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Old 04-01-2017, 11:40 AM   #1
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Ball Hitch Coupler - Is Latch Pin required?

I have been towing boat trailers and utility trailers with ball hitches for over 50 years. Relatively recent with travel trailers...only 5 years.
Typical ball hitches have a lifting lever that you lift up when lowering the coupler on the ball. The lever will only latch in place when the ball is correctly attached. And for 50 years I thought that was the entire procedure.
Nobody ever told me about the drill through hole in the lifting lever that is made to insert a latching pin.
On my travel trailer it looks like this:


With the latch pin in place, it looks like this:


The latch pin cannot be inserted in the coupler if the ball hitch is not fully engaged.

A locking pin is available for about $10.
Here is a pic of my boat trailer hitch with locking latch pin.


Nobody ever told me about the locking pin feature of these couplers. When I picked up my travel trailer at the dealer, they hitched it up for me, safety chains, trailer plug, ball hitch, but they never had a latch pin for the ball hitch.

I found out about this feature from a fellow member of a travel trailer camping group that I belong to. I've been towing trailers thousands of miles without latching the coupler release lever. Lucky for me they never opened while trailering.

I know you have to have safety chains on ball hitch trailers.
But what about latch pins on the coupler release lever? Is it optional?

Now that I know what that hole is for, you can be sure I will use a latch pin or a locking latch bar when trailering.
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:00 PM   #2
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I don't know of any states that require the pin but in my book, it's a MUST HAVE
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Old 04-01-2017, 12:06 PM   #3
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I was never told to but have always used them. Forty plus years
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Old 04-01-2017, 01:47 PM   #4
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I don't tow without one, except to the nearest place I can buy another one if I misplaced it.
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Old 04-01-2017, 03:42 PM   #5
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I have a locking pin. Keeps meddling kids from tampering with it. Also deters the thief looking for a quick pick.
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Old 04-01-2017, 03:47 PM   #6
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I have a pin like in the OP's photo. Nobody told me about it, I just figured that hole was there for a reason.
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Old 04-01-2017, 03:51 PM   #7
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Whats it hurt to do it? Whats it hurt if for some reason the coupler came off the ball?
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Old 04-01-2017, 04:07 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RPreeb View Post
I have a pin like in the OP's photo. Nobody told me about it, I just figured that hole was there for a reason.
I also considered that the hole was there for a reason.
My mistake was that I thought the reason had to do with the manufacturing process.
Lucky for me the over-center locking action of the lever arm tightens up when the tongue of the trailer tries to lift off of the ball hitch.

I had an alternate theory on the purpose of the hole in the coupler lever arm. To decrease the weight on the ball hitch.
That theory didn't hold much weight.

It took me 50 years to figure it out, but now I am a firm believer in pinning the coupler lever arm when on the road towing a trailer.

I would have been a firm believer a lot sooner if somebody had just told me.
If the hitches came with a locking pin (like bulldog collar lock hitches), I might have got the idea a lot sooner.

I'm going off topic on my own thread, but why don't travel trailers use bulldog collar lock ball hitches?
Or maybe they do and I just haven't seen them.
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Old 04-01-2017, 05:42 PM   #9
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We always keep a padlock on for security while it's parked,and, peace of mind when towing. I think the reason for the hole is to lack it !!!!
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Old 04-01-2017, 07:27 PM   #10
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Humm...my two trailers had the latch pin. So I replaced it with a lock. I always use it because it makes sense and is easy to use.

My boat trailer has the same mechanism and has its own lock. No sense taking chances.
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Old 04-01-2017, 08:43 PM   #11
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There is no requirement to use a latch pin or lock in that hole unless you want to lose your trailer either while parked or while traveling down the road. I lock mine all the time, good for my nerves.
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Old 04-02-2017, 05:18 AM   #12
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Several years ago when I had a ski boat, I was waiting my turn to use the loading ramp and there was a lady with a truck and a jet ski backing in to unload the jet ski. She was not very proficient at backing and was struggling with getting the trailer in the water. She ended up getting the trailer crooked and the back end of the trailer ran into the courtesy dock....pretty softly, but yet she hit it. As she started to pull forward to try it again, the trailer came loose from the truck and the only thing that saved it was the safety chains. I saw what had just happened (I don't think she relized the trailer had come loose) and I yelled for her to stop. Her teenage son and I managed to get the trailer back onto the hitch ball and I snapped the latch back down. After she pulled out of the water again, I pointed out to her that the reason it came loose is because she didn't have a lock or pin through the hole that locks the latch in place. I usually carried a spare lock with me, just in case, and ended up giving her a lock to secure the latch......she had no idea that is what you are suppose to do with the "hole" in the latch. It could have been a lot worse if there were no safety chains, and certainly her son and I couldn't have managed to pull a boat trailer back up the ramp a foot or so and reattach it to the truck. I've been pulling trailers since I was a teenager (motorcycle trailers and such) and have always used a padlock on the latch for the trailer hitch.
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Old 04-02-2017, 03:12 PM   #13
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I put a lock on it. Dual purpose keeps coupler in correct position and keeps someone from unloading your trailer from your tow vehicle when your away from the rig.
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Old 04-02-2017, 03:14 PM   #14
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Or if somebody messes with it and lifts the latch while you aren't paying attention at the gas station or lunch stop. I have a lock on it for that reason.
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