I have owned my utility trailer for about 20 years - and it looked as
used/old then as now. This is a light duty trailer - axle was from a
Honda 600 (cut in half and sleeved with a tube, I replaced the 10 inch
dia wheels w/ 13 inch RX7 wheels when it became harder to source 10
inch tires) - that I occasionaly load up to 1 ton. Twice the
trailer coupler became disconnected from the ball. Once about 8 years
ago while traversing some railroad tracks on a dirt road (possibly at
a bit too high of speed!), and once again recently. Both times the
trailer was empty. After each event I tightened the adjustment nut on
the coupler - the last event surprised me since after the first
unintentional disengagement I checked and adjusted the coupler so
that it just dropped over the ball. Now it is *very* difficult to get
the coupler over the ball. I do not know the brand of coupler -
probably about 30 years old, lever locking style.

My father has a trailer where there the coupler has a knob to draw up
the coupler tounge instead of a lever. I looked but I have not had
any luck in seeing any of these still available for purchase. While
this style requires more disipline on the part of the trailer user, I
feel that I could adjust the tounge for less clearance to the ball
than the lever locking style.

Since my coupler is for a 1 7/8 inch dia. ball, I figured I could
solve both the anoyance (sp) of switching balls and upgrade to a more
robust coupler. So my question is: who makes the best coupler?
Class 2 as a minimum - although all the links below are Class 3.
Brands that I have found include: Valley, Atwood, Fulton.
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=215
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-COUPLER~80071.htm
http://abctrailerparts.com/afcouplerjacks.html
Do you have either good or bad experince with any of these? Other
suggestions? Rather than buying something from Harbor Freight or
similar - I want to kill this (disengagement) problem - dead!

Folton seems to be the name brand. I've used them for years, no problems.

wrote:
I have owned my utility trailer for about 20 years - and it looked as
used/old then as now. This is a light duty trailer - axle was from a
Honda 600 (cut in half and sleeved with a tube, I replaced the 10 inch
dia wheels w/ 13 inch RX7 wheels when it became harder to source 10
inch tires) - that I occasionaly load up to 1 ton. Twice the
trailer coupler became disconnected from the ball. Once about 8 years
ago while traversing some railroad tracks on a dirt road (possibly at
a bit too high of speed!), and once again recently. Both times the
trailer was empty. After each event I tightened the adjustment nut on
the coupler - the last event surprised me since after the first
unintentional disengagement I checked and adjusted the coupler so
that it just dropped over the ball. Now it is *very* difficult to get
the coupler over the ball. I do not know the brand of coupler -
probably about 30 years old, lever locking style.

My father has a trailer where there the coupler has a knob to draw up
the coupler tounge instead of a lever. I looked but I have not had
any luck in seeing any of these still available for purchase. While
this style requires more disipline on the part of the trailer user, I
feel that I could adjust the tounge for less clearance to the ball
than the lever locking style.

Since my coupler is for a 1 7/8 inch dia. ball, I figured I could
solve both the anoyance (sp) of switching balls and upgrade to a more
robust coupler. So my question is: who makes the best coupler?
Class 2 as a minimum - although all the links below are Class 3.
Brands that I have found include: Valley, Atwood, Fulton.
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=215
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-COUPLER~80071.htm
http://abctrailerparts.com/afcouplerjacks.html
Do you have either good or bad experince with any of these? Other
suggestions? Rather than buying something from Harbor Freight or
similar - I want to kill this (disengagement) problem - dead!

Since my coupler is for a 1 7/8 inch dia. ball, I figured I could
solve both the anoyance (sp) of switching balls and upgrade to a more
robust coupler. So my question is: who makes the best coupler?
Class 2 as a minimum - although all the links below are Class 3.
Brands that I have found include: Valley, Atwood, Fulton.
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=215
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-COUPLER~80071.htm
http://abctrailerparts.com/afcouplerjacks.html
Do you have either good or bad experince with any of these? Other
suggestions? Rather than buying something from Harbor Freight or
similar - I want to kill this (disengagement) problem - dead!





I have had several of these Bulldog couplers and they seem almost
indestructible.
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....categoryID=215
Steve

How would you compare the operation of the Bulldog to the traditional
lever coupler? Is the Bulldog easier to align over the ball? I never
looked at these closely until you provided the link (could not figure
out how they worked until I looked at the larger picture).


I have had several of these Bulldog couplers and they seem almost
indestructible.http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....log.prodInfo&p...
Steve

wrote in message
...

How would you compare the operation of the Bulldog to the traditional
lever coupler? Is the Bulldog easier to align over the ball? I never
looked at these closely until you provided the link (could not figure
out how they worked until I looked at the larger picture).


I have had several of these Bulldog couplers and they seem almost
indestructible.http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....log.prodInfo&p...
Steve

I really don't notice much difference but that coupler was on a lighter
trailer than I use now and could be pushed sideways without a problem. I can
usually can get close enough to set the coupler on top of the ball and kick
the tongue sideways and it drops right on. It helps if the trailer is wide
enough to see in the mirrors when backing up.
Steve

On Nov 26, 9:14*am, "Up North" wrote:
Since my coupler is for a 1 7/8 inch dia. ball, I figured I could
solve both the anoyance (sp) of switching balls and upgrade to a more
robust coupler. *So my question is: *who makes the best coupler?
Class 2 as a minimum - although all the links below are Class 3.
Brands that I have found include: *Valley, Atwood, Fulton.
http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....log.prodInfo&p....
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-COUPLER~80071.htm
http://abctrailerparts.com/afcouplerjacks.html
Do you have either good or bad experince with any of these? *Other
suggestions? *Rather than buying something from Harbor Freight or
similar - I want to kill this (disengagement) problem - dead!

I have had several of these Bulldog couplers and they seem almost
indestructible.http://shop.easternmarine.com/index....log.prodInfo&p...
Steve

We had one of these on the family tent camper, minus the toggle
lever. To lock, the side had to be squeezed in so the sleeve would
slide forward under spring pressure and lock things. It always
worked, even when it got rusty. Got some nice blood blisters a few
times from getting pinched by the sleeve, too. I always worried about
the sleeve spring rusting out, but it never did. Getting the sleeve
back after a long trip was always fun, my dad always had a rubber
mallet to tenderize it, road vibration really wedged it. Might be why
they added the toggle.

I've never had a regular lever-type latch pop open, all the ones I've
had have had safety pins to lock the thing open or shut. A 1/4" pin
would have to be sheared clear through for the latch to pop open. Not
happening. If it was cheaply made, maybe the inner movable tongue
would get battered and bent open, I've not had that happen, either.
I've had a wooden trailer tongue break, but the hitch stayed latched
to the ball!

For those that are hitching up single-handed, I've found nothing
better than the hitching aid that HF(and others) sell. A set of two
yellow tennis balls on telescoping masts that are mounted on big
refrigerator magnets. One goes on the coupler, the other goes on the
vehicle hitch and the balls are pulled up so you can see them when
backing up. I put one on the hitch ball itself. Aim one ball at the
other, when the one on the hitch ball falls off, the coupler is over
the top of the ball. Works rain or shine, day or night, usually first
time, even for a dub at backing like me. See:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95684


Stan

On Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:57:39 -0800 (PST), wrote:


We had one of these on the family tent camper, minus the toggle
lever. To lock, the side had to be squeezed in so the sleeve would
slide forward under spring pressure and lock things. It always
worked, even when it got rusty. Got some nice blood blisters a few
times from getting pinched by the sleeve, too. I always worried about
the sleeve spring rusting out, but it never did. Getting the sleeve
back after a long trip was always fun, my dad always had a rubber
mallet to tenderize it, road vibration really wedged it. Might be why
they added the toggle.


Thats whats installed on my CargoMate...a 5x8 clone of the WellsCargo
trailer.

Works good , though I had to ponder on it for a bit the first time I saw
it.

Gunner

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist..."
Maj. Gen. John Sedgewick, killed by a sniper in 1864 at the battle of Spotsylvania

After I started using a lunette ring type coupling, there is nothing
in the world that could return me to a ball coupling, ever.
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Gunner Asch wrote:
On Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:57:39 -0800 (PST), wrote:

We had one of these on the family tent camper, minus the toggle
lever. To lock, the side had to be squeezed in so the sleeve would
slide forward under spring pressure and lock things. It always
worked, even when it got rusty. Got some nice blood blisters a few
times from getting pinched by the sleeve, too. I always worried about
the sleeve spring rusting out, but it never did. Getting the sleeve
back after a long trip was always fun, my dad always had a rubber
mallet to tenderize it, road vibration really wedged it. Might be why
they added the toggle.


Thats whats installed on my CargoMate...a 5x8 clone of the WellsCargo
trailer.

Works good , though I had to ponder on it for a bit the first time I saw
it.

I've always heard that called a bulldog coupler.
I have one on my 18-ft enclosed tag trailer

"Ignoramus11056" wrote in message
...
After I started using a lunette ring type coupling, there is nothing
in the world that could return me to a ball coupling, ever.
--
Due to extreme spam originating from Google Groups, and their
inattention
to spammers, I and many others block all articles originating
from Google Groups. If you want your postings to be seen by
more readers you will need to find a different means of
posting on Usenet.
http://improve-usenet.org/

Iggy
Is a lunette ring type coupling compatible with a sway control? I started
running my 7 X 16 7000lb cargo trailer with a Equalizer brand sway control
after a guy I had diving my pickup and trailer lost control on I 29 just
north of St Jo.Missouri. One hell of a ride that was. The trailer swayed a
little and instead of slowing down he tried to steer out of it. We ended up
jackknifed on an overpass with three of the four trailer wheels bent. Three
Missouri Highway patrolman returning from a class stopped and helped get
things straightened out and escorted us to a Menards where I bought new
tires and wheels. I repaired the trailer nose when I got home and installed
a sway control before the next trip. My truck still has flat spotted tires
and they have so much tread I hate to replace them. I have seen more than
one bumper pull trailer in the ditch when it took the tow vehicle for a
ride. Semis speeding past are one of the biggest causes for loss of control.
Now my rig barely wiggles in that situation.
Steve

On 2008-11-28, Up North wrote:

"Ignoramus11056" wrote in message
After I started using a lunette ring type coupling, there is nothing
in the world that could return me to a ball coupling, ever.

Is a lunette ring type coupling compatible with a sway control?

No idea, good question. I try not to go too fast if I pull anything
heavy, that's my sway control.

i


I started
running my 7 X 16 7000lb cargo trailer with a Equalizer brand sway control
after a guy I had diving my pickup and trailer lost control on I 29 just
north of St Jo.Missouri. One hell of a ride that was. The trailer swayed a
little and instead of slowing down he tried to steer out of it. We ended up
jackknifed on an overpass with three of the four trailer wheels bent. Three
Missouri Highway patrolman returning from a class stopped and helped get
things straightened out and escorted us to a Menards where I bought new
tires and wheels. I repaired the trailer nose when I got home and installed
a sway control before the next trip. My truck still has flat spotted tires
and they have so much tread I hate to replace them. I have seen more than
one bumper pull trailer in the ditch when it took the tow vehicle for a
ride. Semis speeding past are one of the biggest causes for loss of control.
Now my rig barely wiggles in that situation.
Steve



--
Due to extreme spam originating from Google Groups, and their inattention
to spammers, I and many others block all articles originating
from Google Groups. If you want your postings to be seen by
more readers you will need to find a different means of
posting on Usenet.
http://improve-usenet.org/