Question from a newbie

[haweinberger]

I have been camping and RVing for years, but new to the fiver.
I have a question. After installing the fifth wheel hitch and initially having some hook up issues, I read the instructions. Grease the hitch, duh....
My question is this, the hitch has to stay lubed. I understand that.
Its in the bed of the truck in the weather, rain, dust, et al.
How come I never see covers on the hitches.
I was going to have my wife make one for me and then I found some on Amazon. ( whats not on amazon )?
I love the cover.
So my question is this, how come I never see the hitches covered.

2017 denali Duramax, lb,cc,drw, 45 gallon auxiliary tank combo tool box
2017 Jayco 37rsts pinnacle. curt 25 Q.

[RetiredLEO]

A hitch cozy?

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by haweinberger

I
How come I never see covers on the hitches.
I was going to have my wife make one for me and then I found some on Amazon. ( whats not on amazon )?
I love the cover.
So my question is this, how come I never see the hitches covered.

No reason to. The jaws are where you really need the grease, use a nylon disc for your hitch plate.

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by haweinberger

I have been camping and RVing for years, but new to the fiver.
I have a question. After installing the fifth wheel hitch and initially having some hook up issues, I read the instructions. Grease the hitch, duh....
My question is this, the hitch has to stay lubed. I understand that.
Its in the bed of the truck in the weather, rain, dust, et al.
How come I never see covers on the hitches.
I was going to have my wife make one for me and then I found some on Amazon. ( whats not on amazon )?
I love the cover.
So my question is this, how come I never see the hitches covered.

2017 denali Duramax, lb,cc,drw, 45 gallon auxiliary tank combo tool box
2017 Jayco 37rsts pinnacle. curt 25 Q.

My hitch is always covered except when towing naturally. I have a tri-fold tonneau cover that is always on the truck (long bed). As soon as I unhitch I fold the cover over the complete bed. Very easy to do. I would never use grease on the plate itself, just the jaws & kingpin. I use spray on white lithium grease which is not as messy and forms a nice coating. And like Grumpy suggest a nylon or teflon impregnated disc.

[Jim Smyth]

My truck bed has a Lo-Pro cover. Hitch is always covered unless I am towing.

[2nOZ]

I use a Teflon disk on the plate when towing. Otherwise the truck has a roll-n-lock cover that covers the bed when not in use.

[norty1]

Use the nylon lube plate, not grease or grime to mess you up. Lube the moving parts inside .

No gobs of grease like on commercial trucks. My nylon plate has lasted thru 2 fifth wheels and over 10 years. Never been covered.

[vcbice]

Ditto. And my hitches stayed out in the elements most of the time. Those nylon plates work wonders (UHMW).

If you have one of the auto sliders then you might want to cover or at least clean/lube before a trip.

[RetiredLEO]

Originally Posted by norty1

Use the nylon lube plate, not grease or grime to mess you up. Lube the moving parts inside .

No gobs of grease like on commercial trucks. My nylon plate has lasted thru 2 fifth wheels and over 10 years. Never been covered.

Man, that brings back memories from many years ago when I drove semi's. Did a lot of city work involving hooking/unhooking trailers............I would inevitably get my arm/sleeve into that wonderful goo they call 5th wheel grease.

Those were great days though

[jamer]

message to: 2nOZ you have the identical credits as mine. Small world!

[norty1]

Just to be clear, my hitch gets maintenance.

Regular inspections, internal parts lubed with silicone and the external parts repainted as needed with black rustoleom paint.

I have never has a problem with it or the one before, 15k) except a small spring that was defective when new. Hitch installer replaced it while I waited.

[ETCrockett]

I have had my hitch in the bed of the truck now for almost 2 years and no rust at all. When not towing, the hitch is always covered with the tonneau cover on the bed. I use a 10-inch lube plate, lithium grease on jaws and the rubber pivot bushings. No issues so far. I thought about one of those Amazon covers (even have it in my Wish List) but decided it would just be something else to climb in the bed and fool with. I can rollout the tonneau cover in less than a minute.

[artoo93]

I use a cover on my Reese hitch when I have it out of my truck for extended periods of time. I used to have a tonneau cover on my Ford but with my headache rack, tool box, and fifth wheel gate on my Dodge a tonneau seems pointless right now (too many openings for water entry). I also use a lube plate and it is so nice not to worry about bumping the hitch and getting coated in grease! I do enough of that on my own!!

[DavidJay]

Originally Posted by jamer

message to: 2nOZ you have the identical credits as mine. Small world!

Too bad you guys bought the wrong truck...

[bgelyhome]

I have the Pullrite SuperGlide 2900 Hitch which is a slider hitch. Since it has moving parts, I use a hitch cover whenever I am not towing.

[CHV_FRK]

I have an air safe and I use a full roll up tonneu cover all the time.

[Tdbrwn]

We have a Superglide hitch in our Chevy 3/4 ton. I got a 'universal' 5th wheel hitch cover from Amazon. About $25.00 and I have it covering the hitch all time we aren't towing, including trips.
It is heavy vinyl with a cut out for the lock arm and is cushioned inside to not scuff on the hitch. I wasn't sure it would fit the entire slide area but it fits fine. I use a long flat bungee cord across the cover to ensure it won't blow off. The cover does have short bungee connectors on each corner but I wanted to make sure it would stay on.
It keeps rain, dirt, etc off the hitch and slide rails. I'd buy it again if need be!

[JKnox8688]

When we got our 5er we looked at all the hitch’s that could be removed from the bed of the truck. The RV store recommended an Anderson hitch. It is great maintenance, there really isn’t. If I leave it connected to the truck the tonono covers it up. Or just release from the truck’s bed ball. We have a lot of wind here in ND, it keeps the rig strains and the wind doesn’t cause any issues. That’s my recommendation, an Anderson Hitch

[sail154]

I have a power retractable bed cover for my Ram 3500. When I am not towing my bed and the hitch remains covered. The retractable cover makes it easy. As far as lubrication, easy glide hitch recommends using WD 40 as the lubricant.

[2nOZ]

Originally Posted by jamer

message to: 2nOZ you have the identical credits as mine. Small world!

Awesome!