nate
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1963 Comet 17'
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Post by nate on Apr 6, 2018 9:53:31 GMT -8
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mel
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1964 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by mel on Apr 6, 2018 10:50:15 GMT -8
You should be able to lock it, it should have a small hole behind that front piece of metal that wraps around. There is a pic floating around somewhere, let me see if i can find it.
Editied: I cant find the thread with the photo, maybe someone else while chime in with it
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charliemyers
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Post by charliemyers on Apr 6, 2018 11:18:06 GMT -8
Mel is right. If you slide the whole mechanism forward far enough, it should reveal a hole that you can pin to keep it from sliding back.
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charliemyers
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Post by charliemyers on Apr 6, 2018 11:19:52 GMT -8
This post has what you're looking for: Hitch PinOn at least one of my Compacts, there's also a hole on the opposite side...I use a pad lock that has a shackle long enough to fit through both holes to lock it in place. |
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Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Apr 6, 2018 11:51:39 GMT -8
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Post by bigbill on Apr 6, 2018 12:53:53 GMT -8
Early couplers like pictured above didn't have the lock hole and they sometimes came loose so people were advised to drill the hole pictured. Then mfgs started to drill the hole and mark it. One thing to be careful of is that your lock that you select doesn't jam into the hitch or equalizer bars when turning. Normally a short lock is fine. From this design they went onto the ones that have a lock holes through the handle.
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Post by bigbill on Apr 6, 2018 13:03:56 GMT -8
I know we have had many discussions about safety chains and how to install them. The ones pictured in ten's picture is my favorite way to install them. The only thing that I do different is put a bolt with two washers through the slack just below the tongue to retain them should someone wish to "borrow" them. This just discourages honest people. I started doing this years ago after we came out from a stop to discover someone had taken our chains. That is one very good reason to do a walk around when you stop and before you go, it allows you to find problems while parked rather than at 60 mph going down the highway.
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nate
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1963 Comet 17'
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Post by nate on Apr 6, 2018 17:22:07 GMT -8
Well, geez, now I feel like a dummy. I found the lock hole on the side. Anyway, glad I asked.
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Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Apr 6, 2018 18:15:11 GMT -8
We are glad you did too. There are no stupid questions....
"Safety First, Then Teamwork!"
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charliemyers
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Post by charliemyers on Apr 7, 2018 4:18:33 GMT -8
I don’t doubt Bill’s mention that this hole didn’t exist in the early days, but I’ve seen this exact question come up a LOT in various places. So far, 100% of the time the person that asked the question finally found that locking hole. And almost as often, two or three other people will pipe up saying “wow, I didn’t know that...I’ve been pulling my camper for years without locking it”. And the scary thing is that the biggest reason nobody ever sees that hole is because the hitch isn’t properly slid into place far enough forward to reveal the hole...so not only are these things being pulled down the road without being properly locked, but worse the hitch isn’t properly seated! That’s scary.
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Apr 7, 2018 4:55:45 GMT -8
It is easy to miss that hole on the side of the coupler, and not necessarily know what it would be for. Understanding the workings of the slide in this type of coupler makes it make sense. The coupler lock (onto the hitch) is accomplished by the slide mechanism, which is in place when the band is down and the lever is down. Locking with a padlock or pin (or bolt and nut for that matter) won't keep the lever down but it does make it impossible to slide the coupler loose from the ball. It's scary to think of the possibilities regarding folks that do not understand it. By the same token it's likely to be locked in place by default when the band and lever are in place.
Padlocking instead of pinning also provides security against theft, which is as much of a reason that I use a lock rather than a pin.
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Apr 7, 2018 9:58:46 GMT -8
P. S. With regard to the chains pictured above, I had only run it that way when I first took the trailer out of the yard to "road test" it. I didn't know if it was even legal to run it that way, but, the highway was calling! I've since had them welded on the tongue below the coupler. when I got the camper there was only one still attached.  This photo sorta shows the coupler slide:  |
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0DE0C0AA-B4F2-4858-91F3-0C52A5FE2A0D by nate kastle, on Flickr
8364284A-835F-40FA-A33A-B38BF614F549 by nate kastle, on Flickr
C8C75F67-72EE-406F-9A5D-3F4101636B57 by nate kastle, on Flickr
