Help-Hitch Ball problem

[Chitown AirStreamers]

Well I finnaly got my car ready to tow & I wanted to do a practice run with her-(I hope this doesn't sound stupid) Once the trailer was on the hitch ball & everything went well , we deceided to take the trailer off the car & put her back in the driveway. The tongue lock on the trailer would not release the ball! We tried for 45 minutes-hammer-everything to get that locking tab on the tongue to move forward & up- would not do it. I had to chuck the tires, put the tongue post on wood blocks- pull the pin out of the receiver & pull the car slowly away-until the hitch came out of the receiver! Not the safest but the only way. The ball still hung there & we finnaly got her loose. I'm using a 2' ball. My neighbor suggested greesing the whole inside mechanisms of the tongue,maybe they were'nt greased enough...any suggestions.

[loudruff]

Our '78 Argosy 22' Minuet takes a 2 &5/16 in. ball. The size should be stamped on or near the tongue of the trailer. Guess we aren't the only ones who have ever tried to put the wrong sized ball on.

[Pahaska]

They do get stubborn sometimes.

Depending on the slope of the driveway, you may have to chock the trailer wheels or apply trailer brakes with the panic bar on the controller, pull the truck forward to get the ball hard up against the front of the hitch, set the parking brake, and then release the coupler lock.

It also may also release more easily if you try the tongue jack at different heights.

[loudruff]

Good advice. We might add that a little Blaster, available at Auto Parts stores, does wonders for dry and sticky parts. A shot would free up the receiver maybe and can't hurt.

[qqq]

I had the exact same problem & did exactly what you did to unhook the trailer, and I posted here a few days ago .
The best advice given was to make sure there is no pressure on the ball. So block the wheels and move forward or backwards until you fell there is no pressure....it worked for me

Hart