Just thought I would share a bad experiance with you, in dope that it will not happen to you. Meany years ago, when I was younger, I took a trailer in to town to pick-up a new motorcycle. I stopped off at my uncles house for a visit before loading up the bike. While I was in side, someone thought it would be funny if they pulled the pin out of my hitch. I'm sure they thought I would get in and when I took off the trailer would fall too the groud, FUNNY< FUNNY. Well that isn't exactly want happened. I drove off and right on to the expressway. As I came down the entrance ramp, I accelerated to blend in, and felt a terrible thing, the trailer seperated from the car, and was only held to the car by the trailer plug (yes someone also took the chains off the hitch, and draped them of the tounge). I tryed not to panic, and several trucker saw what had happened and gave me some much needed room. I easyed it over to the curb lane, and just slowed very easy, it was tracking fairly well and looked like I be ok . I had gotten down to about 35 mph, when it ran over something (rock,i guess), turned about 30 degrees to the left and pulled out of the car. There it went right accross the expressway, all 5 lanes. Everything looked good, except for one car that everytime she changed lanes the trailer did to, like it was on a course for her. She was down to her last lane when she out ran it and got away. The trailer hit the concrete divider and shoot strieght up in the air, so as it's rear end was 10-15' in the air, then fell over on it's top blocking about 3 lanes. lucky, no one was hurt, or killed, but I was ****** when I figured out what had happened. Anyway, the whole point is to not allow someone to do this to you. I now lock my pins on, and very time I leave the truck, I look the hitch over very well, I have had some say I am paranoid about this, maybe, but it won't happen again. Please keep a eye on your hitch, and everything associated with the trailer, there are some very strange people out there. Now, I have a B & W TURNOVER BALL gooseneck hitch, and allthough I love the hitch, I am constantly watching the lever you pull to release the ball, this would not be good. Keep an eye on your rig, and drive safe.

 

Excellent point y-knot, I'd also like to add...check your 5th wheel hitch bolts (under the bed), I checked mine after about 100 miles of towing and they were somewhat loose. Happy towing...
Big dawg

 

Speaking of fiver hitches, I painted the aft edges of the hitch jaws white so that I could really see whether or not they were closed around the king pin.

DeWain

 

[quote author=DPG link=board=11;threadid=19776;start=0#msg185905 date=1063812231]
Speaking of fiver hitches, I painted the aft edges of the hitch jaws white so that I could really see whether or not they were closed around the king pin.

DeWain
[/quote]

Big Dawg -- I too have had a couple of bolts loose...

DPG -- Excellent Idea! I think I will do that this weekend! I always grab a flashlight and shine it in there to see... :

 

I lost a trailer once due to my mistake. The safety chains held and it only came off when I topped a rise and got slight negative g's. Now I always get down and look up under to make sure the ball is fully engaged.

I use grade 8 bolts for pins. I drill and tap the bolt out near the end for a blind set screw and drill the nut with a clearance hole for the set screw. I also drill a thru hole at the end of the bolt for a clip pin. Not many would-be tamper and/or stealers will be carrying around allen wrenches. At one time I just drilled a cross hole and put a small padlock thru but a good whack with a hammer could open that.