Posted 2008-07-03 8:22 AM (#86807) Subject: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Bucksport, Maine
Argh... I was a few miles down the road last week WITH a horse on board before I got that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Stopped to find that, sure enough, I'd forgotten to lock the pin back in under the wheel well and the only thing holding the ball in the bed was the weight of the GN.
Posted 2008-07-03 8:32 AM (#86808 - in reply to #86807) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Veteran
Posts: 270 Location: Roanoke IL
I'm glad you figured it out in time. I have a B & W turnover too, and the same scenario you just faced crossed my mind when I had mine installed. I leave the ball up all the time so I don't have to worry about forgetting to lock it.
It's always a good idea to double check all connections before leaving. By boyfriend hooked up my bumper pull trailer so I could take the horses to the vet the next day. I backed the truck up, and he lowered it onto the ball and attached it. I went to leave for the vet's the next day, and on my routine check, I found that he did NOT close the coupler. The trailer could have bounced right off the ball. Never trust anyone to hitch you up. Always double or triple check...even if you do it yourself. I guess for all us B&W owners, checking that pin should go on the checklist too.
Posted 2008-07-03 8:39 AM (#86810 - in reply to #86807) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Veteran
Posts: 235 Location: Bucksport, Maine
Yep, I triple checked everything about how the trailer was hooked up, even checked that the walk-through door was closed. NEVER thought to look under the wheel well. I WILL NOW!!
Posted 2008-07-03 10:16 AM (#86818 - in reply to #86807) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Elite Veteran
Posts: 795 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Yes, please check. Saw a man once load his tractor on his flatbed trailer with the B&W pin out. If it weren't for safety chains, the neck of the trailer was headed through the cab. Check and double check. And as someone else said, I appreciate the offers for help, but I'd just as soon do my own hooking up by my own procedure.
RTSmith
Posted 2008-07-06 12:29 PM (#86923 - in reply to #86807) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Member
Posts: 17
Location: Tennessee FINALLY!
Well I think I can win this easy. When we left WA to move to TN everything was kinda crazy. Usually 1 person hooks the trailer up, well since we were crunched for time, both of us did it. Someone forgot to put the pin back in. Hauled 3100 miles across the country with just the weight (which was pushing 20k lbs) of the trailer! I freaked out when we finally saw that! We were very lucky nothing happened, but it would have taken a rollover to get that trailer off anyhow with all that weight.
Posted 2008-07-06 6:00 PM (#86946 - in reply to #86807) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Location: Kentucky
My complaint has always been that it takes two people or some creativity to turn the ball over because the pin is spring loaded to close. How is it that you're pin is open?
Posted 2008-07-06 7:25 PM (#86951 - in reply to #86946) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Expert
Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by kentuckyrain on 2008-07-06 5:00 PM
My complaint has always been that it takes two people or some creativity to turn the ball over because the pin is spring loaded to close. How is it that you're pin is open?
When you pull the lever/rod out push it to the side when releasing it. It will catch and stay open. I find it easier to have the helper though.... One less reach under the truck wheel well.
Posted 2008-07-07 8:46 PM (#87028 - in reply to #86807) Subject: RE: One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
Regular
Posts: 69
I believe if you pull the level straight out and forward the pin stays open, at least on mine it does. This allows one person to do the flip over. But before I walk away I make sure it's back in the closed position. Also before I leave with the trailer I check once again. Remember the term measure twice cut once the same rule applies here check twice to be sure your locked in.
One complaint about the B & W Turnover Ball!
