Boat unhitch?

[Scottydog]

Anyone had this happen before, I've been hooking trailers all my life and in the past 6 years it's happened to me twice with different boats, fortunately the chains have worked and no serious damage!! :blue-redface: I ALWAYS TRIPLE CHECK MY HITCH but it is bloody scary thing to happen! :blue-exclaim:

[Riprap]

Yep, this happens all too often and if it wasn't for the recomended weight on a hitch, probably more so!
Found a flat spot on the ball of my hitch which is going to be changed before any long trips.

[Vaalboy]

I have had the unfortunate experience of my boat coming off (chain snapped too) while doing around 100km/h. The feeling of watching your boat pass you is surreal for sure. Luckily no injuries and no damage. A trick that a trailer builder showed me was to couple the chain around the ball, tight enough that it does not pop over the ball but lose enough to allow movement. This way the hitch cant move far enough to uncouple. You can also use a padlock to secure the chain.

[August]

I had that happen to me earlier this year. Boat was hooked 100% and came off. It wrote off an UNO, luckily no one was hurt. The report is here somewhere.

[Scottydog]

So clearly this is not too rare...what are the solutions, replace hitch and ball timeiously, or is it just one of those things? :blue-confused:

[Riprap]

Here is that very sad report August:

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[Scottydog]

Here is that very sad report August:

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Eish...going to replace all, I've already put another chain on so I'm running 2.But as said by others, my towing confidence is shot, can you imagine this happens on a Friday afternoon on the N1 Pretoria highway, it's too scary to comprehend!!! :blue-cry:

[Scottydog]

Warning!!!!!Just to report back, I designed a "safety" for my hitch and while in the process of doing this and replacing my hitch I relised what the balls up was that caused this to happen in the first place...I took delivery of a new Pajero that week and as with all the new "taller" vehicles they generally supply your tow bar with a adjusting 6 hole plate to move the ball up or down.

What I saw was just just crazy!!!!!If the ball is on the lower setting and the hitch is hooked, because of the height of the plate on top of the hitch it allows for about 5 deg of lateral movement(which is no good to man or beast) , so that means when I drive out my drive way(small holding)I have about a 35 deg driveway and needless to say the trailer must be able to move freely with these angles, well it couldn't and hence with the weight of the boat put onto the hitch it bent the inside mechanisms...

Guys check that your vehicle tow bar either has a extra 12mm spacer on the ball or do the right adjustments to be fit for purpose...This has been a VERY expensive exercise that could have been avoided. :eusa_doh: