My tongue clicks....and I hate it

[Mototrig]

So I have a competitive trailer with this awkward tongue bolted to the frame.
I leave from a stop sign "click" come up to cruising speed, let off the accelerator and apply the break "click" come to a stop. Light turns green hit the gas "CLICK"......ect, ect...
In traffic holly crap I want to ditch the boat on the freeway, like 37 clicks per mile. I realize the ball isn't coming lose, I have about 800 miles on it now and it's a solid mount.

What should I be looking for as a replacement that doesn't make any noises?

 

[racetrash]

Maybe tighten the nut on the coupler ?

 

[Taboma]

View attachment 974216 View attachment 974217
So I have a competitive trailer with this awkward tongue bolted to the frame.
I leave from a stop sign "click" come up to cruising speed, let off the accelerator and apply the break "click" come to a stop. Light turns green hit the gas "CLICK"......ect, ect...
In traffic holly crap I want to ditch the boat on the freeway, like 37 clicks per mile. I realize the ball isn't coming lose, I have about 800 miles on it now and it's a solid mount.

What should I be looking for as a replacement that doesn't make any noises?

Does that nut need to be tightened, so it grabs the ball a bit tighter ? Mine on my UTV trailer is just the opposite, mine grabs the ball so tight it's often hard to push the handle down unless everything is absolutely clean. I keep meaning to back off a tad on that nuts and see if it helps.

 

[lbhsbz]

Is your drawbar just pinned into the hitch or do you have that snugged up?

The tongue pictured is what’s been on every trailer I’ve ever owned and they work fine. Tighten that nut on the bottom to get rid of excessive ball clearance...there has to be some though, and keep it greased.

 

[Nanu/Nanu]

UFP Trailer Buddy CS-50 Trailer Coupler, Raw Weld-On

www.trailerandtruckparts.com

I've had 2 ufp style couplers working on my third and thought they worked well. You may want to try a weld on coupler versus bolt on.

 

[King295]

Your problem is due to weight distribution. You could try lowering or lifting your tow vehicle or you could try a new prop (preferred method due to cost and due the weight being at the back of the boat thus being most effective).

Or drown out the tongue clicking with something better: Better Tongue Clicking

 

[coolchange]

Your problem is due to weight distribution. You could try lowering or lifting your tow vehicle or you could try a new prop (preferred method due to cost and due the weight being at the back of the boat thus being most effective).

Or drown out the tongue clicking with something better: Better Tongue Clicking

LOL, post of the month.

 

[Mototrig]

Maybe tighten the nut on the coupler ?

Does that nut need to be tightened, so it grabs the ball a bit tighter ? Mine on my UTV trailer is just the opposite, mine grabs the ball so tight it's often hard to push the handle down unless everything is absolutely clean. I keep meaning to back off a tad on that nuts and see if it helps.

Is your drawbar just pinned into the hitch or do you have that snugged up?

The tongue pictured is what’s been on every trailer I’ve ever owned and they work fine. Tighten that nut on the bottom to get rid of excessive ball clearance...there has to be some though, and keep it greased.

Seriously?? Is it really that simple to tighten the nut? Geez if that's it I'm going to feel like a dipshit for creating this post.
This is my 5th boat/watercraft trailer but first of this style tongue.

 

[Mototrig]

Your problem is due to weight distribution. You could try lowering or lifting your tow vehicle or you could try a new prop (preferred method due to cost and due the weight being at the back of the boat thus being most effective).

Or drown out the tongue clicking with something better: Better Tongue Clicking

This is priceless LoL
I suppose I deserve it if this is a simple fix

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Insure the fuck out of it

 

[Carlson-jet]

Could be the slop in the receiver if that is what you are using.
I do agree with the tongue weight though.
Might need to shift things. If it is the receiver drill a hole and weld a nut.
That or turn up the radio.. Bad things never happen with the tunes cranked to 11.

 

[LazyLavey]

Sure its not the slop in your receiver?

 

[WYRD]

Stupid question but are you sure you are using the right size ball?

 

[lakemadness]

This is a first world problem right here. The “click” of my boat trailer hauling my custom boat. lol.

 

[02HoWaRd26]

It’s just the nut, behind the wheel, and the one inside the coupler. Make where just too tight to latch, then back it off half a turn. Go around the block should be gone. Then put three pumps of grease up inside there. Good for wear as well gives a small cushion like a micro shock to help any noise as well.

 

[Chili Palmer]

When I bought my boat the trailer was clicking and rattling every time I braked and took off until I took it in to get the trailer serviced. It turns out that my surge brakes weren’t working, the master cylinder had a leak and all the fluid was gone so there was a gap between the trailer hitch ball and the brake actuator. Now it’s just fine.

 

[Taboma]

Seriously?? Is it really that simple to tighten the nut? Geez if that's it I'm going to feel like a dipshit for creating this post.
This is my 5th boat/watercraft trailer but first of this style tongue.

Could be exactly this simple and I think your question is reasonable.
I've had this type of tongue on numerous trailers and this is the first one I've had where it's this hard to push the handle down to latch it. After a good cleaning of ball and inside of coupler, it's much easier, so I'm leaning towards that nut.
I also have one that clicked or clattered, it's my jet ski trailer, it's light on the tongue as another member suggested AND that same handle that requires a lot of effort on my SxS trailer, requires no effort at all on my jet ski trailer. Since it only goes from the garage to the water, I just let it click.

 

[ka0tyk]

Unless its super sloppy I'd be more interested in how loose the receiver is in your hitch and pin. My navigator was pretty bad I had unbolted it from the car, drilled a hole in the top, welded a nut, and tossed a bolt in it that I could tighten down to take out the slop.

 

[Mototrig]

Insure the fuck out of it

I insured the fuck out of it before it hits the 15 towards home

 

[Mototrig]

A lot of people said check the hitch to receiver slop. It's pinned and in there solid. Doesn't click with the other trailers I tow. I guess it's just stupid me, never owned or towed an adjustable draw tongue. The ball is properly sized 2" for the boat. It's only a 21'.

 

[buck35]

Have the wife or a friend rock the truck back and for a couple feet while you stand near and isolate the noise. Only take 2 minutes.

 

[waterhorse]

Is it possibly your surge brakes ? Tongue movement is normal.

 

[sirbob]

Brakes... Thats what id check

 

[Jed-O]

Have you tried licking her from a different angle?
Sorry, from the title, I had to go there.

 

[Mototrig]

The boat trailer doesn't have brakes. I was a little shocked when I went out to look at the boat in Havasu to find this out. It'll probably be something I add in the future though.

 

[Motor Boater]

Unless its super sloppy I'd be more interested in how loose the receiver is in your hitch and pin. My navigator was pretty bad I had unbolted it from the car, drilled a hole in the top, welded a nut, and tossed a bolt in it that I could tighten down to take out the slop.

my new hitch was a little too loose so I ground the paint off the top of the shaft and ran two small beads of weld. Painted it and installed. No more rattle.

 

[Mototrig]

Welp.....I tightened the nut ¾ of a turn before I could no longer draw the latch down. She still clicks. It's actually more of a clunk.
It's not the receiver or the ball. The same thing happens with my truck and my sequoia with two separate hitches on two separate receivers.

The tongue is bolted tight to the trailer, no play in any direction.

 

[buck35]

Have the wife or a friend rock the truck back and for a couple feet while you stand near and isolate the noise. Only take 2 minutes.

Did you try this?

 

[Taboma]

Welp.....I tightened the nut ¾ of a turn before I could no longer draw the latch down. She still clicks. It's actually more of a clunk.
It's not the receiver or the ball. The same thing happens with my truck and my sequoia with two separate hitches on two separate receivers.

The tongue is bolted tight to the trailer, no play in any direction.

OK, so we've moved on from a click to a clunk --- now we're getting somewhere Ever hitch and receiver I've ever owned had a gap, so I've placed some narrow self adhesive fuzzy velcro and that's cured it. Another source of clunk is enlarged pin holes. BUT, with light tongue weight, you're likely to get some clunking.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

If hitch slop is eliminated, maybe look at the trailer suspension? I know when mine gets too dry (no lube on the leaf eye bolts and such) it will pop and creak. It will even do it sometimes going from a stop.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[Mototrig]

So I have 2 things going on here. One vid shows the slop in the tongue (I know we're all children) and the other video clearly shows I have a warn out hitch. So you guys were right about a sloppy hitch . But there's still more to it I think.

And if my wife ever wanted to kill me this was the time to do it. I'm hanging out the back of my Sequoia, all she had to do was punch it and my boat would use me as a speed bump.

 

[LazyLavey]

Reminds me of the70s.......Eckharts used to advertise that their hitches were so tight they did not need a "Secondary Tightening Device"..... A slam aimed at Hitchmasters who used to tap a hole in the bottom of their receiver tube and screw in a 1/2 bolt to tighten up...... Family competition

jus some nostalgia

 

[baja-chris]

Is your receiver pin the right diameter for the hole? I've seen different diameter pins.

 

[buck35]

Sooo,.did you get it figured out? The video didn't work for me.