way. forward, aft or even some get lucky and it's perfectly straight.
 

porthole

Retired
If you are up to it, read and re-read the adjustment procedure for the WDH.

But first, I would try some grease on the ball and on the internal hitch parts. More so on the parts that move to lock around the ball. We move a lot of trailers, and dry hitch components can be a pain to un-hook.

My TT was difficult at times, even properly adjusted and greased. On those days I just raised the trailer a good bit and then jumped on the truck bumper.

Dry hitch parts will also making connecting a chore.
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
oldmannj,

Hey, you're not the first to have unhitching frustration. If you've never owned a trailer before, it just takes time to learn what works and doesn't. They are finicky!

We had a crash course when we bought our 1-ton dually and 5ver AT THE SAME TIME, from the RV dealer. We got a quick run-through of hitching, but not a great one, and not really unhitching, just a verbal "here's what you do". Our adventure home... first time ever driving this 1-ton and towing a 5ver, through Dallas rush-hour traffic, in the rain, and almost running out of diesel, negotiating it into a fuel-station... and then had drop it at our storage facility, never having backed a fiver, in the dark.... then we couldn't get it unhitched!!!

I feel your pain. But trust me, it gets easier. ;)

Erika
 

TeJay

Well-known member
You've been given good info here. Yes it will take time to learn exactly how your TT and TV unhitch. I thought I had it down until we got our second TT. For the life of me I just could not get it to unhitch. In fact I put a big scratch on the back of my pick-up trying to pry the ball out. Stupid thing to do. I had to take it to the dealer for some warranty work and all they did was put another block under the jack and lifted it off the ball. I just was not lifting the truck enough to get the ball to come out. The tilt of the ball is used on WD hitches to move the weight to either the front TV axle or the TT. Think of it this way. Those weight distribution bars are like the handles of a wheel barrel. Changing the angle of the ball will change the angle of those bars which shifts the weight. One of my X students, who owns a hitch installation shop explained that to me and when he did it made perfect sense. As a teacher I had to explain how things worked and often I had to do it many, many different ways until the kids got it. Some one already said to read your manual and try to understand exactly how the hitch is supposed to be set up. It would also help to check different sights on line to get another persons explanation of your system. Looking at it from another persons perspective might just turn on the light. Most of my lights go out every night and often I'm back on the computer getting them turned on again.

TeJay
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
I agree with everything said and I think we all are assuming that your WD hitch is adjusted correctly for your TV and TT (e.g., ball height in relation to TT ball cup height). As someone mentioned scrutinize the manual for the hitch (I had to go online and print a copy for my WD hitch). I, too, would like to emphasize greasing the ball and torsion bars. I initially didn't because my dealer didn't and did not mention it, but I later found that the manual specified it. I was amazed at the differnce it made in hooking up and unhooking the trailer. Have never had a problem since.
 

oldmannj

Well-known member
Thanks to all who shared both advice and stories. I'm going to grease the ball and give that a try first. The WDH was on my Terry before I got the 'runner so I THOUGHT I knew how it worked. The coupler on the HL seems a lot tighter fit than the one on the Terry.So more lubrication is probably the answer. Thanks again to all!!!!! ED
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
Thanks to all who shared both advice and stories. I'm going to grease the ball and give that a try first. The WDH was on my Terry before I got the 'runner so I THOUGHT I knew how it worked. The coupler on the HL seems a lot tighter fit than the one on the Terry.So more lubrication is probably the answer. Thanks again to all!!!!! ED

I don't know what kind of WDH you have, but it may need adjustment for the new trailer unless the tongue on the new trailer is exactly the same height as the old trailer when the trailers are level. My WDH is an EAZ-Lift, and the instructions specify that the ball should be 1/8th of an inch above the tongue ball cup for each 100 pounds of tongue weight. I had to readjust mine when I changed trailers (Edge to North Trail) and then again when I changed trucks. Once I started the lubing regimen I have never had a problem
 
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