Tow hitch not going low enough - what am I doing wrong?

[Muddy unicorn]

I tow a 403 single trailer with a Mercedes e-class estate. The last time I hitched up I couldn’t get the hitch low enough for the tow ball and only got it on there by jiggling it around and loosening the jockey wheel which dropped it down a bit. It’s been fine up until then (had trailer for 14 months) - it was as if I’d run out of thread on the handle (sorry there’s probably a technical term for that!). Any ideas why and how I can fix it please?

 

[Keith_Beef]

Does this model have auto-levelling suspension? If you had no trouble in the past, but are having trouble now, maybe the rear suspension has dropped a bit lower than it was.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Yes ... it does - any ideas how to fix this?

 

[Keith_Beef]

I don't know how to fix it, but this video or this one might help, otherwise a search on Google might help you out.

 

[scruffyponies]

Usually when this happens it's just that you've parked the trailer on a slight hillock, and it's pointing slightly skywards relative to the car. Sadly this isn't obvious when you unhitch, only when you come to try to get it back on, and results in much jumping around on the drawbar and fruity language.

 

[[59668]]

I had this!!!
What fixed it for me was....
When you are hitched up and you loosen the lever thing and pull the jockey wheel up and secure it, make sure that you then wind the wheel up as high as it will go using the handle, (with the jockey wheel secured in the position you have it in when you are towing)....it sort of resets it and gives you more range again.
Hope that makes sense!!!

 

[Leo Walker]

I have to hitch mine up on a downhill slope. I just sit on the drawbar until it drops. I'd probably want it servicing if its a new thing though!

 

[Muddy unicorn]

Usually when this happens it's just that you've parked the trailer on a slight hillock, and it's pointing slightly skywards relative to the car. Sadly this isn't obvious when you unhitch, only when you come to try to get it back on, and results in much jumping around on the drawbar and fruity language.

? I was trying my best not to swear ... the yard driveway is very bumpy now (has got worse over winter) so it’s hard to tell which bits are up and which are down ...

 

[Muddy unicorn]

I had this!!!
What fixed it for me was....
When you are hitched up and you loosen the lever thing and pull the jockey wheel up and secure it, make sure that you then wind the wheel up as high as it will go using the handle, (with the jockey wheel secured in the position you have it in when you are towing)....it sort of resets it and gives you more range again.
Hope that makes sense!!!

Ooh thank you, I’ll give that a go ??

 

[Farmer Chalk]

Make sure you only release the jockey wheel lever when the car is hitched on the tow ball otherwise the trailer hitch will slam to the ground and may cause injury... they are also very heavy and the only way you”ll be able to lift it off the ground will be with a jack!

 

[Goldenstar]

Can you set the air suspension to different heights , you can in my car I often have to raise the suspension to hitch up.

 

[holeymoley]

Sounds like it’s possibly been threaded. I done it once and dropped the whole front but somehow managed to lift it and thread it back up. Just make sure you have enough length of jockey wheel when you’re lifting it up and down. Always set it a bit higher once you’ve uncoupled incase of any sinking.