I had a scary experience with my new ORAC coupling on my trip back from Nyngan. The first half of the trip it was fine but about half way back it started making all sorts of strange noises (which at the time I thought was due to the lubricant being forced out due to the pounding it was getting on that road). When I looked at it this morning, I found the hitch tongue bolt was loose and could be undone with my fingers. The loose vertical bolt (which serves as the coupling pivot) was allowing the vehicle end of the coupling to bounce around. I am amazed it did not fall off, the lock washer was not even making against the tongue base. In all my years of using a ball coupling I have never had a ball work loose like this. As well as the pivot bolt problem, the rotating yoke now feels like it has significant play in it (it runs inside the steel tube) but maybe the grease was just forced out (the alternative thinking is that the tube has been deformed by the motion of the yoke). This thing is susposed to be rated for 2000kg and my little camper weighs all of 500kg. Because the vehicle end pivots on the bolt sleeve I lubed the bolt sleeve (on the outside) when I mounted it - I'm now worried that this may have caused the problem, as the grease could have gone down through the hitch hole to the nut and lockwasher. Opinions? Ideas - and I've already thought about replacing it (Hyland was my first choice but too expensive "I thought".

The yoke can now be moved around from side to side and up and down in its tube (far more than when new)



The pivot bolt lock washer failed to prevent unlocking rotation of the bolt. I also had put Locktite on the bolt and nut (which I suspect is what prevented it from coming out altogether.

Hey Glen, I've got to say how super impressed I have been with the Hyland Hitch (on Cammper). It's so easy to hitch & un-hitch for one person, plus the rotation that it's capable of compared to the standard ball hitch(on Millie).

_________________
02KJ LTD
245x75Rx16 Hankook MTRT03
ARB Winch Bar,Tiger11 Winch,4xNarva spots,GME UHF,Navman GPS
Mopar Skid Plates,dual battery system,Tubular Jeep s/steps,
2.5" Lift OME Shocks & King Springs,AirFlow Snorkel
Long Range fuel Tank 115 Ltre,Drawer Unit
Rola:Roof Rails,Basket,Shovel Holders & Luggage Boot
Desert Edge Off Road Camper

I have the same orac hitch and would agree that over time the yoke does seem to get more movement - the level of grease seems to make a big difference through. I used the heaviest I could find last time and all seems ok now. I wouldn't have thought the grease on the pivot bolt would have made a difference.

Is the spacer on the bolt the right size or has it got deformed? There's about 1mm of space between the hitch coupling and the hitch tongue when torqued up to about 110 lbs. If the spacer wears or deformed I could see how the lock washer would come loose.

Is there a large flat heavy flange on the bottom of the sleeve that sits on the tounge? I would hate to think that it would rely on just the sleeve diameter to hold it verticle, if so I think it would be binding on the bolt.
Regards Ross

_________________
'04 sport, 3.7, dobinsons 50mm lift, full skids, mopar rock rails,DTT's, 4.1's. 245/75/16 MT ATZ's

Ross, there is no base to the sleeve it bears on its diametre thickness against the tongue. I used a thin square of flexible cutting board sheeting to isolate the main body of the vehicle piece from the tow tongue (because the main piece would simply rotate against the tongue and scratch and wear it) and this also helped to prevent up and down movement on the sleeve. I doubt the bolt binds against the sleeve in the way you speculated, as the bolt binds on the sleeve at the top where it presses the whole bolt/sleeve assembly down against the tongue. The sleeve does not rotate but acts as the pivot for the main body of the vehicle piece.

See the photo below:

maybe the cutting board was the problem - could have got a piece trapped under the sleeve of the pivot then wore away over time and allowed the lock washer to come loose. Just another thing to add to the regular checks I would say.

Just an opinion on the hyland hitch - my brothers boat trailer has one... after the boat popped off the ball and smacked into the back of his KJ after going over a small speed bump - I'd never trust any type of ball coupling again on or off road.

Glen, in a few weeks I will have an AT35 hitch for sale. Overkill for a 500kg trailer, I know, but a great hitch. If you're interested, PM me with an offer, then I'll let you know if I'm laughing hysterically!

RRP new is about $350 - mine is just over two years old. I'm having it replaced with a DO35 which will make coupling up my heavy trailer a lot easier.

_________________
November 2006 2.8 CRD manual, CRDSTU front springs, King HD rears, Polyairs, LT245/70R16 Pirelli Scorpion ATRs, DP chip, Airflow snorkel
TJM alloy front bar, Ox 9500lb winch, Hella Compact 4000 spots, Complete set Mopar skid plates, Mopar cargo barrier
GME TX3440 UHF, Codan NGT HF

Thanks Pipes I'll think about it and PM you next week.

Steve the very thin flexible cutting board material was attached to the tongue with RTV type silicon and there was a large centre hole to allow for the sleeve to pass though it to the tongue surface - so the sleeve was not resting on the cutting board material nor even touching the sleeve.

OK, maybe a Nylock nut and a bit of pipe over the power bar.

_________________
'04 sport, 3.7, dobinsons 50mm lift, full skids, mopar rock rails,DTT's, 4.1's. 245/75/16 MT ATZ's