by Colliemom » Sun Jul 28, 2013 7:35 pm
Bayoulady, that "sweet spot" you are looking for is easy to find. What you need to do when you have your trailer backed in where you want it, is lower your jack and keep cranking, The tow vehicle will start to rise up. When you have it about as far as you think you can go roughly, then all you have to do is take that rod and pull down on the lever that's holding the chains up, then then swing the bars out away from the trailer tongue where they were hooked until they release from the hitch. There's a little "notch" on the hitch and once you line up the little "tab" on the bar, it will come out. Reverse when you put it back on. Then all you have to do is crank the jack and lower your vehicle back down to level, unhook the lever on the hitch, crank up the jack so it comes off the hitch ball and all set. the trick is, you want to get your vehicle's bumper up enough to take off that pressure so you can release those chains. And make a note of how many links you had to take off the latch too, so you will know how many to hook back up. This probably sounds confusing, but really it's easy. After a few times you will get the hang of it and the "feel" for how far to jack up to release those chains.
There's another trick you can do too, to make sure you are level when you are all hitched up and that is, before you hitch up and your vehicle is parked on the level. Measure from the top of your front wheel well on both sides of your vehicle, to the ground and make a note of how many inches it is. Then after you hook up the trailer and have your WD bars and all that in place, measure that same spot again. Those measurements should be the same or close to, say about half way between measure #1 and measure #2. If not, then adjust the chains another link and measure again. After that you will know about how many links to use.
And of course the hitch itself is heavy. I fortunately can still lift and carry mine, but I am thinking of taking some scrap lumber, mostly 2x6's and 2x4''s along with some little wheels and making my self a "dolly" platform to set my hitch on. When I want to put it back in the receiver, I will justwheel it over and slide it in. Reverse when I take it out. I'll let everybody know it it works or not.
Now, I love that TT. It's sweet. Very well laid out. Going to be fun to see how you "personalize" yours. I know you are going to have fun. We both have new rigs to get all set to head for adventures.
Sue and the Furry Crew