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Arcticfox · 11-12-2014, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pahaska

The way I do it is to drop the jack down a bit, put my fingertips on the top of the hitch with the sides of my fingers against the hitch cup, then raise the jack until I feel the two surfaces move apart. I started doing this in the dark when I could not see the relative motion; now I do it all the time. There is just room for my fingers and no chance of getting pinched.

Oh, and ,make sure the tension on the jacks is released for sure.

This is a really good tip John. I do mine a little different as I have Rock Tamers attached to my stinger and I jiggle the Tamer Bar till it pops the stinger loose out of the hitch. You can actually see it separate by giggling it.

When you say you put your finger against the "Hitch Cup". Are you talking about the cup that the stinger slides into? I'm assuming you are but I might be wrong.

Cheers
Doug

Pahaska · 11-13-2014, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcticfox

When you say you put your finger against the "Hitch Cup". Are you talking about the cup that the stinger slides into? I'm assuming you are but I might be wrong.

Cheers
Doug

No. I meant the cup on the front of the trailer A-frame into which the ball inserts. There is just enough space between that cup and the shield on top of the PP for my fingers to slip in with the fingertips on the PP and the sides of my fingers against the cup. Easy to reach the jack switch from there. That way, I can instantly feel when the cup starts to lift off of the ball. That's the place where the stinger will come out most easily.

ghaynes755 · 11-13-2014, 09:27 AM

Put the jack down so that the it just starts to lift the tongue. Remove the chains/electrical/break away, release tension on the tension jacks. Then just watch the hitch ball head. Start the jack in the up direction. You should, at some point, see the head of the hitch (the airstream grey bit where the ball of the ProPride or a normal towing ball sits) start to lift. It only moves about 1/4 inch upwards. Stop. You should be good to release the catches. Most of the time you can almost do them without the wrench tool.

If you don't see it move up then lower back down a bit and try again.

Same thing John is doing above where he has his fingers on the ball cup.

Arcticfox · 11-13-2014, 09:45 AM

Thanks Gary: Yes I think John's process is only different because he is using his finger to feel the movement. If I remember right he said that came about as a result of unhooking in the dark a few times....

Cheers
Doug

Pahaska · 11-13-2014, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcticfox

Thanks Gary: Yes I think John's process is only different because he is using his finger to feel the movement. If I remember right he said that came about as a result of unhooking in the dark a few times....

Cheers
Doug

Exactly. I just feel the relative motion of the ball and cup instead of watching for it. That's the only way in the dark and easy to do anytime. There is just enough space between the shield on top of the PP and the cup for my fingers to fit. No danger of getting pinched.

lsbrodsky · 11-13-2014, 10:46 AM

As I said in an earlier post I find it more reliable with a measurement. I measured the height of the top of the receiver with the trailer disconnected and put a piece of tape on the wrench handle at that point. I raise the trailer with the tongue jack to loosen the wd bars, then match the truck height to the tape and it slides right out.
Larry

gomotomoto · 11-13-2014, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

As I said in an earlier post I find it more reliable with a measurement. I measured the height of the top of the receiver with the trailer disconnected and put a piece of tape on the wrench handle at that point. I raise the trailer with the tongue jack to loosen the wd bars, then match the truck height to the tape and it slides right out.

Larry

This is a good one too!

chracatoa · 11-13-2014, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

As I said in an earlier post I find it more reliable with a measurement. I measured the height of the top of the receiver with the trailer disconnected and put a piece of tape on the wrench handle at that point. I raise the trailer with the tongue jack to loosen the wd bars, then match the truck height to the tape and it slides right out.
Larry

What do you do when you're parked in a campground that is not level?

Any method is hard for me because my Sequoia starts to work on the air bags and I have to move it quickly before it changes the height of the car. Waiting for it to stabilize won't work because as soon as I fixed with the new height it'll start fixing itself again.

lsbrodsky · 11-13-2014, 12:21 PM

I cannot comment on your airbag system but I have not had an issue with level as the truck must be at its unloaded height for the stinger to slide out so getting it to that height is what counts. It is just as important to insure that the WD jacks are completely loose, especially on unlevel parking spots.
Larry

rmkrum · 11-13-2014, 04:39 PM

I watch for the rise off the ball, plus kick the WD bars to make sure all is loose. Rarely had trouble unhitching.

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chracatoa · 04-20-2015, 11:51 AM

So as I am preparing the trailer for this season I noticed that the frame bracket is off center by 3/8 inches (a little bit less than half an inch).

In the past I had to re-center it a couple of times and last time I really tighten the nuts.

Should I recenter and re-tightened them just because of this difference? I'm afraid of breaking the nuts in the process or not to tighten them enough - which would make it off center again, maybe even worse.

rmkrum · 04-20-2015, 11:56 AM

It really needs to be centered. If you break something tightening it a call to Sean will get replacement parts. You could try shimming the u-bolts on the yoke next to the A frame with some metal shims to prevent shifting.

If it keeps shifting, give Sean a call and see if he has any ideas. He's very good at supporting his products.

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ghaynes755 · 04-20-2015, 12:47 PM

I asked last year on torque for the nuts. I think it was 40#. Don't crank them down to tight.

SteveSueMac · 04-20-2015, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chracatoa

So as I am preparing the trailer for this season I noticed that the frame bracket is off center by 3/8 inches (a little bit less than half an inch).

In the past I had to re-center it a couple of times and last time I really tighten the nuts.

Should I recenter and re-tightened them just because of this difference? I'm afraid of breaking the nuts in the process or not to tighten them enough - which would make it off center again, maybe even worse.

I've had to do this a couple times. I don't think there's a torque spec in the user guide on those particular bolts and I wonder if I've tightened them enough - I think it shifts on the rare occasion (once a year?) when I'm backing in to a spot at a severe angle. When it's off center, I get noticeable porpoising. Centered - it's perfect.

Use some WD-40 and call Sean be sure you have the correct replacement bolts in advance just in case you do break them (I don't think you will but I don't know how long they've been on).

Good luck!

rmkrum · 04-20-2015, 05:35 PM

Also suggest marking the correct centered location so you can easily inspect.

I've not had any yoke movement even with fairly extreme angles when backing the AS.

I suspect it's designed to slip a bit under unusual force instead of breaking easily replaceable spare parts like other designs. I love my PP hitch and the way it keeps the AS tracking my admittedly almost marginal TV.

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cwf · 04-20-2015, 06:32 PM

Yes, it is designed to "slip" if the twist exceeds design.

Check out your assembly of parts. Is there a washer under the lock washer on the u-bolts?

chracatoa · 04-20-2015, 07:01 PM

Thanks to all responses. I understand that slippage is part of the system (so it doesn't break) so I'm okay re-centering if necessary. I was worried about the torque though.

I ended up e-mailing Sean and he told me I don't have to worry if it's only 3/8 of an inch though I can recenter if I want to do it. Also the torque should be 50 ft-lbs.

I'll keep an eye on it. Our first trip is on May 1st, we'll see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwf

Yes, it is designed to "slip" if the twist exceeds design.

Check out your assembly of parts. Is there a washer under the lock washer on the u-bolts?

I'm not near the trailer right now but I believe I followed the instructions to the letter. I think it's only the nut and a lock washer.

switz · 04-21-2015, 10:12 AM

If one gets too enthusiastic tightening the U-bolts, they bend the curve on the bottom of the U-bolt for the jacks or bend the plates on the centering bracket.

The two yoke nuts that get 250 ft pounds were a real challenge for me. I got a Harbor Freight ¾" torque wrench and a snap-on socket and a piece of 1.25" pipe as a leverage extender for the wrench to get that much torque applies.

rmkrum · 04-23-2015, 12:13 AM

Bought a 250 foot-pound torque wrench from Harbor Freight and had to put a lot of force on it. It's about two feet long, so I had lo really lean on it to get it to click. Biggest issue was holding the head of the bolt still. Used a big breaker bar that came with the hitch strategically up against part of the hitch. Then had to deal with getting it nab off the head of the bolt. Hope daughter does not remember some of the words I was muttering. 😁

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veratipton · 06-07-2015, 06:46 PM

When I am towing and leave my driveway and pull onto the street, and when I return and back into the driveway, the AS curb side raises up 9.75 inches relative to the TV. The TV is level in the street while the AS lifts up on the curb side almost 10 inches. There is a lot of twist at the ball hitch. PP looks like to me to be a square peg in a square hole. Anyone know where that twist stress goes in the ProPride?