SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING TOWABILITY OF A NON-KINGPIN TRAILER
A non-kingpin trailer can be coupled to a towing vehicle having a towball in the bed of the towing vehicle. For example, the non-kingpin trailer can be coupled to the towing vehicle by installing a trailer coupler system in the bed of the towing vehicle by securing the trailer coupler system to the towball in the bed of the towing vehicle and securing the adapter hitch to the trailer coupler system by inserting the first towball of the trailer coupler system into the towball receptacle of the adapter hitch.
1 . A method of coupling a non-kingpin trailer to a towing vehicle having a towball in the bed of the towing vehicle, the method comprising:
installing a trailer coupler system in the bed of the towing vehicle by securing the trailer coupler system to the towball in the bed of the towing vehicle, the trailer coupler system comprising:
one or more skid plates made from extruded aluminum;
one or more support tubes attached to the skid plates, the support tubes comprising extruded aluminum;
a plurality of struts having a first end attached to the one or more skid plates, the plurality of struts being made from extruded aluminum;
a ball housing attached to a second end of the plurality of struts, the ball housing being made from extruded aluminum;
a first towball positioned within the ball housing, the first towball made from extruded aluminum;
an adapter sleeve attached to the ball housing, the adapter sleeve configured to be secured to a towball in a towing vehicle, the adapter sleeve being made from extruded aluminum; and
a support plate extending from a support tube or skid plate to the adapter sleeve or the ball housing; and
wherein the trailer coupler system weighs less than or equal to about 45 pounds;
installing an adapter hitch on the non-kingpin trailer, the adapter hitch comprising:
a towball interface comprising a housing and a towball receptacle, the towball receptacle comprising a high density polyethylene material, the housing forming a funnel structure above the towball receptacle to facilitate engaging the ball hitch within the towball receptacle;
a mounting sleeve comprising a lumen configured to receive the towball interface and a base plate configured to attach to the king pin box,
wherein the towball interface comprises extruded aluminum; and
securing the adapter hitch to the trailer coupler system by inserting the first towball of the trailer coupler system into the towball receptacle of the adapter hitch.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-kingpin trailer is a horse trailer.