The impossible happened

[ZethKinnettFishing]

Pulled boat out of garage. Drove to the end of the block. Came to stop from about 15-20mph. Trailer ripped off ball bending pin in the process. Came off hit tailgate, hit bumper on the way down and slid under back end of truck. Boat seems ok thank god. I get out and look. Latch still closed. Manage to get pin out. Pin bent about 45 degrees. Fulton Winch side plate completely cracked off and arm winch is attached to slid a couple inches pushing bow eye onto roller, winch gear completely mangled, where swing arm attaches to main portion of trailer bent out. Not sure how this could have even happened. If I had gotten on the main road or freeway and this had happened it could have been real bad. No fishing this weekend:-(

[tcesni]

I’d say the coupler was not actually over the ball properly.

[ZethKinnettFishing]

Possible but idk how because then the pin would't fit through if the ball was in the way and things were not latched right. It's very strange. The pin literally just bent out of the way of the ball and it popped off. Even so the latch itself stayed closed which even if the pin was not in shouldn't allow it to come off. The pin is just a backup right? That backup failed. Coupler had to be damaged somehow idk. I haven't looked that closely. Just glad no major damage was done. Just the cost of a new winch, and new arm for the trailer and a little labor to bend the part the arm attaches to back in place. Trailer is only about 9 months old.

[RoadrashPaul]

Maybe the actual coupler didn't close around the ball. It could have been stuck up in the trailer. Another option is it wasn't adjusted properly and didn't clamp tight on the ball. Dumb question but are you using the correct ball size for your trailer?

[ZethKinnettFishing]

yeah and was fully closed. i dont think pin can even go in if its open at all unless open while unattached. prob will never fully know.

[tcesni]

Did you hit a bump or anything similar? Could have been catastrophic.

[RoadrashPaul]

yeah and was fully closed. i dont think pin can even go in if its open at all unless open while unattached. prob will never fully know.

I'm not doubting the clamp on the top was fully closed. What I am referring to is the actual clamp on the inside of the hitch that clamps up against the ball. They have to be adjusted and maintained at times. It could have been in a bind for some reason and didn't actually clamp on the ball when you closed the latch on top. Just a guess.

[ZethKinnettFishing]

thats possible i haven't looked under yet. got to take it back off and look. anyways insurance will pay for a new swing arm.

I'm not doubting the clamp on the top was fully closed. What I am referring to is the actual clamp on the inside of the hitch that clamps up against the ball. They have to be adjusted and maintained at times. It could have been in a bind for some reason and didn't actually clamp on the ball when you closed the latch on top. Just a guess.

[mactlman]

apparently it wasn't "impossible"

[ZethKinnettFishing]

Apparently not.

After taking some time to think about it and they way it went down I wonder if it’s possible the tire shop f’d something up. It was the first time taking out after all tires being replaced. I didn’t like the stock ones. The tire shop (Firestone) the first time put the wrong tires on all together and left 1/2” rim sticking out. Didn’t realize until I got home as I just grabbed and went home. Took it back and they ordered the new tires and put them on.
Basically when I cam to a stop with the truck the trailer surged forward which bent the pin I would assume, and the truck bounced from it. The trailer shot back and then forward again and lifted off smashing into the tailgate, then landed on bumper and eventually street.

[bhjr.]

I think you set the coupler latching device down on the ball and just thought it was closed. If it ain’t “ball deep”, it ain’t latched. Now I’ll tell you what I observed today on the way home from work. A small SUV pulling a utility trailer loaded with debris and who knows what else, ran across the center lane and on off of the road straight into a utility pole clipping it near the base leaving the upper part of the power line and pole dangling over the road. The vehicle jackknifed with the trailer ending up into the rear quarter panel of the vehicle. Guess what. Trailer never came uncoupled!

[dabassking]

I think you set the coupler latching device down on the ball and just thought it was closed. If it ain’t “ball deep”, it ain’t latched. Now I’ll tell you what I observed today on the way home from work. A small SUV pulling a utility trailer loaded with debris and who knows what else, ran across the center lane and on off of the road straight into a utility pole clipping it near the base leaving the upper part of the power line and pole dangling over the road. The vehicle jackknifed with the trailer ending up into the rear quarter panel of the vehicle. Guess what. Trailer never came uncoupled!

Yep. I’ve done this before with a utility trailer. I was backed a touch too far back and the latch caught the top of the ball and just folded up as if it was closed. I got the pin in and almost walked back to the truck to take off when I noticed it was sitting just a bit too high up on the ball. I grabbed it and picked it right off the ball.

[ZethKinnettFishing]

yeah possible. just trying to figure out wether it was me or the trailer. hopefully have a new swing arm soon and be back at it.

[TomP.]

Yep. I’ve done this before with a utility trailer. I was backed a touch too far back and the latch caught the top of the ball and just folded up as if it was closed. I got the pin in and almost walked back to the truck to take off when I noticed it was sitting just a bit too high up on the ball. I grabbed it and picked it right off the ball.

This happened to me with my boat like you lucky I caught it before driving off, now I double and triple check the hitch is actually over the ball and not folded up on top of the ball, pin went in just like normal..

[wmitch2]

It happened to me too. The hitch hung up on the front of the ball, the hitch closed and I put the pin in. BUT, it was setting on top of the ball not down over it !! Held fine until I accelerated and then came off the ball, stretched the safety chains and then sling-shot into the back of my SUV !!

[gopherbuddy]

I had the latch plate inside my trailer hitch severely bent when someone moved the trailer using basically a vertical pin rather than an actual trailer ball on a skid loader. Pushing the trailer backwards too aggressively bent the latch plate. Luckily I noticed it before trying to tow it home.

[ZethKinnettFishing]

I had the latch plate inside my trailer hitch severely bent when someone moved the trailer using basically a vertical pin rather than an actual trailer ball on a skid loader. Pushing the trailer backwards to aggressively bent the latch plate. Luckily I noticed it before trying to tow it home.

glad I’m not the only one here but this is interesting since it was at the tire shop for the day I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to move it.

[hankgun]

you stated the trailer was 9 months old. Did you contact the trailer dealer for info on how that could happen?

[Fireball]

A good safety check is after latching the trailer down on the ball of the truck is to crank down the jack on the trailer and make sure it just starts to raise the rear of the truck UP.......this insures that the ball is correctly lock onto the trailer.

[DaveBrabec]

Had Ranger replace the hitch latch on a new boat under warranty in 06. It would latch. Then get to destination and it was popped up.