To open, pull back spring-loaded collar ; Position coupler over hitch ball; Close hinged portion of coupler, then release collar to close; Insert pin and retainer or pull back latch on top to secure CURT trailer couplers come in three different varieties: straight-tongue couplers, A-frame couplers and channel mount couplers. They come in many different sizes and types, but the trailer coupler must match the tongue on your particular trailer. You don't need to go to a professional to install a hitch lock. There are other components needed to complete the connection, like a ball mount and trailer ball. I have viewed the video, so I know how the hood is supposed to work.. ­As far as towing equipment pricing goes, fifth wheel hitches run the gamut. The pin slides between both the receiver and the trailer tongue inside it [source: Bear's Truck Accessories ]. You adjust the shackle so the lock cannot be slipped off, and then no one can hook up your trailer without the key to the lock. Maneuvering the hitch into place can be tricky, especially if the trailer is heavy. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Essentially, a coupler fits securely over—and pivots on—the tow vehicle hitch ball. Different classes of hitch locks provide the strength to haul cargo weighing up to 15 tons. As a general rule of thumb, as the gross trailer weight rating of the hitch increases, so does the price. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. I … Have your partner stand by the trailer, looking over the coupler. This coupler lock attaches to your coupler just like your trailer hitch ball does and locks into place. Receiver hitch locks are designed to fit crosswise into the receiver of your towing vehicle. The coupler is the part that is attached to the trailer itself. The best triple mount trailer hitch on this list, … "SXT3 Premium 100% Stainless Steel 5/8" Key Receiver Lock." In a towing system, attaching a tow vehicle to a trailer, the trailer hitch is the main connection component. Traditional couplers use what is essentially a wedge. To hitch up, place coupler on ball and push latch handle forward until yoke drops over nose; Latch tips secure into slots on coupler top; Pin Style Fastener. Essentially, a coupler fits securely over—and pivots on—the tow vehicle hitch ball. If your coupler height is greater, use a ball mount with a rise. The coupler must be the same size and equal or greater weight capacity of the hitch ball to ensure a safe … Ok maybe not every question but you get the idea. Once the coupler is permanently bolted or welded to your trailer's frame rail (s) at the front (this is the "tongue" area), it then fits over the round ball on the trailer hitch attached to your vehicle. This video will show you the operation of the trailer hitch ballmount and coupler … It is used to connect your trailer to your tow vehicle hitch. You will need to use a pad lock like # 37DAT with this HITCH-LOCK. Use the diameter to match your trailer coupler. Hitch locks help protect your cargo by fusing your trailer hitch and receiver together, preventing thieves from making off with your stuff. So you’ll have to grab this accessory separately to make this hitch work for you. *Note: Weight Distribution Hitches DO NOT include hitch ball Recommend 2 5/16” A-6 or 2” A-90 Trailer Ball. On this page you will have access to every question ever asked about the Weight Distribution Hitch. Find the diameter of the shank and the length, taken from the bottom of the base to the end of the threads. Fishtailing refers to the erratic side to side movement of the trailer. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. A thief would create quite a bit of noise if they had to grind or try to remove this from a hitch, so they should get caught before they are successful. "What Size?" This is how much rise the trailer ball will add to your hitch connection. It comes with an adjustable ball mount but does not include the hitch ball itself. You can flip your drop hitch upside down to use it in either the rise or drop position as needed. Bear's Truck Accessories. Or that is hope at least. With the plate angled up, the trailer is protected from someone trying to hitch up to it. Guide to securing a tow ball hitch to a coupler. Finally, measure the thickness of the base. Your IP: 162.210.199.133 The ball and coupler allow the trailer to swivel up and down as it is pulled behind the car or truck to account for sharp turns and dips in the road. The ball hitch will be attached to the hitch receiver; the hitch receiver is the device that is attached to the tow vehicle. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. In the product review section, we discuss what we consider to be the best available trailer hitch locks on the market. What is a Hitch Coupler, and How Does It Work? A coupler is the metal piece that physically connects your trailer to the tow vehicle. All trailer couplers are typically bolted or welded onto the end of the trailer tongue. When you see that the hitch height is more than the coupler, you have to settle for a ball mount with drop. Next, measure the hitch ball shank size. The end goal is to secure these two objects together so that you can tow with as little sway as possible during your travels. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. They all work by clamping around the trailer hitch ball. • This is uncommon amongst this type of hitch but it serves to provide a smoother ride. The fit is predetermined and can me manually adjusted on some couplers by tightening or loosening a bolt or nut in the wedge/latch mechanism. It can be used with the trailer hooked up or not. A trailer hitch coupler is a mechanism that is bolted or welded onto the end of your trailer frame. Not every receiver or coupler is made the same; similarly, there are different types of towing locks. They slide into a designated hole when the trailer hitch is hooked up and then lock in place. http://www.trimaxlocks.com/_e/RECEIVER_LOCKING_PINS/product/SXT3/SXT3 _Premium_100_Stainless_Steel_5_8_Key_Receiver_Lock.htm, Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. Others snap together and offer push button lock mechanisms. Coupler Height – Hitch Height= Rise. By doing so, it’ll help make you more comfortable with the options out there. The bars on this hitch, however, are actually interchangeable. I did do a search, but for Trailer Hitch Coupler Not tongue coupler... And, this stiffness is present when not attached.. This part is for a 1 1/4 inch by 1 1/4 inch class I and II receivers and the trailer lock fits lever style couplers with a 1/2 inch span. Step 5: Selecting the Ball Mount. Please enable Cookies and reload the page. All feature a lockable latch to accept a lock for added peace of mind. Hitch Height (A) - Coupler Height (B) = Rise/Drop (C) If your hitch height is greater, use a ball mount with a drop. The trailer hitch will have a locking lever on its upper surface. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. When towing a trailer with the plate angled down, it prevents someone from removing the hitch ball already in the coupler. The hitch ball comes in several sizes and fits a similar-sized hitch coupler, made to fit over it. Check Level of the Trailer: Always try to maintain the trailer coupler & vehicle hitch in a level position to help minimize fishtailing. Complete with a color coded trailer wiring diagram for each plug type, this guide walks through various trailer wiring installation solution, including custom wiring, splice-in wiring and replacement wiring. The coupler mounts and locks on top of the hitch ball and articulates around the hitch ball. How does this work? http://www.bearplugs.com/csite.php?page=5, ETrailer.com "Valley Universal Trailer Coupler Lock." The fit between the ball hitch and the trailer coupler should be tight enough to prevent a disastrous decoupling while on the road, but not so snug that the trailer will have trouble making turns. Lower it into place, make sure the hitch fully encloses the ball, and close the locking lever. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. If your vehicle is not equipped with a working trailer wiring harness, there are a number of different solutions to provide the perfect fit for your specific vehicle. Safety chain anchors are frequently a built-in feature of gooseneck hitch assemblies to ensure the trailer won't come completely loose if the hitch should fail. They seem to start around $500 for an "economy" fifth wheel hitch and go beyond $3,000 for a top-of-the-line model. What is a trailer coupler? A trailer coupler is a device that connects the hitch of the tow vehicle to a trailer. The following list was printed from the Reese website on Sunday, December 27, 2020 at 7:23 PM Some couplers employing a hand wheel to tighten the clamp to the ball; another common arrangement is a lever or toggle to lock the coupler. Trying to lift it up bare handed can be a trick because of the small grabbing area. You need a trailer that can stand up to the road ahead, and that means equipping it with a trailer hitch coupler that is built to go the distance. It is used to connect your trailer to your tow vehicle hitch. Release this lever, and place the hitch over the ball. The means to do this varies somewhat. With the basics figured out, you can now look into your trailer hitch. A trailer coupler is a mechanism that rests and pivots on the tow vehicle hitch ball to establish a secure, safe connection point between the trailer and the tow vehicle. "Trailer Security Tip." How does this work? Some towing lock sets use steel pins and simple padlocks that slide together like a nut and bolt to secure tightly against the hitch or coupler. Another way to prevent getting this page in the future is to use Privacy Pass. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u98q7VQQPE, Trailer Keeper. A trailer hitch coupler is a mechanism that is bolted or welded onto the end of your trailer frame. This design can get loose over time plus prolonged use can wear out the wedge. These products work by having a ball fit into the trailer hitch and a shackle fasten over the top of the hitch. http://www.trailerlock.com/securitytip.html, Trimax. Hitch Height -Coupler Height= Drop. A trailer coupler, in conjunction with a trailer ball, connects a trailer to your … • If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. Recreational and light commercial hitch balls come in a variety of sizes including 1 7/8", 2", 2 5/16" and infrequently, 3". Trailer couplers come in several different configurations, but all work by clamping around the hitch ball. Cloudflare Ray ID: 6096b373ec99098c The hitch assembly is usually bolted to the truck's frame in a number of places, providing a secure connection between the truck and the trailer. Here is a beginner’s guide to ensuring a trailer ball hitch to a coupler: Crank your trailer, so the coupler is greater than the hitch ball on the tow vehicle, just a few inches will do. However, if the coupler height is greater and the height of the hitch is smaller, you have to go for a ball mount with a rise. It will also help you understand what you should be looking for in a high-quality trailer hitch lock. Hitch Ball: Ball-shaped attachment to a hitch onto which a trailer coupler is attached. MaxxHaul 70270 Black Hollow Shaft Triple Ball Mount. You would not have that problem with a Collar-Lok coupler. And trailer ball will add to your tow vehicle securely over—and pivots on—the tow vehicle hitch in a system. They seem to start around $ 500 for an `` economy '' fifth wheel hitch and go $... So you ’ ll have to grab this accessory separately to make this hitch for. ; the hitch increases, so does the price hitch locks provide the strength to haul cargo weighing to... Include the hitch ball itself Privacy Pass fishtailing refers to the trailer hitch will attached! It serves to provide a smoother ride ll have to settle for ball... It ’ ll help make you more comfortable with the plate angled,... Will need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome web Store,... 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