It pays to double check the trailer connection

brian4321

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
359
I had a little incident pulling the boat to the lake yesterday. As I pulled out of the driveway onto the road and started accelerating there was a big thump and jerk and I immediately saw the trailer had disconnected. By this time I was going down a small hill so I started easing in on the brakes, and the front of the boat came forward into the tailgate, which was a good thing because it broke both safety chains. Finally got it stopped and go back there and the hitch itself had pulled out of the receiver , no hitch pin to be found anywhere. Luckily nobody was hurt and the only damage was I need a new tailgate and heavier safety chains, could've been a lot worse. I'm still absolutely baffled about what happened to the hitch pin. I put the hitch in the truck over a month ago and haven't touched it since and have pulled the boat several times since I put it in. So just a reminder, it only takes a few seconds to double check all components of the trailer connection before you take off, and it could prevent an accident. I got very lucky, and you can bet I'll be double checking everything from now on
 

CV16

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
445
I never leave my hitch in anymore. I had somebody throw it through my back window years ago. I then used a locking pin, that one refused to unlock after it had been in a while. I now use a locking pin but remove it after I'm done towing. A cousin had his receiver and trailer stolen while he was out enjoying the boat. They pulled the pin and took it all.
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
Master lock pin lock is what I use. Receiver is always attached to my truck.

Double checking everything a good idea though. Sunday I realized I forgot to hook up my lights when attempting to back out of my parking spot at the ramp and the brakes wouldn't lock out.
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
WOW, I would say you are extremely lucky all around. The thing that does stick out to me is the fact that both safety chains broke. That points to more robust chains and securing them better some way. If they didn't break, you probably wouldn't need a new tailgate. But who knows. JMHO
 

brian4321

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
359
You're right GM . The chains themselves didn't actually break , it was the quick links that were used instead of hooks were smaller than the actual chain... I'm planning on putting heavier chains on anyway, and real hooks
 

boatman37

Lieutenant
Joined
May 14, 2015
Messages
1,273
after my last truck i never leave the insert in. i had a solid 4" drop bar and a 2 5/16" ball (over $100 for the whole thing) and left it in the truck for about 3 years. went to trade it in and couldn't get it back out. i sprayed it, beat on it as good as i could from the ball end then found the rear of the hitch was hollow so stuck a steel bar in from that end and beat on it and no luck. my next step was to tie it to a tree and put it in 4 lo but decided it wasn't worth it. asked the dealer to get it for me and they said they couldn't get it either. luckily the guy i bought my boat from gave me his
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
after my last truck i never leave the insert in. i had a solid 4" drop bar and a 2 5/16" ball (over $100 for the whole thing) and left it in the truck for about 3 years. went to trade it in and couldn't get it back out. i sprayed it, beat on it as good as i could from the ball end then found the rear of the hitch was hollow so stuck a steel bar in from that end and beat on it and no luck. my next step was to tie it to a tree and put it in 4 lo but decided it wasn't worth it. asked the dealer to get it for me and they said they couldn't get it either. luckily the guy i bought my boat from gave me his

I've had the same Andersen Rapid hitch since around 2002, and it has been installed in a truck 100% of the time since then. Its a $200 hitch but I'm at about $14 a year on it;) Nice thing is that the aluminum doesn't tend to get stuck in the receiver even though it fits tighter than any steel hitch I've had. Only issues I've ever had is with receiver pins seizing inside the hitch, so I give them a good coat of anti-seize and then make sure I use one that I can get an air hammer onto the end if I need to.
 

dlngr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Messages
547
I always take the receiver out-I figure some dummy will nail their shin on it some day,and that dummy would be me! I took a hitch off a truck somebody had left the receiver in,and it took a torch and 10 pound sledge to get it apart.
 

R055

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
579
I never take my hitch off but it's because it's a 35$ 2 inch drop hitch on my wrangler unlimited. If it was an aluminum adjustable hitch it would be a different story.
 

brian4321

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
359
I hardly ever take my hitch off either, which is why it's so mysterious that the pin was missing
 

mickyryan

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
4,210
Vet somone was gonna steel the reciever or hit shin on it but couldnt get it out and walk3d away
 

lckstckn2smknbrls

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
1,114
You're right GM . The chains themselves didn't actually break , it was the quick links that were used instead of hooks were smaller than the actual chain... I'm planning on putting heavier chains on anyway, and real hooks

The quick links made for towing are rated at 5000 pounds.
 

wrvond

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
597
It could have been anything from forgetfulness to vandalism; in any case your point is valid. Glad nothing more valuable than a tailgate got damaged.
 

SkaterRace

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
710
I have a steel 3 ball, 1 hook hitch I take off every time I am done using it solely for the reason the area I live in has been known to be robbed semi often. Possible someone took your pin?
 

brian4321

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
359
I have a steel 3 ball, 1 hook hitch I take off every time I am done using it solely for the reason the area I live in has been known to be robbed semi often. Possible someone took your pin?

I don't know why anyone would've had a reason to ...either way it was a lesson learned
 

oldjeep

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2010
Messages
6,455
I don't know why anyone would've had a reason to ...either way it was a lesson learned

Out of curiosity, what kind of pin securing device did your pin have? Clip around a groove, clip through a hole in the pin, other?
 
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