Think I might need a new hitch (understatment)

[trimster]

So, this morning I was pulling my trailer in the rain to a shop for suspension work. Pulling away from a stop, slight incline, the Volvo tires spun and then grabbed, then spun then grabbed. BIG jerk on the trailer hitch. And here is the result.

 

These blocks hold the top of the 1" rod that the hitch floats on. Being under-engineered (not long enough to distribute the fore and aft stress widely enough) the blocks held but the steel bent. I have a solution to fix this. Longer blocks, 4 thru bolts and a stiffener plate on the other side of the plate. It's kinda like putting a bandaid on skin cancer and hoping it will get better I think.

So looking for a new hitch. Budget is tight. Used is good. For future trailer upgrade, I'd like to find something that would hold 4k pin weight and 25k-32k trailer.

Suggestions, leads on where to get something are welcomed.

 

[rickeieio]

Perhaps the difference between a used hitch v. new aren't that great.  The only new hitch I've priced is an E.T., which has a 4-6 week wait period.  Ours ships tomorrow.....$$$

[Darryl&Rita]

Holy hot mess. How much throttle were you using? That's a new failure point, if it makes you feel any better. The idea of longer blocks, with extra bolts is valid, I'd also look at a stiffening piece welded just above the bolt heads. The grade and quality of the steel in the side plates could also be checked.

[trimster]

4 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Holy hot mess. How much throttle were you using? That's a new failure point, if it makes you feel any better. The idea of longer blocks, with extra bolts is valid, I'd also look at a stiffening piece welded just above the bolt heads. The grade and quality of the steel in the side plates could also be checked.

Not much throttle at all. Tires were on concrete surrounding RxR tracks. Tires spun on the tracks,  grabbed when they hit asphalt. Guess if I had the axles locked it might not have happened.  I don't lock them very often when driving.  Maybe I will now, if the roads are wet.

[trimster]

14 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

Perhaps the difference between a used hitch v. new aren't that great.  The only new hitch I've priced is an E.T., which has a 4-6 week wait period.  Ours ships tomorrow.....$$$

Just called ET. They are way! Out on delivery now. They are having to design a new head apparently. 

[Star Dreamer]

I think for a 32k trailer, ET may be your only choice. Our Heavy Duty ET Junior is rated for 32k and a 8500 pin rating. If you plan on a 32k trailer you want something with at least a 6500 pin rating (20% minimum of trailer weight). A 25k trailer would be 5k pin weight to get to 20%. 

[rickeieio]

Got the call that our hitch will ship.  While I had them on the phone, I asked about a new head design.  He said the new head has been on all ET hitches for the past year and a half.  It's the design Henry and Young's Welding collaborated on.  Some refer to it as the Super Binkley, but there's no Binkley parts used.

[trimster]

My bad. It was Air Safe hitch that I called and they are waiting for the new heads to be approved. 

[Av8r3400]

IMO, an ET is worth every penny.

[aknavy]

TrailerSaver makes one rated 7.5k/32k.  Think it's about $3.5k, but not sure.

Edited May 11, 2021 by aknavy

[trimster]

So, I'm effecting a fix for my existing hitch. I'll post images soon. I was able to straighten the ¼" plate and test fit a fab'd backing-plate.

It's a short-term fix addressing 2 of the design flaws, to get us thru this season.

One of the issues leading to the side plates bending is trailer breaks.  I just replaced them and it appears that only 1 of the 4 are working properly. It's a wiring/ground problem. Easy fix. However,  the bending shown in the photo was acceleration. I've wanted to add a pinbox that would take care of chucking. That would have helped in this instance. Ordering one today.

I did find several TrailSaver TS3 hitches (used) but the closest is outside Fresno Calif.  The other, south-west area of Texas. Bit of a drive from Salt Lake city. 

[aknavy]

5 hours ago, trimster said:

I did find several TrailSaver TS3 hitches (used) but the closest is outside Fresno Calif.  The other, south-west area of Texas. Bit of a drive from Salt Lake city. 

Check for TSLB's too, if you're considering Trailer Saver.

 

[rickeieio]

We have had a Trailer Saver TSLB for the past 8 or 9 years.  It's been fine.  It has the upgraded third bag and is rated for something like 7,500# pin and 32k# gross.

That said, on the new build we're going with an ET, because for a few dollars ($600ish) more, we're covered for whatever trailer the future might bring.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Find a used Trailersaver.  You can swap the Binkley head for an ET head if its worn out.

[jenandjon]

Your hitch looks like the Comfort ride 204. Its just too small apparently. You should look at the 308.

[trimster]

4 hours ago, jenandjon said:

Your hitch looks like the Comfort ride 204. Its just too small apparently. You should look at the 308.

It does. It is rated at 17k. My trailer loaded is 13.8k typically.  But that hitch rating is bogus. The damage shown was when the trailer was empty (approx 11.8k). 

Incredibly,  I have sent documentation of all the problems with this hitch to PropPride. Crickets. The still have them for sale, albeit hard to find on their site. You have to use the search function to find them.

Their published facts on the site are misleading. Their not interested in fixing that either.

When they sell them the invoice says "...sold without warranty or guarantee...".

ProPrides tongue-pull hitches are really good...and spendy. 

[geodog]

Try contacting Roadmaster. They now manufacture and sell the ComfortRide hitches. They might give better customer service than any retailer.

 

ShortyO

[SuiteSuccess]

https://store.propridehitch.com/propride-5th-wheel-energy-absorbing-hitch/?gc_id=11804110284&h_ad_id=485097042226&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl5P2xt7H8AIVF_rICh1f7gHrEAYYASABEgK83fD_BwE
 

Their site says bending is covered under warranty.  Hope you get a reply.

[trimster]

2 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

https://store.propridehitch.com/propride-5th-wheel-energy-absorbing-hitch/?gc_id=11804110284&h_ad_id=485097042226&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl5P2xt7H8AIVF_rICh1f7gHrEAYYASABEgK83fD_BwE
 

Their site says bending is covered under warranty.  Hope you get a reply.

Yup. But the invoice says "no warranty,  no guarantee ".

[Darryl&Rita]

2 hours ago, trimster said:

Yup. But the invoice says "no warranty,  no guarantee ".

But only you've seen the invoice. The website is out there for anyone to see.

[trimster]

So, I did a follow-up review on this hitch. Ya, Propride stopped responding to my emails after the first video. This should irritate them more.

 

[noteven]

If I may be permitted a dumb question (my speciality ) How does a company get away with selling new equipment with "no warranty?" 

I know the RV world specializes in "useless warranty" (sir we are booking for 123 weeks from now...) but no warranty seems unusual... 

[geodog]

This appears to me to be a "Knockoff" of the ComfortRide hitch.

 

ShortyO

Buy an ET

 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

There's a guy named Dave ????? that is the hitch building business.... of sorts.... He initially did the Trailer Saver 5th wheel hitch and sold it to Hensley.  Then Dave started a few other hitch companies, would build and sell until someone sued him then close up shop, move and modify the hitch a little and start back selling.  That's where the Comfort Ride hitch came from that Rick Olson bought and later sold to Road Master.  

Sometime before Comfort Ride, Dave started using the air cells as the load carrying base.  Nice idea, but he usually had structural problems on the surrounding load carrying components. I wonder if this was one of his companies.

 

[rpsinc]

6 hours ago, noteven said:

How does a company get away with selling new equipment with "no warranty?" 

Because people buy them.