Hitch Coupler sizes

[rohare]

Okay, I screwed up big time. I've been trailering the boat I bought in January all these months without a single trailer related mis-hap (except for that bearing failure...) until I decided to move my boat about 20 feet to get it into position to be washed. I didn't put the little lock onto my trailer hitch and what do you know, it pops off the ball, wedges between the ball and the receiver and pow! My coupler is totally destroyed. Now I can't move my boat anywhere! And just my luck, it's welded on!

So after the ordeal of meticulously removing every scrap of the original receiver from the trailer frame with an angle grinder I go looking for a replacement to weld on. Now the fun begins. My trailer accepts an A-Frame coupler with a 30 degree angle and I can't find one anywhere! No web site, no Pep Boys, Auto Zone, United Rental, or U-Haul has any size of A-Frame coupler besides 50 degrees. Apparently, sometime between when my trailer was built 30 years ago and now, everybody decided to standardize on a 50 degree coupler angle. So my question is: Does anybody know where I can buy a 30 degree angle A-Frame coupler?!?!?!? please?

 

[woodster]

you might try Hammer Blows corp ...or Fulton Ind.



regards

woody

 

[txjim]

I have seen 50 degree couplers welded onto (presumably) 30 degree trailers with appropriate wedges to fill the gap. Looks bad but works. I'd talk to a local trailer repair shop, perhaps they can fabricate something more appropriate.

 

[JerryA]

I did that once when loading a car onto a trailer. Left a nice deep scratch all the way up the tailgate of my pickup. The up side is you will only do this once.

JerryA

 

[Benny]

Sometimes taking a short cut works, other times it doesn't. the question is , "do you feel lucky today?"

 

[OldCat]

I have seen 50 degree couplers welded onto (presumably) 30 degree trailers with appropriate wedges to fill the gap. Looks bad but works. I'd talk to a local trailer repair shop, perhaps they can fabricate something more appropriate.

I agree. A competent welder can easily adapt the trailer to make it work and be strong. If I were having it done - I'd have it adapted to a bolt on coupler. That way, if the coupler ever failed it could be easily replaced. As long as the trailer is not galvanized... (it probably is not with a weld on coupler)

It is just money and finding a skilled craftsman. With a skilled fabricator - it will even look good.

OC