I know nothing about hitches! - Idiot proof answers please!

[Moonstruck]

Hi Folks!
In two weeks I will be having my Airstream towed for the first time. However, the circumstances are very particular. I am in England, preparing to move from my winter to summer pitch. I don't have a vehicle big enough to move the 31 footer so I have a very friendly and able, what we call lifter/shifter, to do the job for me.
The problem is: I know absolutely nothing about hitches or how they work!
The moving vehicle is 11 tons so I don't have to go to the trouble or expense of electical connections for the brakes. I have sourced a Class 5 tow ball from the US and the mover will fabricate an adaptor to his tow mount.
The PO kept the AS in tip top condition and towed it 350 miles to the shipping port in November so I believe that side is ok - but will do any checks you suggest - the hitch is AS standard with no mods.

How does the hitch lock/unlock? What safety precautions do I have to take? I've read the forums and I know about chains and breakaways but nothing about their specific application. Any advice you can give would be much appreciated and I I will post some pics of the move through Hampshire County

I need to climb this learning curve pretty quick! After all, on the day, I'm in charge!!

[rickandsandi]

Good morning- As you know there is tons of info here for you. With the current laws in UK for towing you are doing the right thing having a shifter move it for you. You do have a slight problem with your width, but it seems right now the authorities are not too concerned over that if you are towing it with the proper lorry. Standard procedure is hook up with the 2 5/16" standard hitch ball with a lock pin through the ball lock. Two chains crossed from the A frame to the lorry. You will probably have to rig the wiring harness for the tail lights and the brakes. How are you planning on the electrical conversion? Where in Hampshire County are you heading?

[Moonstruck]

Hi Rick,
yes, you're right! The width restrictions here are quite stringent. Anything over 90 & 1/2" has to be towed by a vehicle exceeding 7000lbs.However, this is not so much about what the UK requires as "what is good practice" with the available equipment. I have chains fitted to my AS which as you say should be connected up to the towing vehicle - I can see to that. The move is only 8 miles so it's not that travelling at speed is necessary but I want to make sure that every eventuality is prepared for and guarded against. I see from some photos I've sourced that the AS hitch has a level which rises to the vertical - is this the lock/unlock for the towball?
The ball I have purchase: item No 10290 @

Trailer Hitch Hidden Hitch HITCH BALLS CLASS V

doesn't look to have a hole for a locking pin - or does the pin secure the locking lever down?

In the future I plan to make an adaptor loom which rewires UK tow vehicle fittings to US. This will power the AS lights and I think the breakaway too.

[Moonstruck]

Sorry, you asked where I was going:

Hill Farm Caravan Park

It is a very friendly site which will be full of SOB's Lol!
I expect to be doing more than one guided tour!

Marc

[robandzoe]

It appears you were asking how to do it.

1. Lift little lever on trailer side (this allows trailer to drop on ball)
2. Back truck under tongue, such that the ball is directly under the tongue and trailer, when lowered, will fall over ball.
3. Lower trailer (assume you have a electric hitch jack)
4. Once trailer is all the way down, flip little lever back and down. This keeps the tongue on the ball.
5. Once you do this, some people then use the electric hitch jack and go back up to see that the trailer lifts the truck when it is raising.
6. Once that is done, lower trailer back down and make sure hitch jack is all the way up.
7. Attach safety chains.
8. Put safety pin in the hitch lever you flipped to keep it in the down position
9. A few more things if you have the weight distributing arms but not sure if you are going to use those. With that size tow vehicle, I doubt you need to worry about it.

Hope this helps.

Rob

[Moonstruck]

Well! I did say idiot proof! Thankfully you have converted this "idiot" into a much more confident kind of fool! Lol! The tip on lifting the jack to check the ball is secure is very useful.
Perhaps someone would like to expand this thread to encompass electrics or if I've missed it a referral to archived pages so that the info is complete. I know I will come back to it in the future when I get more involved with electrics etc....
Many, many thanks,
Marc

[rickandsandi]

Good morning Marc-
Listen to Rob, he's got some great information and happens to be a really great guy too!



If you look at the photo above you will see a hole on the bottom of the locking lever. This is where the safety pin goes.

[robandzoe]

I did that, because of a story of selling a trailer once. I met the guy, and I hooked it all up, and away he went. Well, when he got home, he called all concerned that their was something wrong with the trailer, as it would not come off the truck... I asked if had flipped up the little lever that locked the trailer onto the ball, and he asked "What lever". Once he flipped that, it worked as designed. I then reminded him to unhook the saftey chains before pulling away Yes, it was his first time trailering.

Let me know if you need the directions for unhooking the trailer? Just having a little fun this morning.

If you want to hear me laughing, or chuckling, just give theVAP - The Vintage Airstream Podcast - Home a listen!

[Moonstruck]

Thanks guys!

[davinho]

Hi there Fellow Airstreamers!

I'm going to be bringing back my 16' Sport from the US later this year and would like to know the following...if you would be so kind.

1. It's okay that I can use my current hitch with weight distribution bars, just need to get the square receiver made?

2. What is the hitch weight of your Airstreams? Ours is 446 lbs (202Kgs). We plan to buy a Toyota Hilux which should manage the job.

3. We have single tail lights fitted, which combines the brake and indicators, do you know a source for UK legal ones that have seperate indicator and brake lights as we want to maintain the look of the AS too.

Thanks!

[Chiefy]

Originally Posted by davinho

Hi there Fellow Airstreamers!

I'm going to be bringing back my 16' Sport from the US later this year and would like to know the following...if you would be so kind.

1. It's okay that I can use my current hitch with weight distribution bars, just need to get the square receiver made?

No need for a square reciever in UK contact:
http://www.watling-towbars.co.uk/import ... wbars.html


2. What is the hitch weight of your Airstreams? Ours is 446 lbs (202Kgs). We plan to buy a Toyota Hilux which should manage the job.
Check this out: What TowCar.com.



3. We have single tail lights fitted, which combines the brake and indicators, do you know a source for UK legal ones that have seperate indicator and brake lights as we want to maintain the look of the AS too.

Have a look through this catalogue http://www.ttcuk.co.uk/Documents/Edi...Electrical.pdf

Thanks!

Contact either Bully or WK57ABF at the UK airstreamers website at: UKAirstreamers.org - Index page

[billleppo]

Welcome to the group. I do have experience with more than one type of hitch. And I can HIGHLY recommend the Andersen hitch. It is a weight distribution hitch as well as an anti-sway hitch. I would hope it is available to you in the UK.
It is a elegant masterpiece of engineering!
#1 The part of the hitch that is attached to your tow vehicle weighs only 28 pounds. Easy for one person to mount and unmount.
#2 The Andersen hitch provides automatic sway damping based on tongue weight. Nothing to adjust.
#3 The Andersen is available on the Internet for $450. UPS can deliver.
#4 You can backup the trailer without having to undo the anti-sway assembly as is required with other hitches.
You will love this hitch.
Bill

[mandolindave]

Maybe you could find something on youtube.

Like this

https://youtu.be/PvgHwH28a9c

or this

https://youtu.be/17IS3CMojRk

just in case you don't know…..click on one of these blue links

[dznf0g]

2007 thread. He probably got it moved by now.......

[nrgtrakr]

Hahahaaa!!!!!