Coupler and Latch

[Grand Campers]

Hello,
Transcend 28mks. First trip last week. Got to our site, when I unhooked, the ball dropped right out of the coupler. This is my 3rd trailer and that has never happened before. I looked underneath and it seems the latch doesn't go all the way under the ball. The ball is the correct size (2 5/16) I can't seem to find an adjustment for it. Any ideas? Thank you.

[Country Campers]

Looking underneath at the latch there may be a nut to tighten up the fit between the latch and the ball.
If this is not helpful then maybe the latching mechanism is faulty.

Brian

[Cate&Rob]

Dee & Chuck - The back end of the under jaw typically pivots on a cross bar. If it has become disengaged from this crossbar then the ball will still go into the cup, and the mechanism that lifts the under jaw may feel like it closes properly, but has not lifted the jaw to engage the ball. See attached.

Rob

[Grand Campers]

I looked for a nut before but couldn't find one. Next time I get out, I'll look closer. Thanks for the drawing.

[Bob/OlallaWA]

When you say you unhooked the trailer, did you have to unlatch the ball coupler before the ball dropped out, or did it come off as you raised the tongue after releasing the latch? The latch does not always fit completely underneath the ball, it all depends on the type and how it is shaped. Mine contacts the ball just under the midpoint of the ball and wraps around to hold the coupler in place. Try hooking the coupler onto the ball and then raising the tongue to see if the ball slips off or raises up as the trailer tongue goes up. Mine usually has to have the truck moved slightly forward before it comes loose, maybe yours was perfectly in place to allow quick easy disconnection from the coupler.

[Grand Campers]

On the previous 2 trailers, when I unhook, I raise the trailer to get the equalizer bars off. Then I pull the pin and lower the jack while pulling back on the latch until it releases the ball. I usually have to lower the jack pretty far to unlatch. Then I raise the trailer again until the ball drops out. Sometimes I had to move the TV back until the ball would drop. On this trailer I raise the trailer and remove the bars, then pull the pin and this time I can unlatch and the ball drops with only lowering the trailer a little bit. It just dosen't seem right.
Thank you.

[Grand Campers]

I went to the trailer and checked. All seems to be in place and working properly. I guess we will see when things loosen up after use. It just seems different than the previous 2 trailers. Thank you very much.

[Bill Davey]

Chuck - You're not a rookie at this so my advice is ...... Something seems different/unusual. Do not stop looking until you prove that either nothing is wrong or you find and fix the unusual. One suggestion - next time you lower the trailer over the ball, latch the coupler and then lift the truck and trailer as you would to put the spring bars up on the brackets. With substantial load on the coupler, shake the truck and trailer as hard as you can (maybe ask DW to help). Hope the truck does not fall out of the coupler. Then try to unlatch the coupler with the load of the truck still on the latch. You should have great difficulty unlatching under this kind of load. I've learned some costly lessons when I ignored symptoms of something that didn't seem right, but was still functioning (barely).