Running out of ideas, stuck gooseneck

[immortl]

Originally Posted by 4x4ord

You could try putting the trailer jack legs on 6 x 6 blocks; crank the jack until you've got the rear wheels of the truck at least 6 inches off the ground; open the end gate; put the truck in 4 wheel drive and pull ahead causing the jacks to fall off the 6x6.... If that doesn't work you could try stacking up two 6x6 blocks under each leg and suspend the truck a foot off the ground before puling ahead. It seems as though your latch is not opening but I've never seen a gooseneck latch that couldn't be tapped open with a hammer.

The latch moves quite freely and I can feel the bar inside the coupler pull back as I pull the latch to the open position. The ball doesn't seem to be in contact with it at all from what I can tell.



Now, it's hard to convey intent sometimes on the internet. I want you to know this is said with utmost genuine respect, admiration and appreciation. Absolutely no offense is intended at all. When I read your suggestion, my initial reaction was "Bubba of 'here, hold my beer and watch this' fame has entered the chat". I see what you're after here, and it's a good idea, but I have visions of my jack stands shooting through the roof as the trailer lands on them or the gooseneck adapter pulling up through the bed.

[immortl]

Originally Posted by shootist

After a few reads, apparently you can friction weld the ball to the hitch. Lifting the bed a few inches with the trailer jacks and an 8 pound sledge to the ball area of the hitch is the only answer I saw.

Have any links? I'm searching but cannot find much. In my head, I'm reasoning how can they be welded together - turning, uphill, down hill, the coupler is moving all around the ball, how can they be attached/welded together?

[laj]

What i would use is a “ rose bud “ and porta power. That’s all you need, and it affords you complete control.
laj

[Old-Biscuit]

Can you release ball from truck...leave it stuck to gooseneck?

Move truck then you can address getting the ball out of coupler

[immortl]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Can you release ball from truck...leave it stuck to gooseneck?

Move truck then you can address getting the ball out of coupler

I like the idea and tried that. Pulled the pin/lever in the wheel well, ball wouldn't come out of the receiver either. That really stumped me and made me think it was the angle of the hill. I didn't try that in the level parking lot because I didn't want the trailer to be stuck there. I need to crawl under and look at it while someone pulls the lever and make sure the lever it pulling the pin out (spare is down, so I can easily see up there)

[shootist]

I read enough to see the ball being stuck in the truck is really common. They really rust in tight.
https://horsetrailerworld.com/forum/...=21833&start=1

[tuffr2]

That brings up a question - do the gooseneck ball need to be replaced every 3 years for example? Do the springs wear out every so often?

[4x4ord]

The coupler must be shot. If you don't want to get aggressive with it, just take a zip disk and cut the coupler off the trailer. then cut it off the ball and put a new coupler on the trailer.

[immortl]

Ok folks, so this morning I said to hell with it and went for 4x4ords idea. Neighbors stopped by to watch and cheer me on. Set up the cameras to catch the action, propped the landing gear up on 6x6s, drove off them, landing gear slammed into the ground and and pop went the coupler as the truck dropped further and the ball came out.



Ok, actually, no I i didn't do any of that. I'm just one of the larger idiots you will encounter today.


In short - I wasn't raising the trailer high enough.



What I observed - lower the electric landing gear, watch the truck bed rise, landing gear would start to struggle a bit, truck bed would continue to rise, trailer would make creaking/popping noises, would see side of the trailer over the truck bed start to 'bounce/flex' a bit. I'd go a little further, but then stop.



What I thought was happening - I thought trailer was lifting the rear of the truck, weight of the truck was starting to distort the frame of the trailer a little, anticipated bad things happening if I proceeded further. Well, today on flat ground, I proceeded further.



What I now think was actually happening - The landing gear struggled as it they took the weight of the trailer (it's mildly loaded), it wasn't actually lifting the rear of the truck, the springs were still raising the bed. It's an older battery now that I look at it closer and probably needs replacing. The flexing/popping of the trailer, I now believe that was the tongue weight being relieved as the weight was transferred off the coupler to the landing gear. Pushed through where I had stopped previously and within another inch or two, the ball popped out.



Sigh, I am an idiot at times. This particular gooseneck cargo trailer is new to me. My RV with the goosebox doesn't really flex/pop when unhooking. I need to mark the landing gear so in the future I know, 'nope, not at the release height yet'.



Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. Hope my idiocy provides a little chuckle to your day.

[TandW]

I like your brand of humility.

[Gr8bawana]

Glad to hear you got it figured out. We all have brain farts once in a while.

[BJRiggs]

Have you tried releasing the ball from the truck?

[john1981]

my suggestion was going to be to just pick the rearend off the ground and see where that gets you, glad you got it straightened out.

[TB673]

Now that you successfully solved your issue, add some grease to the coupler.

Tim