My weekend trailer story

This past weekend while towing my boat, I somehow manage to bust the coupler lock pin. As I started going downhill, I heard a bang and watch the side view mirror as some metal piece goes flying off my trailer. I was thinking, that looks like my trailer pin lock??? I stopped at the bottom of the hill and sure enough my pin lock is missing. I consider going back and looking for it but decided against the suicide mission looking for my coupler pin on a busy 4 lane street on a steep hill side. Now I need a replacement and will have to deal with 2 keys, one for the hitch lock and one for the coupler. Doh! Has this ever happen to anyone?

BTW, I need to shorten my trailer chain as they are really really close to the ground. Any ideas on how to do this?

Re: My weekend trailer story

You unbolt the chains and cut off what you don't need. That's what hacksaws are for. Bolt the chain back on. If it was welded onto the trailer, cut the first link next to the welded link. Then remove as many links as you need to. Stop at a hardware store or farm store and by two of the threaded links to reattach the chain. I'm betting your hitch lock did not break but rather the keyed end was not locked, or if it was, was not fully on the pin. It then worked it's way off and went bye-bye. Good thing it didn't go through someones radiator or windshield.

Re: My weekend trailer story

Mine does not go one without the key in. The key is not able to be removed if it is in the unlocked position.

I am having a hard time picturing how it could have come off. But, then again, there are different types, I assume.
So, to answer your question, no, not happened to me.

Better two keys for two different locks than no boat equaling no need for keys.

Re: My weekend trailer story

Can you braid Or twist the chains to take up some of the slack? Seems easier and you can easily untwist the chains if you use a different tow vehicle.

Re: My weekend trailer story

shorts&chanclas said:

Can you braid Or twist the chains to take up some of the slack? Seems easier and you can easily untwist the chains if you use a different tow vehicle.

Click to expand...

yep, that is exactly what I do. If i cut them short enough for my vehicles without twisting they would be too short for the majority of other vehicles out there. (very short couplers class I/II couplers)

Re: My weekend trailer story

Yup just grab the end of the safety chain and give it a fewtwists until the chain doesn't drag anymore.

Bill

Re: My weekend trailer story

Another vote here for twisting the chains. It's amazing how much slack just one turn of the chain will take up.

The trailer manufacturers had to make them that long 'cause hitches come in different lengths; so the answer to safety chains being too long is to simply grab the clip on the end of the chain and rotate it once or twice. -Ken

Re: My weekend trailer story

x3 on the twist and I use a Master lock where the pin goes.

Re: My weekend trailer story

From my run in with the DOT once, long story, they don't like twisted chains. The recommend crossing them over each other. Doesn't matter if you cross them once, twice or a million times.

Re: My weekend trailer story

twist and cross