Posted 2014-08-24 11:57 AM (#160525) Subject: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Veteran
Posts: 147 Location: Cornfield in Iowa
I can't get my hitch to come up off my truck. It's stuck and it won't let go. I have an electric jack and it just starts lifting the truck up. I have the release on the hitch pushed forward. This is a new to me trailer I have had for a couple of months and it seemed a little sticky before, but this is just not working today. HELP!!
Posted 2014-08-24 12:16 PM (#160526 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Elite Veteran
Posts: 801 Location: Tenn/Ala.
By chance is it a B&W hitch? If so, you may be able to lift up ball without truck. Otherwise, may try a little drive with turns. I had a trailer coupler weld itself to a hitch ball once, was hard to get them seperated.
All of that you do after you bounce on the bumper of the truck. Let it start lifting truck, and you'll see that the trailer has lifted the truck a touch because it will obviously be wiggling around from the ball. At this point, grab a couple of folks and bounce on the bumper. This can often get the truck to drop down. Do this before the more serious items above.
Posted 2014-08-24 12:54 PM (#160527 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Veteran
Posts: 147 Location: Cornfield in Iowa
Yes, it is a B&W. We think that the coupler needs to be adjusted because our truck sits higher than the one the folks we bought it from did. So think the trailer is sitting at a slight upward angle and creating a bind against the ball. Am I correct that the release plate on the hitch goes forward to unhook it? Hubby is arguing with me. I'm quite sure that's what I did on my old trailer for 15 years....it was just automatic for me.
Posted 2014-08-24 12:59 PM (#160528 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Veteran
Posts: 147 Location: Cornfield in Iowa
Yes, it is a B&W. We think that the coupler needs to be adjusted because our truck sits higher than the one the folks we bought it from did. So think the trailer is sitting at a slight upward angle and creating a bind against the ball. Am I correct that the release plate on the hitch goes forward to unhook it? Hubby is arguing with me. I'm quite sure that's what I did on my old trailer for 15 years....it was just automatic for me.
Posted 2014-08-24 3:57 PM (#160529 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
first thing I would try is back the trailer on to some boards and try to get it level and then see if it will release ( it might take 2 or 3 boards one each side )
Posted 2014-08-24 5:34 PM (#160531 - in reply to #160529) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Veteran
Posts: 147 Location: Cornfield in Iowa
Originally written by kooner on 2014-08-24 3:57 PM
first thing I would try is back the trailer on to some boards and try to get it level and then see if it will release ( it might take 2 or 3 boards one each side )
Duh for me. Thank you! It worked!! Now how do you figure out how much to adjust the hitch.....I'm pretty much a one woman show here.....
Posted 2014-08-24 6:10 PM (#160533 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
hate to tell you this but hook it all back up, then loosen the set screw bolts on the hitch and lower the jack until the trailer is level after that re set the set screw.
Posted 2014-08-25 11:11 AM (#160537 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Member
Posts: 33 Location: Healdsburg Ca
I'm new to this so correct me if I am wrong... I have never adjusted the heigth... You dont want to put full load on truck then loosen bolts do you? Would'bt that drop the whole thing? Just want to make sure the OP is sefe.
Posted 2014-08-25 12:04 PM (#160538 - in reply to #160537) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Veteran
Posts: 147 Location: Cornfield in Iowa
Originally written by BILLYS on 2014-08-25 11:11 AM
I'm new to this so correct me if I am wrong... I have never adjusted the heigth... You dont want to put full load on truck then loosen bolts do you? Would'bt that drop the whole thing? Just want to make sure the OP is safe.
I was thinking that also....so we were going to back the truck under it, leave it on the jack, then loosen the bolts. Then start lowering until the level bubbles were on zero and tighten the bolts back up when that happened....Is that tube going to slide easy enough to do that? I can't imagine when it was loosened last and this is a 2000 trailer. I see a spot in the paint where it has been adjusted before. Maybe we should loosen the bolts while it's unhooked and make sure it slides easily?
Posted 2014-08-25 12:37 PM (#160539 - in reply to #160525) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 350 Location: Penrose, Colorado
when you hook it back up leave the jack down and then loosen the bolts, the start the jack back up and let the weight of the trailer push the hitch tube back up,,,, stop when the truck looks level, I would leave the trailer a little bit high in front to compensate for horse' etc.
Posted 2014-08-25 1:42 PM (#160540 - in reply to #160539) Subject: RE: CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
Member
Posts: 33 Location: Healdsburg Ca
Originally written by kooner on 2014-08-25 12:37 PM
when you hook it back up leave the jack down and then loosen the bolts, the start the jack back up and let the weight of the trailer push the hitch tube back up,,,, stop when the truck looks level, I would leave the trailer a little bit high in front to compensate for horse' etc.
CAN'T GET TRAILER OFF TRUCK
