Hitch lock.... question ..

[bag007]

Hi all.... I have a simple question... I have a hitch lock which fits through the hitch locking the handle so it cannot be raised in order to hitch the boat to the tow ball. Now my question is this. Is it safe to use the lock instead of the pin that normaly goes through this hole as to "lock" the trailer to the truck. ( i have a locking hitch pin too). The reason I ask is because I am origional from England and I towed a RV ( caravan as they are called over there) I was once stopped for having the hitch lock attached and given a warning luckily not a ticket as its seen as dangerous. I was told if the RV turns over and its attached to the truck it will turn the truck over too if its locked to the hitch. In England you see a lot of accidents with Rvs on thier sides ... and some flip the tow vehicle too...
So... back to my origional question... to the hitch lock or just use the pin in the tow hitch whats the best advice....
TONY

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

I always use a lock on the hitch latch in stead of a pin. Here in Georgia, ( and in the states as a whole I would say) you have to either use a Pin or a lock. Something that will hold that latch down to prevent it form comming loose from the ball...

 

[boat1010]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

If I am understanding your question right. You are asking if you can just put a pin through the hole instead of a lock? If that is the question then there is no difference between the two as far as towing goes. And have never heard of something being said about a pin in there while driving. I always have mine locked when towing. Hope this helped.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

I don't understand the logic for getting ticketed for using a lock instead of a pin. It is far safer to use the lock since there is no chance of it falling out.
Whether you use the pin or not, in certain circumstances if the trailer rolls over the tow vehicle will too. There is a big difference in couplers however. In Europe and other parts of the world they use a clamshell style coupler that is also free to rotate so in those instances, the location of the pin or locking device may be very different than in the U.S. With those couplers the pin may lock the clamshell closed but not prevent the coupler from rotating. Standard couplers in the U.S. do not rotate.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

just guessing, but at least from what I've seen, in Europe people will tow pretty much the largest travel trailer they can find with the absolute smallest vehicle they own. Seeing alot more of them on their side is just a natural side affect.

Anyway, original point... With our style couplers is makes absolutely no difference how strong the locking pin is. The pin itself has nothing to do directly with the trailer staying attached, it controls the mechanism which does that. Any stresses from a rollover do not end up in the locking pin.

 

[bag007]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

Hi . thanks for your anwers. I wasusing a hitch lock to the truck I had... In the uk they have the 75% rule... the Rv should weigh no more than 75%of the gross weight ot the tow veh..... Yep .. people tow with "small" cars. The Rvs there are ligheter in wight than you would think.. I have a horse trailer here thats heavier than the Rv i had in England and that RV slept 4 comfortably....
I was stopped by the police in England near Bristol. They do this every year at the start of the vacation season, to make sure holiday caravaners ( RVs) are "safe".. They check weights of the tow veh and the Rv and the hitch weight. When he checked mine i had a hitch lock and he made a big song and dance about how if the caravan flips so do I etc. The hitches there are the same as here only the ball is fixed to the tow bar on the veh not a 2inch sleeve etc... I had to take the lock off or he would ticket me. He told me that becasue the truck and the rv were matched and the nose weight of the caravan on the tow ball was spot on he would let me off with a warning.
I prefer to use the hitch lock instead of a pin because of the security aspect. A lot of trailers have gone missing from boat rams recenty in south florida. I know if the thief wants it he wll take it but maybe the extra time may divert them away from my trailer.....
Thanks again for all your input..!!!
TONY

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

If the hitch is in good working order, then it will not "pop off" in accident anyway. If there is suficiant twisting force it will roll the towing vehicle regaurdless of wether there is a lock on it or not.
If there is enought play in the hitch for it to "pop off" in an accident, then then it is too loose and needs replaced with a new one.

 

[Flyvet]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

I've never really thought about this before, but it is an interesting subject. It seems that it is illegal in GB to use a lock or pin in the theory that if the boat trailer turns over the pin will prevent the coupler from popping off the hitch ball and flip the vehicle too. Assuming the hitch sits 3 inches tall then you are using a lever of 3 inches to rotate the truck. Pretend you have a long enough rod attached to the hitch that would be long enough to rotate the truck (that would be a very long bar), which would happen first: the truck flip or the hitch bar or coupler twist? It just seems the coupler would break down and pop off before the truck flips but I really don't know. If the tow vehicle is very light and boat heavy maybe, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[captharv]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

Look at the pic below. On my magic tilt trailer, the door knob looking thingy is a hitch lock. Is that what you are talking about?
If so, its perfectly legal and desirable. Note: the lock is a Master

 

[Mark42]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

Yes, go with the lock. You will feel safer, and I don't see the lock making the hitch stay latched any better than a good pin.

 

[bag007]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

Hi all... I have gone with a lock. Basically because the number of trailers which some idiots have unhitched and loosened at the boat ramps near here is crazy. They have been taking hitch pins too.. but leaving the trailer attached so that when the owner reverses and stops the trailer it slides out of the hitch... A friend of mine was just about to retrieve his boat and the ball tube slide out of the reciever and luckily his chains stopped the trailer sliding down the ramp to the water. So if you go fishing near Dunellon FL. watch your hitch... Lake rouseau and a couple of others which lead to the gulf near Otter creek.....

 

[ddrieck]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

HHmmm....the pin that comes with nearly are hitch couplers is made of mild steel and a hitch pin lock will normally be made of case hardened steel, one could surmise that the following would happen in the event of a rollover accident.

A) The mild steel pin would shear off more readily as it is made of the same mild steel as the hitch pin assemble, possibly letting the hitch coupler to release from the hitch ball and the safety chains, if used correctly, would catch the load and prevent the rolling over of both tow vehicle and trailer.

B) The hitch pin lock would have the opposite affect in that it would not shear off since the lock is of much harder steel then the hitch pin latch assembly thus there would be a higher likelihood of the tow vehicle and trailer both rolling over in an accident.

I deduced you decide

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

I don't think that using a pin or lock is critical from the viewpoint of strength. All of my hitch couplers have a cheap POS peened rivet as a fulcrum. I think that would break before enough leverage was exerted to make the pin versus lock question. That said, I do use a lock on the coupler for an anti-tamper device. By the way, How do you get a trailer at enough of an angle to roll the tow vehicle? The only thing I can figure is a ditch. I don't believe a jack-knive would do it. Thoughts?

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Hitch lock.... question ..

I think the original poster was saying that in England, they do not allow a lock OR a pin to secure the latch.

They evidently think that in the event of a roll over or near roll over, the latch will fail or release and allow the trailer to let go of the tow vehicle.

I have seen a tow and a trailer go into a slide and the trailer tires catch when sliding side ways and then roll. Twisting the tow into rolling also.

I guess these Bulldog style clam shell couplers would be illegal in England ?