Quote:
Originally Posted by Shane826
The other way is true as well… There were a handful of TMs built with 2-5/16” couplers, so if you’re using a 2” ball that might account for the slop. This did occur in South Dakota on a very select few TMs. A call to the factory might shed some light.
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Thanks for the replies guys. The hitch on my truck is reversible with 2 5/16ths on one side and 2 on the other. I tried putting the 2 5/16ths ball in the open coupler and it definitely didn't fit.
When I say there's play in the coupler, I mean that there's a slight movement of the lower side shoe of the coupler as you move the upper side in the two positions I show in the pictures I just uploaded. Interestingly though, the coupler closes tighter in the position in which it looks more open on the top side. In other words, as you begin to lift up on the tab it initially closes the shoe tighter. So that's a good sign.
I bought a pin that Bill showed previously in the thread. When I put the pin in with the square of the pin right next to the bolt I can still lift up on the tab quite far. So far up that you would think that the coupler is actually open. However, I tested it and it's then impossible to open the lift tab far enough to completely free the ball and uncouple as long as the square of the pin is butted up against the bolt.
So now I'm thinking that perhaps this really is the intended design for how it's all supposed to work. Paul at trailmanor answered my email that this was a factory hitch for which they do NOT supply that pin. Why not I wonder? He copied Jacob for further info about part numbers etc and no reply for a couple days on that so I'm not expecting that Jacob will reply further.
While it's technically possible to lift the square part of the pin up and over the bolt and the lift tab at the same time to open the hitch while driving. This seems extremely unlikely to happen. The pin prevents the coupler from opening as long as it pinned against the bolt. So it seems quite possible that this is the intended design.
But I'm still quite happy I checked it all out just for the peace of mind and understanding and I appreciate all the feed back from this thread to help me do that!