Trailer latch

[nap61]

I have a small (5' X 8') trailer that I use to carry my ZTR to a relative's house to cut grass. I have to pound on the latch to get it on or off the ball. Can I loosen the nut under the tongue so that there is more "play" for the piece to hook under the ball? Is that safe? If so, how much should I loosen it?

Thanks,
Norm

 

[bcp]

Try this:

How To Properly Adjust The Fulton Type Trailer Coupler

Bruce

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

Try this:

How To Properly Adjust The Fulton Type Trailer Coupler

Bruce

Yep. That would be the way to do it correctly!

 

[Diamondpilot]

You can loosen it as they say but I am wondering if you have a 1 7/8" coupler and a 2" ball????

Chris

 

[nap61]

bcp and trailer,
Thanks for the reply and link.

Chris,
Unless the ball is misstamped, they are oth 1 7/8".

Norm

 

[Diamondpilot]

bcp and trailer,
Thanks for the reply and link.

Chris,
Unless the ball is misstamped, they are oth 1 7/8".

Norm

Just wanted to check. I have seen it a few times before. I doubt the ball is wrong so just adjust the nut and be done with it.

Chris

 

[Iplayfarmer]

A little grease on the ball and the workings of the coupler help a lot, too.

 

[TheTrailerGuy]

A little grease on the ball and the workings of the coupler help a lot, too.

OH yes.. always keep it lubed and make sure that your ball stays tight to the mount. I have seen many trailers come undone because the ball itself unscrewed from the truck.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

OH yes.. always keep it lubed and make sure that your ball stays tight to the mount. I have seen many trailers come undone because the ball itself unscrewed from the truck.

Another lesson I learned the hard way when I was young and stupid is to make sure you get a ball shank that fits in the hole on your receiver stinger. It doesn't matter how tight the nut is, A shank that is too small for the hole will allow the ball to slop around.

 

[nap61]

Farmer & trailer Guy,
Thanks. I will try some grease before I start loosening anything.

Norm

 

[nap61]

Thanks again to those who replies. This weekend I used WD40 (I couldn't find my grease) and sprayed the ball and latch mechanism. It improved a lot.
What would be a good grease to use to have a more permanent solution?

Thanks,
Norm

 

[Diamondpilot]

I use LPS1 and also have used a synthetic ball grease made by Reese for trailer towing.

WD 40 is cheap so just give it a spray every now and then and you will be good to go also.

Chris

 

[oldyellr]

WD-40 and LPS1 are not lubricants. Just about any old grease would be better, but if Reese has a special product for the application, that's even better.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I get all kinds of fancy lubes and greases from work because salesmen are always dropping off samples of the latest and greatest space age lubricant. Then I confiscate them from the maintenance crew because they are not labeled for use in a food plant. My garage is not a food plant so the lubes are great to have in there.

One of my favorites is a spray grease. It has some kind of solvents in it that evaporate quickly. It sprays on like a light oil, but after the solvents flash off, it sticks like a grease. I couldn't tell you what it is because the label fell off (another reason it's confiscated). This rambling is probably no help to anyone, but it may give you an idea of what's out there.