If you hear a clunk or strange sound while you are towing your horses, clunks, rattles, vibrations can be a number of
things that need attention. Here is what you need to do. Make sure you are in a safe place to pull over. I suggest you check
the horses first, making sure they are calm and comfortable. Next, check the trailer coupler, making sure that the locking
mechanism is secure.
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Next, check the coupler size in relation to the ball size.
There are various types of couplers for bumper pull trailers,
but they will all be either 2” or 2 & 5/16th”. Same with the
hitch ball. The hitch ball will be either 2” or 2 & 5/16th”.
The size of the ball is located
on top of the ball – the size
of the coupler is located
behind the coupler mecha-
nism. Be aware that a
2&5/16th coupler can easily
fit over a 2” ball (but not be
secure) and make a “clunk”
sound when the trailer
weight shifts forward or
back from stopping and
starting. If this is the
case, do not continue
driving until you correct
this. A good “bump” will bounce the trailer off the coupler
and disengage from the tow vehicle. If you are not
sure, with the trailer tires chocked and the safety chains in
place, you can raise the nose of the trailer with the jack to
make sure the ball coupler does not raise off the ball. Be
sure to raise the jack up when you are done. Also,, note
that a 2” coupler will not fit over a 2/5/16th ball. It will rest
on the top of it so pay attention when you hitch up. You
can easily see how it is sitting on the ball. Make sure the
coupler is all the way down on the ball. See illustration. If
not, it will also bounce off and disengage the trailer from
the tow vehicle.
The “clunk” could also originate from the ball mount. The
ball mount is the steel tube (it could be solid) where the
ball is mounted. The shaft
of the ball fits into a hole
on the ball mount and is
secured by a washer and
nut. The shaft (threads)
part of the ball should fit
snug in the hole so that
there is no “play.” If not,
the weight of the trailer
can move the ball around
in the hole creating a clunking
sound. The ball mount slides into the receiver tube of
the frame-mounted hitch and is held in place by a pin
inserted through the receiver hitch tube. When installing
the ball mount, it is possible to install the pin through the
frame mounted hitch tube behind the ball mount instead
of through it. See Illustration. If the ball mount is not secure,
TRAINING & Showing
LUNK!
C
If you are in a tow vehicle pulling horses, that is the wrong answer.
Correct
Incorrect
Incorrect
Correct
2” Coupler
INCORRECT 2 5/16th”
Shaft
it could warn you by making a “clunking” noise. If it is not
secure, it will likely slide out, disengaging the trailer from the
tow vehicle.
While you are out of the vehicle, check the tires for proper
inflation. 99% of all trailers now have rubber torsion suspension,
and the independent suspension makes it almost
impossible to tell if a tire is flat by sight. If you don’t have a
tire pressure gauge, press on the tire with your foot to determine
if it feels hard rather than soft.
A very likely source of a
“clunking” sound is a loose
nut on the shaft of the ball
mount that holds the ball
tightly in place. If the bolt
has come loose, it can
work its way down the
threads on the shaft of the
ball. When you hit a small
bump, the ball and shaft
would bounce up and back down, making a distinctive
clunk. It the nut works its way off the shaft, the trailer will
disengage from the tow vehicle. Before leaving on a trip,
always check the ball and nut for tightness.
While you are checking, make sure that the breakaway
cord has no obstructions from where it attaches to the
breakaway switch, and the frame mounted hitch. If the
trailer were to break loose, the breakaway cord will pull the
pin that inserts into the breakaway box, which will engage
the brakes, bringing the trailer to a stop. The cord should
be long enough to prevent the pin from pulling out under
normal turning and driving conditions but not so long that it
will entangle or drag on the ground.
It is wise to make up a checklist just for your hitch and
coupler and check off each item before you are ready
to head out. Have it laminated the next time you are at
Staples or a print/copy store. It is not expensive, and they
can do it while you wait. Here is the list.
INCORRECT 2” 2 5/16th”
1. Check the hitch rating to make sure it is equal to or
greater than the loaded weight of the trailer
2. Check the ball mount rating and the ball rating to make
sure they match.
3. Make sure the ratings of the ball mount and ball are
equal to or greater than the hitch rating.
Continued...
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