Gulf Stream Owners RV Forum - View Single Post

Godzilla1958 · 06-01-2018, 10:59 AM

Wondering if anyone else has a similar problem getting the latch on the hitch to engage and disengage.

About half the time I am either hooking up or dropping the camper, I have a heck of a time getting the latch to clamp on the ball. It seems I have to be almost exactly straight on with the truck to get it to hook up, and even then I often have a very hard time getting it latched or unlatched.

I might be doing something wrong or maybe my hitch is not adjusted correctly or is damaged somehow.

I have greased the ball and the hitch and it's been two full years now, and I've hooked up many times and gone probably close to 3000 miles so far, so I would think it is 'broken in' (I've heard the hitches are supposed to get easier after using them).

Sometimes it'll hook up or unhook just fine. Other times not so much. And as I said, if the truck is not almost exactly lined up, just a wee bit of an angle, it seems jammed and won't engage or disengage. In fact we got home last Monday and I could NOT get the latch to let go of the ball. I had to pull the Reese Hitch pin and pull the truck away with the ball still connected. Once the hitch was clear of the receiver, the ball dropped out of the trailer hitch.

It's very frustrating especially in the rain or when it's hot.

06-01-2018, 10:59 AM	#1
Godzilla1958 New Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 2	Vintage Stubborn Hitch latch Wondering if anyone else has a similar problem getting the latch on the hitch to engage and disengage. About half the time I am either hooking up or dropping the camper, I have a heck of a time getting the latch to clamp on the ball. It seems I have to be almost exactly straight on with the truck to get it to hook up, and even then I often have a very hard time getting it latched or unlatched. I might be doing something wrong or maybe my hitch is not adjusted correctly or is damaged somehow. I have greased the ball and the hitch and it's been two full years now, and I've hooked up many times and gone probably close to 3000 miles so far, so I would think it is 'broken in' (I've heard the hitches are supposed to get easier after using them). Sometimes it'll hook up or unhook just fine. Other times not so much. And as I said, if the truck is not almost exactly lined up, just a wee bit of an angle, it seems jammed and won't engage or disengage. In fact we got home last Monday and I could NOT get the latch to let go of the ball. I had to pull the Reese Hitch pin and pull the truck away with the ball still connected. Once the hitch was clear of the receiver, the ball dropped out of the trailer hitch. It's very frustrating especially in the rain or when it's hot.