I have recently purchased a used boat which I am very happy with.
However, the trailer has me bugged. Bring an country boy, I am not
acustomed to certain fancy things, the coupler on this trailer being one
of them. It is an Atwood brand coupler on an E Z Loader trailer and has
a braking system built in. It also has a shock absorber built in to the
coupler that allows the coupler to ride up and down through about 85
degrees of motion. It all seems to be very fancy, "head and shoulders
above the ebbage" as we say down east. Problem is that it pounds on the
hitch real bad when going down the road. Every dip, hump and pothole
results in a hard jolt as the boat and trailer rises and falls through
the range of motion of the shock absorber/coupler. It is a real pain. It
beats so bad that something had got to happen. This isn't good for my
back and it can't be good for the drive train of the truck.

So the questions are these: Does anyone on this forum use one of these
type of couplers? They are made by several manufacturers. Is what I am
experiencing normal? The eyeball test says not since I can't imagine
anyone believing this is better than a coupler that has no range of
motion and shock absorber. Maybe there is not enough tongue weight, but
the grunt-test says not. It feels like a hundred pounds or so, which is
in the range specified by Atwood. Any thing would be appreciated. If
this really is a good coupler and the shock is just shot, I will replace
it and carry on. However, if it is crap, I'd just as soon get a "non
shock absorbing" coupler like I have had so many of before.
Thanks,
Al
North Carolina

"Al Hartkopf" wrote in message
...
. Problem is that it pounds on the
hitch real bad when going down the road. Every dip, hump and pothole
results in a hard jolt as the boat and trailer rises and falls through
the range of motion of the shock absorber/coupler. It is a real pain. It
beats so bad that something had got to happen. This isn't good for my
back and it can't be good for the drive train of the truck.


Sounds to me like the trailer brakes are not working properly.

Surge brakes require that the coupler have some range of motion. When the
trailer pushes against the car, the coupler collapses, restrained by the
master cylinder for the brakes. This uses the trailer weight to apply the
brakes.

If the brakes are working properly then there should only be a small amount
of motion before the brakes are applied. You shouldn't feel any slam at all
when you slow down. When you accelerate again, the coupler will expand.
This can result in a minor "bang". The shock absorber that you mention is
there to soften this impact.

If you are getting a jolt just on acceleration then either the shock is bad
or you have excessive amount of travel in the coupler. You could have
excessive travel because the brakes are simply out of adjustment. Jack the
trailer wheels up (one at a time) and adjust the brakes (assuming you have
drum brakes and not disc).

You could also have air in the brake lines, or worse, a total loss of fluid.
Check you master cylinder to see if you have adequate fluid, then try
bleeding the brakes. If you have a removable tongue make sure that the
coupling for the brake line is sealing well and not letting air in.

Rod McInnis

Thanks to all who replied to my post. I appreciate and have benefited from your
council. On your collective advice, I took the coupler off the trailer, turned
it upside down, and noted that the pushrod that actuates the brakes is slopping
around like a mop in a bucket. As I type I am on the phone to Atwood to procure
replacement parts.

Thanks again to all,
Al

Rod McInnis wrote:

"Al Hartkopf" wrote in message
...
. Problem is that it pounds on the
hitch real bad when going down the road. Every dip, hump and pothole
results in a hard jolt as the boat and trailer rises and falls through
the range of motion of the shock absorber/coupler. It is a real pain. It
beats so bad that something had got to happen. This isn't good for my
back and it can't be good for the drive train of the truck.

Sounds to me like the trailer brakes are not working properly.

Surge brakes require that the coupler have some range of motion. When the
trailer pushes against the car, the coupler collapses, restrained by the
master cylinder for the brakes. This uses the trailer weight to apply the
brakes.

If the brakes are working properly then there should only be a small amount
of motion before the brakes are applied. You shouldn't feel any slam at all
when you slow down. When you accelerate again, the coupler will expand.
This can result in a minor "bang". The shock absorber that you mention is
there to soften this impact.

If you are getting a jolt just on acceleration then either the shock is bad
or you have excessive amount of travel in the coupler. You could have
excessive travel because the brakes are simply out of adjustment. Jack the
trailer wheels up (one at a time) and adjust the brakes (assuming you have
drum brakes and not disc).

You could also have air in the brake lines, or worse, a total loss of fluid.
Check you master cylinder to see if you have adequate fluid, then try
bleeding the brakes. If you have a removable tongue make sure that the
coupling for the brake line is sealing well and not letting air in.

Rod McInnis