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  1. #1
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    Ball and coupler won't separate - newbie

    I just brought our new 2500 RL home on Friday night and ran into a problem trying to unhitch in my yard.

    FWIW I'm a newbie and have never towed a trailer anywhere near the size of this before. I'm using a blue ox sway-pro attached to my 2016 F-150. This is a standard ball and coupler setup with weight distribution bars to make the towing better.

    I got the side-to-side leveling pretty close and tried to unhitch so I could do the front-to-back, but the ball and coupler would not separate. The latch on the coupler was definitely in the unlocked position but when I tried to raise the trailer off the ball, both the trailer and truck went up and the ball stayed inside the coupler. Are there any tricks to getting them to separate? Do the truck and trailer need to be in a perfect line? They were not. Maneuvering the trailer left the truck at maybe a 5 degree angle to the trailer.

    I was eventually able to get them to separate but not very gracefully. I decided to try to move the truck forward a fraction of an inch so I put my foot on the brake and threw the truck in gear. At idling speed I released the brake and after the truck moved maybe half an inch I reapplied it. WHAM! The trailer rolled backwards right over the wheel chock on the high side, and off of the leveling blocks on the low side. The WHAM and jolt where probably the safety chains (which were still attached) stopping the trailer from going any further. (I had a popup years ago and learned to never unhook the chains until everything was level and stabilized.) FWIW the ground is pretty level there and I was totally surprised that the trailer rolled backwards.

    There has to be an easier way to get the coupler off the ball. If not this is going to be a nerve-racking thing every time I try to unhitch. So what are your suggestions?
    --
    2020 Grand Design Imagine 2500RL
    2016 Ford F-150 XLT

  2. #2
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    Hi Hampal,

    We have all had issues like this before. Here is the trick I used when we had a travel trailer.

    When we parked on the site and got the trailer level side to side via using boards or other leveling devices I would then put my parking brake on, put the truck in P and then got out and put chocks behind/in front of the tire of the trailer. At this point it was time to lower the front jack and keep raising the front of the trailer until the pressure is off the weight distributing bars. Undo the bars, remove and set next to the trailer or wherever you store them. Now at this point you probably have alot of pressure on the ball/hitch so lower the front of the trailer back down to put the weight back on the ball. Double check that you have chocked the tires (trust me on this one), undo your hitch release, undo safety chains and then start to raise the trailer off the ball. I would say that almost always this will work as long as your truck has the parking brake on and the trailer is chocked tightly.

    It is not uncommon to think that the ground is level, but in reality it is not. That is why I always chock both ways (unless you know without a doubt the ground is one way or another) on the trailer and then confirm again before I unhitch.

    Good luck and hope this helps.
    Last edited by weekender01; 05-11-2020 at 03:05 PM.

  3. #3
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    Is unhooking the safety chains safe before getting the trailer off the ball? I'm convinced that was the only thing that kept the trailer from rolling away when the coupler and ball finally broke free. I'm sure I had chocked the wheels front and back on the side that didn't have the leveling blocks and I think the trailer either rolled over them or they slid in the mud (it had been raining steadily for over an hour at that point and the ground had gotten pretty soft).

    The chocks I got are a fairly heavy plastic. I also have one that wedges between the wheels too but haven't tried that one yet. Is that type better? It looks like this...

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Wheel-Stop/14504364

  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper jh.xsnrg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hampal View Post
    Is unhooking the safety chains safe before getting the trailer off the ball? I'm convinced that was the only thing that kept the trailer from rolling away when the coupler and ball finally broke free. I'm sure I had chocked the wheels front and back on the side that didn't have the leveling blocks and I think the trailer either rolled over them or they slid in the mud (it had been raining steadily for over an hour at that point and the ground had gotten pretty soft).

    The chocks I got are a fairly heavy plastic. I also have one that wedges between the wheels too but haven't tried that one yet. Is that type better? It looks like this...

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Wheel-Stop/14504364
    I'd recommend a set or two of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AXBJU
    2019 F350 6.7L PS SRW CCSB Platinum
    2021 28BH with theater seating and 2nd AC
    2019 Imagine 2400BH w/solar (sold)
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by hampal View Post
    Is unhooking the safety chains safe before getting the trailer off the ball? I'm convinced that was the only thing that kept the trailer from rolling away when the coupler and ball finally broke free. I'm sure I had chocked the wheels front and back on the side that didn't have the leveling blocks and I think the trailer either rolled over them or they slid in the mud (it had been raining steadily for over an hour at that point and the ground had gotten pretty soft).

    The chocks I got are a fairly heavy plastic. I also have one that wedges between the wheels too but haven't tried that one yet. Is that type better? It looks like this...

    https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Wheel-Stop/14504364
    The problem will be that some of the safety chains are tight when raising and if you try to remove after getting the hitch off the ball you will not be successful. If you have a good set of chocks and you know they tires are chocked removed the safety chains before raising the hitch off the ball.
    Last edited by weekender01; 05-11-2020 at 07:11 PM.

  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper nisbitch's Avatar
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    I had the same problem when we first got out trailer. It would be tough getting it off the ball. After a summer of use, the hitch wore out a bit to allow the ball in and out more freely. Give it time. As for your chocks, they are for stabilizing the rig after you chocked your wheels. Get the chocks posted or a good set of big rubber ones.
    2021 Reflection 28BH
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  7. #7
    Rolling Along
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    I back up into the spot. Level the Trailer side to side then set the wheel chocks. Go from reverse into drive then into park. That order allows a little play in the trucks drive train. Do not set the emergency brake on the truck. This allows the truck to rock back and forth when unhitching (very important).

    If you set the emergency brake you might bind the ball to the hitch making it hard to unhitch.
    Last edited by ckreef; 05-11-2020 at 07:47 PM.
    Charles and Susan
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  8. #8
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    I don't disagree with not setting the parking brake, but make 100% sure the tow vehicle is in park! Seen this happen at boat ramps and is not a good thing.

  9. #9
    Rolling Along Houndbb's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hampal View Post
    I just brought our new 2500 RL home on Friday night and ran into a problem trying to unhitch in my yard.

    FWIW I'm a newbie and have never towed a trailer anywhere near the size of this before. I'm using a blue ox sway-pro attached to my 2016 F-150. This is a standard ball and coupler setup with weight distribution bars to make the towing better.

    I got the side-to-side leveling pretty close and tried to unhitch so I could do the front-to-back, but the ball and coupler would not separate. The latch on the coupler was definitely in the unlocked position but when I tried to raise the trailer off the ball, both the trailer and truck went up and the ball stayed inside the coupler. Are there any tricks to getting them to separate? Do the truck and trailer need to be in a perfect line? They were not. Maneuvering the trailer left the truck at maybe a 5 degree angle to the trailer.

    I was eventually able to get them to separate but not very gracefully. I decided to try to move the truck forward a fraction of an inch so I put my foot on the brake and threw the truck in gear. At idling speed I released the brake and after the truck moved maybe half an inch I reapplied it. WHAM! The trailer rolled backwards right over the wheel chock on the high side, and off of the leveling blocks on the low side. The WHAM and jolt where probably the safety chains (which were still attached) stopping the trailer from going any further. (I had a popup years ago and learned to never unhook the chains until everything was level and stabilized.) FWIW the ground is pretty level there and I was totally surprised that the trailer rolled backwards.

    There has to be an easier way to get the coupler off the ball. If not this is going to be a nerve-racking thing every time I try to unhitch. So what are your suggestions?
    hampal,
    No doubt, the wet conditions made unhitching more difficult for you. We did once have our trailer “drop” our truck one time, frightening, but we were well-chocked. It’s helpful if, while raising the jack, another person stands back to watch for any upward motion of the truck. If noted, lower it, get in truck, release parking brake, and with foot on operator brake, put the truck in gear. If you take your foot off the brake momentarily, it’s usually enough to take the stress off the ball and coupler.

    We use Anderson levelers which come with their own chocks (we have a lighter trailer, and aren’t afraid of breaking them; otherwise, look at Beech Lane brand). The chocks for the other side are hard rubber. We gently “persuade” our chocks in place with a couple taps of a hammer, especially if it’s wet. With the “comma” shaped risers, chocks in place you’re unlikely to roll.
    N
    Bruce and Nancy
    2018 Imagine 2150rb
    2011 Silverado 1500 5.3L

  10. #10
    Commercial Member huntr70's Avatar
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    I'm going to ask something that may be obvious, but I didn't see mentioned in the above statements...

    Did you disconnect the spring bars before trying to unhook? I would also recommend disconnecting them before leveling side to side to keep undo stress off of them and make them easier to disconnect.

    I've learned over the years that there is a sweet spot between weight on the ball and lifting up on it that makes it so much easier to unhook.

    Also, if the trailer rolled that much that it pulled on your chains, the issue was that the trailer was not chocked properly and had that weight pulling back on the ball.
    Steve- Inventory Manager at Tom Schaeffer's RV, Shoemakersville, PA www.tomschaeffers.com
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