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Bobbo · 05-11-2018, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocinante

Another trick of the trade: even though we always chock the trailer wheels before lifting the trailer off the ball, we also leave the safety chains and emergency brake cable connected until the trailer hitch has cleared the ball and we’re certain the trailer isn’t going to try and go somewhere without us. [emoji6]

Wonderful idea! Free AND easy.

WhereStream · 05-11-2018, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocinante

Another trick of the trade: even though we always chock the trailer wheels before lifting the trailer off the ball, we also leave the safety chains and emergency brake cable connected until the trailer hitch has cleared the ball and we’re certain the trailer isn’t going to try and go somewhere without us. [emoji6]

OK, now that's a great idea ... THANKS!

cegardner · 05-11-2018, 09:25 AM

As a newbie I left my hand too close the the latch. It flipped back and literally chopped off the end of a finger. Trip to ER and surgery. Call me stubs. Use care around the hitch. Block your wheels. Nothing like learning about ER services in another state!

MickeyC · 05-11-2018, 10:17 AM

WOW!

Please, No Offense to Anyone! But, this thread makes me want to start a little business called Pulling the RV 101. I grew up pulling and backing trailers so it has always been 2nd nature. I never dreamed there were people that have trouble hooking up, pulling, backing and unhooking a trailer. I guess I just take things for granted.

With a short trailer you have to back very slow because the trailer reacts much faster than a 25 - 35 footer. The longer the trailer, the easier it is to back. Learn to use the mirrors and only turn your steering wheel a few inches at a time to make adjustments.

Good Luck & Have Fun!
MC

Foiled Again · 05-11-2018, 10:46 AM

Posted elsewhere but since you are new here this is super simple way to look competent while backing. Get a 50 ft. Yellow nylon rope (or just use your heavy duty yellow extension cord), lay it on the ground about six inches left of the path you want your trailer's left rear tire to follow into the spot. This assumes you don't need to back in blind using the curb side. Go slow and make small adjustments 1/8 of a turn is optimal most of the time. As long as "tire obeys rope" it is easy. But DO feel free to get out and look several times if that makes you feel safer... especially if there are trees, faucets, electrical boxes, picnic tables on the blind side or behind the trailer. You won't feel your bumper when ot starts to bend if there is a stump at the end of the space.

Many people will try to help a lady who is backing up.... don't count on it. "Whose left, No, the other left!" I've done this for years and still sometimes just seem to lose the finer natural touch, taking 5 or 6 attempts to hitch up or back into an odd space.... but Lord help me when someone just assumes I can't do it... an audience? Sh**! Last stopover, I backed into the space in one try while helpful BillyBob was still hobbling to my rescue. He was chagrined and astounded.... I restrained myself from telling him that women got the vote in 1920, and that was shamefully late.

Paula

**GCinSC2** · 05-11-2018, 10:55 AM

Paula,

Rope idea I’m lassoed in on that one! Nice.

Gary

davidz71 · 05-11-2018, 11:46 AM

Rats! I didn't see the other responses for some reason and made the following entry:

Does your driveway slope downwards slightly? If so, chock the wheels on the trailer to prevent it from moving forward or backward if you have not done so already, place the vehicle in neutral with brake off to relieve any tension between trailer and vehicle then put the parking brake on. Get out, pull the hitch lever upwards and if it does not release, whack it slightly with a rubber/wooden mallet. Vaseline is not a penetrant, you would have been better to use PB Blaster if the insides were rusted. After release, pull vehicle forward and looking inside the coupling for rust. Hit it with PB Blaster or any good penetrant and then coat with Reece Hitchball grease.

rvb · 05-11-2018, 12:28 PM

On my Minuet, if the tongue has full weight on the ball the lever will not move period. If I raise the tongue enough to take some weight off the ball the lever lifts fairly easily.

On my 28' the tongue needs to be fully down on the ball and I can lift the handle about half way. At that point if I pull up on the handle and hit the other end with the palm of my hand it will usually lift up. I used to just put a pair of channel locks on the lever and force it up.

BIGED52 · 05-11-2018, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Peter

PS -- If you want some guidance on backing up the trailer, you might want to enter "backing up trailer" in the blue-bordered search box above. Like learning to ride a bicycle -- once mastered, fairly easy.

As Peter said and also just YouTube Backing trailer and video magic will appear! Hope this helps, Ed

sbowman · 05-11-2018, 05:05 PM

I have little doubt just about everyone has had a stuck ball/receiver.

Yes keep both locking lever well lubed, same w/the ball and always block/caulk what you are towing.

Best regards and safe travels.

Gene · 05-11-2018, 08:07 PM

Every trailer and truck and hitch combination has different dynamics in backing and hitching/unhitching. Same principles generally apply, but details can make you crazy. How level the vehicles are also affects hitch dynamics. Slight changes can make things easier or more difficult. Raising the tongue usually makes things easier when unlocking the ball and attaching/removing the bars, but that too may change in strange ways. I always found the Airstream coupler pretty easy to use, but the different one on our Nash is much more difficult and to finally seat it requires a bang on it with a tool (yes, your hand will sometimes do it, but will also hurt from the impact). I always raised the tongue to make sure the ball was locked, but on the Nash that doesn't seem to work unless the bars are attached. I then worry it isn't seated, but when the coupler lock holes line up well enough to put a padlock through, I know it is seated. And, on any coupler that is true. On the Airstream, I could confirm it sooner, but I reconfirmed it with the lock anyway.

Gene

Pat Pierce · 05-12-2018, 08:21 AM

Glad you got great advice from others, and the solution was simple.

Another thing I didn't see mentioned was to look for or find online the lube ball grease. Until I found it, I just used lube grease. The lube ball grease comes in a small 'jar' and seems more dense or sticky even. Before heading on a trip, I will use a stick to put a dob on the ball, using a paper to smear it around.

Gene · 05-12-2018, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Pierce

Another thing I didn't see mentioned was to look for or find online the lube ball grease.

I have used wheel bearing grease for 11 years and 66,000 miles towing. Works fine. I clean off the ball from time to time and put more grease on it and clean out the interior of the coupler less often and then re-grease.

featherbedder · 05-12-2018, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvb

On my Minuet, if the tongue has full weight on the ball the lever will not move period. If I raise the tongue enough to take some weight off the ball the lever lifts fairly easily.

On my 28' the tongue needs to be fully down on the ball and I can lift the handle about half way. At that point if I pull up on the handle and hit the other end with the palm of my hand it will usually lift up. I used to just put a pair of channel locks on the lever and force it up.

Hitting w/palm hurts. I use small rubber mallet. Gain but no pain.

SuzyHomemakr · 05-14-2018, 09:30 AM

Definitely now that you have everything apart, grease all connecting parts. I like to keep a small tube of waterproof grease in my trailer tool box to instantly hit any uncoated surfaces. A good investment is a rubber trailer ball cover so that you don't ruin your nice vacation shorts with black grease when getting stuff out of the bed of the truck.

It sounds like you have a date with your local trailer hitch place in the very near future. You might try to find a place that sells horse trailers, or other commercial types of trailers- they will probably cost less than the big-ticket Class-A RV store.

Most of us on the Forum have a weight distribution type hitch, so that the load is spread out to the front wheels. I can't personally say that it's mandatory for such a small trailer, but your trailer pro guy will know. Make sure that they check out your system from the brake pedal back to the trailer tires! The brake controller needs to be dialed in, and the lines/pads in the drums checked, and lots of other stuff. You made it home fine, but in the words of Han Solo, "Don't get cocky, kid"!

patriciahawk · 08-25-2019, 03:46 PM

We had the ball stick several times on our new 2019 27 ft globetrotter. Had truck drop from the trailer after lifting when stuck once. Scary. Need this to work as wife likes to take trailer on trips with friends. After lots af research and error, we found our solution. After blue ox bars removed and trailer lowered all the way back down, we release the latch. Then slowly start to raise the hitch jack. There come a point as the trailer is coming up that you can see the trailer start to lift the truck. That seems to be point af least tension. Wife can stand on bumper. Jump a little. Move jack up and down little bits and the ball comes up. Has worked very well. Trailer is chicken and x-chocked. Brake wire disconnected and safety chains still on. Finding that sweet spot, especially when not level has made big difference

NoResults · 08-25-2019, 04:26 PM

I think there is a problem with the latch mechanism or the whole receiver is defective. I had a major problem getting my trailer to latch onto the ball. Airstream sent me a new latch which I installed. It helped a little but unless I am absolutely straight and level I can spend 30 minutes just to hook up to the ball.

I think there is a defect. It would be interested to see if any other 2019 Globetrotter users are having a problem with this receiver.

Dave

**GCinSC2** · 08-26-2019, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoResults

I think there is a defect. It would be interested to see if any other 2019 Globetrotter users are having a problem with this receiver.

Dave

Dave,

Just curious and mostly for other folks. do you have the manufacturer and model number of your hitch? I bet it's identified on it somewhere. Any chance for pics of the old components that you replaced.

I researched mine years ago and it looks like it cannot be repaired with components only replaced as an assembly.

Gary

Foiled Again · 08-26-2019, 11:03 AM

The hitch ball, the latch and the whole coupler are all subject to wear. I do not know if there is an interval in years or miles when replacement is more than just prudent... but inspecting, cleaning and greasing the ball definitely helps.
Wiping off old grease from the ball is easy, but I have gobs of stuff up inside the coupler. Any kind of spray cleaner that would make this less messy? Paper towels have limited effectiveness. It is not like I can dip the coupler in a Barsol sink.

Gene · 09-02-2019, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

The hitch ball, the latch and the whole coupler are all subject to wear. I do not know if there is an interval in years or miles when replacement is more than just prudent... but inspecting, cleaning and greasing the ball definitely helps.
Wiping off old grease from the ball is easy, but I have gobs of stuff up inside the coupler. Any kind of spray cleaner that would make this less messy? Paper towels have limited effectiveness. It is not like I can dip the coupler in a Barsol sink.

Paula,

Spray WD-40 up into the coupler and it will loosen up the grease. Removal is still a mess and liberal use of paper towels will be necessary. WD40 will also clean the grease off your hands, shine up the rock guards, loosen rust and save the planet.

And yes, hitch parts wear. There was a Forum member some years ago who had her trailer unhitch itself in the middle of an intersection in Missoula, Mont. I don't know what type of coupler Airstream is now using, but the one on our 2016 Nash is much harder to lock than the one was on our 2008 Airstream. I have to move the truck forward slightly to get it to seat and lock; never had to do that with the Airstream. Could Airstream have changed the coupler since 2008?