What's going on with "Lock n Roll" hitches?

[Ted_Z]

I called Great Lakes Forge this morning to order up one of their "Lock n Roll" hitch/coupler set up and was told it would be a few weeks before they would be available again. The gentleman on the other end of the phone said something about "engineering changes".

Does anyone know what changes are in the works? I'm bummed because I am heading out on a trip next week and was thinking of shaking down my new trailer. There's always the Max coupler, but I don't have a receiver tube on the front of my trailer.

-Ted

 

[Atoyot1031]

From what I gather they are redisgning their hitches. Somehow they are moving the 360' rotational axis onto the vehicle side which will eliminate the problem with the hitches getting knotted up and twisting.

I've been waiting on my replacement for over 5 weeks now, so if I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath...

 

[tdesanto]

call up AT and get their Max Coupler.

They went to this style after the Lock-n-Roll a while back.

 

[Titanpat57]

Second that!! The Max Coupler is some amazing workmanship...I ordered one a few weeks ago. Nice product, fairly priced, and made right here in the good ol' US of A.

Can't go wrong, good luck

Pat

 

[Borrego60]

Had mine on my Horizon for a year now,no slop or problems yet. Easy to hookup and a great product.

 

[TheMike]

I knotted up mine last year on the Hole in the Rock trail. Had another one overnighted to me from AT. Long story short, keep in mind this was last May (09), I spoke at great length to the guys at Great Lakes Forge (many times) right after I got home. They were insistant they would have replaced the mangled one for free had I called them for a replacement. Anywho, they were more than willing to send me one of the "new designed" units for free when it was done. At the time is was a month or two away.

Here it is now a year later and still nothing. Since then I have moved on to AT's Max Coupler and thus far it has been perfect. I now have the LnR as the trail spare.

My only critism on the Max Coupler is it takes precision to match the trailer and rig up. No biggie but after using the LnR for 2 years I got spoiled with the ease of hooking it up. I got off topis, sorry.

 

[brentbba]

I tweaked my lock n roll coupler on my first outing with a new to me M101 that came with one. It's not mangled by any means, but the trailer coupler is definetly bent. The M101 is not that big a trailer and while it had some wood and gear in it, it was not overloaded.

What is Great Lake Forge's return/replace policy? I'm unfortunately the 2nd owner of this trailer/coupler, so I have no receipt for the purchase of the coupler. Probably SOL if it get's worse.

 

[ExpoMike]

Curious, what are you guys doing to bend/tweak a LnR?

 

[elmo_4_vt]

If you get the trailer more than say 70deg to the tow vehical, the Lock-n-Roll will bind when straightening back out... Here is a crude video of it. Luckily I saw what was happening when I first put it on, and if I turn the trailer more than 70 or so degrees to the truck, I will put the tongue jack wheel down until I straighten out so that the trailer tongue doesn't mis-align.



Don

-

 

[gasman]

whats wrong with a pintle hitch? im sure its happened but, i havnt seen one of those screw up yet..

 

[cowboy4x4]

I've had my LnR for over a year now and have backed up the trailer to 90 degrees and then pulled away with no problems. I dont quite know/understand how it droops in that video but I'm going to go out tomorrow and see if mine does that. I did notice that the hitch in the vid is mounted on an upside down hitch though. Mine is not dont know if that matters.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

whats wrong with a pintle hitch? im sure its happened but, i havnt seen one of those screw up yet..

Aren't they really noisy?

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: You have to LEARN to drive your vehicle OFF-ROAD, so you LEARN to drive with a trailer

Your elbow won't bend past point X, so why try

My Lock & Roll is over 2 years old and I tow a light trailer, which is probably why, when I've been in a backup, "Crunch" predicament--I unhock the trailer and moveit

I can sympathize a little with heavier tow-ers and the Lock & Roll, but if you don't back the trailer correctly--it doesn't matter what your hitch is !!

Now I'm not comparing out-of-country, expedition use to ordinary off-road

:costumed-smiley-007:wings: JIMBO

 

[adventureduo]

We've been using our LockNRoll for years now and i've never bent it. It's rated for much more than what we are all using it for. I dont think i've ever had to back up into jack knifing before, maybe thats how are has survived so long.

Good luck getting the parts ... thats one of the reasons why AT doesnt sell the Lock N Roll hardly anymore. It takes too long to get stuff from them. They're too busy with government/military jobs to get civilian orders out in a timely manor.

 

[gasman]

Aren't they really noisy?

the answer is yes.. sometimes.. when in town and on the highway i dont notice it, when i am on the trail it bumps and clangs pretty good.. but then again i drive a jeep..(read tractor) its old and loud.. i cant hear my radio, unless im in town,