Boat trailer swing away hitch: Just letting people know. I know of five different boat trailer swing away hitches that have broke. When they break all hell breaks loose. Your boat will...

Egghead

Just letting people know. I know of five different boat trailer swing away hitches that have broke. When they break all hell breaks loose. Your boat will swing all over the road hit your truck wreck both boat and truck. The ones I've seen fail are on the eazy loader trailers. Ones a bolt on type made by Fulton, the other is an upgraded weld on swivel. Fulton and eazy loader neither one warranty this design. They don't warranty your wrecked truck or wrecked boat. Mine keeps breaking the 5/8" grade 8 bolt I've caught it three times. Next time I might not be so lucky. Tomorrow mine will get welded solid. Since eazy loader can't send me the right tongue for 300 dollars. It's a foot and a half to short. Check your hitch every time you take off. On long trips check every hundred miles. My last bolt made it just under 500 miles.

FourchonLa. Loc: Fourchon Louisiana, South Louisiana

Egghead wrote:

Just letting people know. I know of five different... (show quote)

Thanks for the PSA. I know a few people that have them just not sure who made them. Will definitely let them know.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

A fishing buddy of mine had volunteered to bring one of those humongous BBQ cookers that are popular in Texas that are a trailer on wheels an big as a boat trailer to a special event.

He had just pulled off a major street and was turning on to another street. he looked back his BBQ Cooker had come unhitched and taken off on its own direction and speed. He swerved his truck trying to stay in front of it and maybe guide it until it slowed down.

Finally, when he saw where it was headed, he got out of the way and allowed it to run up into some trees and come to a stop. He said he was really scared and worried it would cause a wreck and injure some driver, but he was very lucky. He sweated gumballs for a few minutes during its wild ride. Just Sayin....RJS

Egghead

Robert J Samples wrote:

A fishing buddy of mine had volunteered to bring o... (show quote)

It doesn't come off the ball, it breaks the tongue in half on pin still hold it so the trailer swings outa control still hooked to the truck . The boat WILL hit the truck.

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Thanks for the info. When I first saw those I thought they were the greatest idea in years, but apparently they didn’t take care of all the details through testing. Amazing they don’t have to cover damage due to an obvious design flaw.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

They are cruising for a major lawsuit where some innocent people are killed and the jury will put them out of business with a serious financial hit. Just Sayin...RJS

Egghead

OJdidit wrote:

Thanks for the info. When I first saw those I thought they were the greatest idea in years, but apparently they didn’t take care of all the details through testing. Amazing they don’t have to cover damage due to an obvious design flaw.

They said it wasn't a design flaw, they said it was engineered 😂🤣😂🤣

Larry M Loc: North Clairmount, San Diego

Egghead wrote:

It doesn't come off the ball, it breaks the tongue in half on pin still hold it so the trailer swings outa control still hooked to the truck . The boat WILL hit the truck.

Thanks for the info.
I had to use Google to know what they were, I don't have that.
I'm sure most people know this. You are supposed to have chains on your trailer and criss-cross them under the ball hitch and attach them to the truck. That way it still will be attached to the truck if it comes off of the ball hitch. The chains should keep the tongue from hitting the ground.
Wouldn't matter with the swing away hitches the chains wouldn't help in that situation.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Engineered or no! An experienced lawyer could earn a years pay with one bad accident. Justr Sayin...RJS

Egghead

Robert J Samples wrote:

Engineered or no! An experienced lawyer could earn a years pay with one bad accident. Justr Sayin...RJS

10 years pay isn't worth the life of one little kid.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

You are absolutely right, and they are oftent the ones to suffer first. Just Sayuin...RJS

Hotrod Loc: Naples, FL 7 months, Bflo NY 5 months

Egghead wrote:

Just letting people know. I know of five different... (show quote)

I cut the front of my trailer tongue off. Then had a sleeve made to slide inside it and welded it there. The other end of the sleeve slides into the trailer where it is held in place with a 5/8 bolt from the top and 2 from the side. Each bolt has a drilled hole which a clevis pin goes through. Now it fits in my garage when I remove the tongue. Sometimes I leave my trailer in one spot for a week or so. I remove the tongue and put it in my SUV. Nobody can drive off with the trailer.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Excellent idea, making it theft proof. Just Sayin...RJS

Egghead

Hotrod wrote:

I cut the front of my trailer tongue off. Then had a sleeve made to slide inside it and welded it there. The other end of the sleeve slides into the trailer where it is held in place with a 5/8 bolt from the top and 2 from the side. Each bolt has a drilled hole which a clevis pin goes through. Now it fits in my garage when I remove the tongue. Sometimes I leave my trailer in one spot for a week or so. I remove the tongue and put it in my SUV. Nobody can drive off with the trailer.

Hit rod, you stole my patent.lol that's exactly what I am going to build this winter. Already have it drawn up.lol Great minds think alike.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Ha. We were building boat trailers in Gainesville Texas in 1959 and 60. One of the new ideas we had was a Y fork to allow the frame of the trailer to tilt up. Also, if one wished, he culd remove this Y, which also had the entire tongue of the trailer and it could be quickly removed and the trailer was then comipletely cut off from anhyone hauling it away, just as you've described. So, good ideas aren't unique and can happen in many places at the same time. Justr Sayin...RJS