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04-11-2012, 06:30 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Oklahoma panhandle
Posts: 562
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5th hitch
If you guys read my previous post, you know Kitty and I picked up our new 5er March 30. This is my first experience with a 5th wheel hitch. I'm having trouble getting it to hitch and un-hitch. (only did it twice)
By trouble, I mean, getting the king pin to slide in and the hitch to lock. Then getting the release handle to pull out to release the king pin.
Is there a trick to getting determining the correct height to have the trailer? How much weight can be left on the truck?
Any help is appreciated
Shorty
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04-11-2012, 06:49 AM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 85
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I had the same problem when I got my 1st 5er. I greased up all of the hitch parts and pin. Been a piece of cake ever since. Grease is messy however so I switched to a Spray on graphite. Doesn't work quite as well but gets the job done. Good Luck.
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04-11-2012, 08:51 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 19
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Had same issues when I first started unhooking. The dealer made it seem so easy!!
When parking make sure you are as level as possible from left to right. Too much of a slope and it will put some stress on the hitch. I get my unit level and then raise the front landings until you see a quarter inch of light/spacing between the hitch and your king pin. Too much and it will lift the truck, not enough and it will snag your truck. Once you have that gap, I pull my release handle. 9 times out of 10 the truck will just move past the 5th wheel jaws. I move the truck forward and then level unit front to back. In some areas I will also chock the wheels before I release the handle.
Reverse the process going back and ENSURE you do a pull test before raising the front landings all the way. There are trucks all over that have a bent tailgate after the trailer slid off the hitch.
Hope this helps.
__________________
:Flag:
-2011 Jayco 36.5 BHS
-2011 Dodge Ram 3500
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04-11-2012, 09:51 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shorty Cox
If you guys read my previous post, you know Kitty and I picked up our new 5er March 30. This is my first experience with a 5th wheel hitch. I'm having trouble getting it to hitch and un-hitch. (only did it twice)
By trouble, I mean, getting the king pin to slide in and the hitch to lock. Then getting the release handle to pull out to release the king pin.
Is there a trick to getting determining the correct height to have the trailer? How much weight can be left on the truck?
Any help is appreciated
Shorty
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What brand of hitch do you have? I have a Husky 1600 and almost always have a difficult time unhitching. The dealer checked it out and said the hitch is ok. He hooked it up to a rig he had on the lot and had no problem. He said my difficulties are user error:lizard: I am having some success when I make sure that the truck and rig are level right to left...but I sometimes still have trouble. I lift the rig so that there is about 1/4 inch clearance and take front/back stress off the pin by moving the truck either forward or back. I also have been very generous with the graphite spray. All of the tricks and I still have to fight the hitch to get the handle to unlatch the pin. Is it possible that there is a design issue with the Husky hitch? Or is it probably just user error?
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
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04-11-2012, 10:31 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Brandon, FL
Posts: 348
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Sounds like you are doing everything right. Any issues with the pin itself?
__________________
Ken Smith
2016 Heritage Glen 272RLIS
2017 Dodge Ram 2500 6.7 CTD
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04-11-2012, 11:07 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Northern Cal
Posts: 409
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I have the RBW Li'l-Rock'r 15,000lb hitch. When you slide into the pin you release a bar that slides in behind it. The pin is slightly loose so there is some movement and causes biers on the slide bar and this makes it hard to engage and disengage. I have to file the biers off the bar occasionally and I try and keep it greased.
__________________
2012 Jayco Eagle 321RLTS
2008 Dodge Cummins 3500 DW Crew Cab 4x4 6 speed Auto, Exhaust Brake
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04-11-2012, 01:47 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Mesa, AZ.
Posts: 41
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With me wheels chocked, I will back into the king pin until the jaws close. You don't have to baby it.
__________________
AZ T&T
2011 Chevy 2500HD 4WD Duramax
B&W Companion Hitch
2012 Eagle Super Lite 29.5RKs
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04-11-2012, 04:56 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North Idaho/Arizona
Posts: 5,446
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With our old 5er we got better with practice. Don't forget to give it the shake test before driving off.
__________________
2011 Eagle 330RLTS with just about every option.
2017 Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3 with tow package. (no, we don't tow the Jayco with it.)
2018 Surveyor 265RLDS well equipped.
Life in the slow lane is still life.
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04-11-2012, 08:27 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 174
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I never had any problems unhitching the first three times we used it. It has only been the last few times that I have had the problems. That is why I took it back to the dealer for a check. We are going out tomorrow for a three night trip. Hopefully with all of the tricks I have heard about, it will unhitch easily.
__________________
2016 Grey Hawk 29ME
2013 Honda CR-V AWD (Toad)
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04-12-2012, 06:09 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Oklahoma panhandle
Posts: 562
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My in bed hitch is a Reese Pro series 15k. I have the Reese Revolution pin box on the 5er, which means there is a wedge installed at the king pin to prevent it from turning at the hitch. Maybe after a few uses, it will all loosen up and become easer, plus, there is always a learning curve involved.
Thanks to all for your input.
Shorty
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04-12-2012, 07:45 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Lander, Wyoming
Posts: 607
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I noticed with our new FW that left-right level seems to be pretty important. When I am spot-on level, the FW hitches and un-hitches great. However, the other day at the dealer, we were a little off level and it was hard to get it to un-hitch. This is a new FW as we towed our old one for eight years with this hitch so maybe it's just a bit tighter than the old one. Time will tell. I think I will put a little lithium grease on it when we go to pick it up later this week.
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04-13-2012, 10:47 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 58
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Hitchin and Unhitchin
IMHO when hitchin - wheels chocked. Pin box plate 1/2" lower than the center of the receiver plate. King pin within the middle of the V (left to right)
Angle of attack not more than 10 degrees off center if possible.
Unhitchin - wheels chocked. Gear down. Pin box plate just off the receiver plate i.e. no weight on truck. Jaws open. breakaway and power cord disconnected. Tailgate down. Parking brake off. Pull forward. Dont forget where you parked.
It's a whole different story with a Superglide. Also - a checklist might save a drop or a tailgate.
I'm just sayin...
happy trails
__________________
LMB,
Ducky
2003 Designer Legacy 3590RLTS
2011 Bullet 215RBS - Sold
2010 F250SD PSD SRW CC SB
Timbrens, Rand McNally 7710RVND and
Pullrite SuperGlide 2700.
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04-14-2012, 06:51 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: New York
Posts: 2,210
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I have the same 15K Reese Pro hitch. I have not had any issues with hitching or unhitching my unit. I do have the 10" teflon lube plate on my pin too. What I have found to work best for me is when disconnecting coming up till I just see light between the head and king pin. Then I pull the lever and pull ahead. When reconnecting I will line up and lift the trailer 1/4 - 1/2 inch when connecting. If there is too much height you will not hit the jaw right.
I have not have any hangups or issues with releasing the jaw on my unit and I only have added grease to the zurk on the head.
__________________
2014 375 BHFS Eagle Premier
2014 Ram 3500 Longhorn DRW CC
6.7 CTD, Aisin, 4.10's
Yamaha EF3000iSEB
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04-14-2012, 08:04 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Luray, VA (central Shenandoah Valley of VA)
Posts: 1,430
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I use a Reese Signature 16K, with a 10" nylon plate and no grease. The only problem I've ever had was when pulling in, then landing gear down, and handle won't release because of the king pin pressure against the jaws. In that situation, I just back the truck slightly to release the pressure, then the handle comes free immediately. The Reese has enough swivel side to side that leveling is not a problem.
__________________
2003 Ford F-350 V-10 Crew Cab 4WD Long Bed
2004 Jayco Designer Medallion 29 RLTS 5th wheel
Bill, Gayle, Teddy (Jack Russell terrier), and Honey (Beagle)
Retired at last !
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
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