Dumb question regarding Trailmanor Hitch

[Bill]

Tim -

I can't imagine how you found that. It looks just like Rob's photos, for sure.

Rob -

You might try the following. Go to Walmart and buy a 2-5/16" hitch ball. Take it home and see if it fits in your coupler. If it fits, keep it. If not, take it back to Walmart.

I'm still having a lot of trouble with the idea that the bolt has anything to do with keeping the coupler tab closed - or open - or any of the other Mickey Mouse related actions that appear to be happening. And using a piece of cheap florist's wire to keep a 10,000-pound-capable trailer hitch latched to its tow vehicle is ludicrous.

But I am completely out of better ideas.

Bill

[rtcassel]

Originally Posted by Bill

Tim -

I can't imagine how you found that. It looks just like Rob's photos, for sure.

Bill

I did a Google image search on "trailer coupler", paged through many images, then followed the associated link.

[Rob Culver]

Originally Posted by Bill

Tim -

I can't imagine how you found that. It looks just like Rob's photos, for sure.

Rob -

You might try the following. Go to Walmart and buy a 2-5/16" hitch ball. Take it home and see if it fits in your coupler. If it fits, keep it. If not, take it back to Walmart.

I'm still having a lot of trouble with the idea that the bolt has anything to do with keeping the coupler tab closed - or open - or any of the other Mickey Mouse related actions that appear to be happening. And using a piece of cheap florist's wire to keep a 10,000-pound-capable trailer hitch latched to its tow vehicle is ludicrous.

But I am completely out of better ideas.

Bill

Hi Bill,
I mentioned earlier in the thread that I did try the 2 5/16ths ball and it absolutely was too big to fit.
I agree that using that bolt to keep the tab closed is very mickey mouse. All the more so with the florists wire. If there was a different fastener to the bolt other than the wire it would seem a little more plausible. But still an odd design. And yet it does basicly work.

[rtcassel]

Rob - would something from this page work?
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/linch-pins/

There is a link on the original page that I posted that leads to an emailed catalog of trailer coupler stuff. There are several linch pins pictured in the catalog.

[rtcassel]

https://trailmanor.com/2720-series/#...ery_image_1]/9

Could this be your coupler? The picture is not very clear. I cannot see a bolt.
Is that a linch pin with a curved u-shaped wire portion that could fit against the bolt?

[Bill]

Tim -

No, that isn't what we are looking for. The picture on the TM site shows the same coupler that I have on my 2020 2720QS. There is no bolt. And the "curved u-shaped wire portion" is actually not a silvery wire or a bent metal rod, but is simply the new-and-glossy edge of the upper metal part of the cup.

The first pic was extracted from the photo you referenced on the TM site. Clearly no bolt, but the "curved u-shaped wire portion" seems clear. The second pic is my hitch, with a bit different lighting and some dust on it. A closer look confirms that the u-shaped wire is actually the glare from my garage ceiling lights, reflecting from the edge of the raised cup.

Bill

[rbhtrail]

Hello all, 2019 2720QB , loving it !
I usually pass a long shackled lock through the hitch holes when the hitch is engaged both while driving and when parked. A little extra security never hurts.
Happy and safe camping !

[Rob Culver]

Originally Posted by Bill

Tim -

No, that isn't what we are looking for. The picture on the TM site shows the same coupler that I have on my 2020 2720QS. There is no bolt. And the "curved u-shaped wire portion" is actually not a silvery wire or a bent metal rod, but is simply the new-and-glossy edge of the upper metal part of the cup.

The first pic was extracted from the photo you referenced on the TM site. Clearly no bolt, but the "curved u-shaped wire portion" seems clear. The second pic is my hitch, with a bit different lighting and some dust on it. A closer look confirms that the u-shaped wire is actually the glare from my garage ceiling lights, reflecting from the edge of the raised cup.

Bill

I had given up on Trailmanor responding to this issue but they finally came through. They told me that my hitch was part of a small number that came to them from their supplier that was missing a ring piece that was supposed to be welded to the top side of the hitch. You can see the ring in the picture they sent me.

Now that makes sense and when you put a pin through the holes on the lift tab it absolutely will hold the hitch in a locked position and keep it from opening!

They will mail the ring piece to me and then I'll take it to a local welder to have it welded to the rest of the hitch. All at their expense. As a second owner of this TM, I don't think any warranty covered me but they're covering it anyway.

Wow! I'm feeling like the resolution of this very odd problem is finally in sight!

[Bill]

I agree, that makes a lot of sense. But it still doesn't tell us (me) what the bolt is all about. Since the bolt appears to have no function on the upper side of the hitch, and isn't attached to anything under the hitch, could it simply be removed? As it is, it looks like a knuckle-buster when you raise or lower the tab.

They will mail the ring piece to me and then I'll take it to a local welder to have it welded to the rest of the hitch. All at their expense. As a second owner of this TM, I don't think any warranty covered me but they're covering it anyway.

In my experience, TM is really good about this kind of thing. They go out of their way to bring more-than-required service and satisfaction to their owners, and always avoid pointing fingers at their suppliers.

Bill

[Wavery]

I'm going to throw out a guess here.

With the advent of the back-up camera, that bolt may be to prevent the coupler from accidently closing while backing the tow vehicle.


On the underside of the coupler, there is a "shoe" that grabs the underside of the ball. On most couplers, that tongue has an adjustment nut. That nut can be tightened (slightly) so that the "Tongue" will grasp the bottom of the ball with a very small amount of play. If you tighten it too much, the coupler may not close all the way or close so tight that it will wear on the ball. It should just barely touch the bottom of the ball with the coupler closed.