Unhooking FW

eow · 07-15-2019, 08:16 AM

Although the few times I have unhooked our FW went smoothly, I have not come up with a procedure I am confident with.

I have been unloading the king pin by raising the landing gear. How do you know when it has been unloaded enough?

**JFlightRisk** · 07-15-2019, 08:26 AM

I watched my FIL hook up, and unhook his many times, and when he saw the plate just start to move, that's when he'd pull the latch and pull the truck out.

We don't have a 5er, so I'm hoping someone else chimes in.

eow · 07-15-2019, 08:27 AM

That is what I have been watching for but find it is not always obvious.
Thanks for the insight.

georam1 · 07-15-2019, 08:33 AM

What Jayflightrisk said about it. I have been RVing with a fifth wheel for 12 years now. I just look for the gap between the hitch and the pin plate to appear then pull the handle.

eow · 07-15-2019, 08:37 AM

Thanks for that.

What might be complicating things for me is that I am unhooking at home on a 5 degree sloped driveway so king pin is tight to the front of the receiver plate.

TxLoser · 07-15-2019, 08:50 AM

I’ve been doing it wrong maybe. I’ve always just raised the front end till I’ve unloaded some weight on the truck. Watching the back end rise. Pull the handle and pin it. Then slowly pull out. If I can’t actuate the handle, it needs to come up a little more.

oldmanAZ · 07-15-2019, 08:54 AM

Although it has been a while...
I watched my truck leaf springs as the landing gear raised the trailer. When the weight was off the receiver plate, the springs didn't change as the trailer went up.

DonaandDon · 07-15-2019, 03:37 PM

I agree with the lift a little weight off the hitch and then pull the lever. If it won't pull then back up a touch and try to pull the lever again. It works for me.

dkegel · 07-16-2019, 09:41 AM

As others have mentioned, raise the 5th wheel until there is a small gap between the hitch and the pin plate. Then pull the lever.

Dave

Screwby · 07-16-2019, 09:49 AM

I also raise it until there is daylight. That way I know 100% that the front landing gear has all the weight before I pull away. I’ve seen what happens when people thought the landing gear was holding the front and it ain’t pretty.

MikeNChelle · 07-16-2019, 10:59 AM

Chock your tires so you can take off some of the 5% pressure on the plate by pulling forward a smidge. Then raise the front off the hitch until you can see light between the plate. Unhitch will be easier and less stressful when you know the trailer isn't going to roll down the driveway

BeachRetreat · 07-16-2019, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeNChelle

Chock your tires so you can take off some of the 5% pressure on the plate by pulling forward a smidge. Then raise the front off the hitch until you can see light between the plate. Unhitch will be easier and less stressful when you know the trailer isn't going to roll down the driveway

What he said. For that grade, I'd invest in a pair of good rubber chocks.

AKRUEBBE · 07-16-2019, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachRetreat

What he said. For that grade, I'd invest in a pair of good rubber chocks.

I agree, I have a set of rubber chocks and they hold big time on any surface!

eow · 07-16-2019, 06:30 PM

Quality rubber chocks have already been taken care of. I also cable each pair of wheels to each other on each side before unhitching, just to be sure.

Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

eow · 07-17-2019, 06:24 AM

This is how I have been securing the FW on our driveway:

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DamonBecky · 07-20-2019, 02:09 PM

If on just a slight slope (as at home or in some sites) I park FW, chock tires well, put Tow V in neutral, then raise front till I see gap appear between pin and plate. If lever pulls I'm good to unplug and pull away. If lever is still stuck, may have wife bump forward in TV just a bit.
Depends on which way slope is.
Trickier of course on steeper slopes.

OldSoldier_5 · 07-20-2019, 02:25 PM

Agree. I raise the rig JUST until I can see space between pin-plate and the hitch. If disconnect handle will not open hitch then there is pressure either forward or rearward in the pin. Put tow vehicle in neutral just long enough to relieve pressure. Should open easily.

rthibodaux · 07-20-2019, 02:30 PM

If I find the handle is hard to pull,, I put the truck in neutral and release the tension

Fruit Creek · 07-20-2019, 04:24 PM

We also unhitch on an upslope. After I raise the FW enough to produce a small gap between plates, I pull forward just enough to unload the king pin, then the lever pulls out easily. The PU moves not even an inch to do this.

Mad5581 · 07-21-2019, 01:44 AM

Here is my 15 years as a professional truck driver. First off most of you are doing this wrong. If you lift any weight of your truck you are maxing out your landing gear. This will in time create issues with your landing gear. And it can also cause damage when re-hitching. So you know how your 5thwheel will tilt back a few degrees (if it doesn't it should) this not only allows you to go up and down hills it also make your 5thwheel a wedge. So once your chocked you lower the landing gear until both legs are firmly on the ground hold the button a second or so longer. Then release the hitch and pull out until your kingpin is out of the jaws and the rv has pivoted the 5thwheel plate back slightly. Then stop get out and raise the rv until it's just slightly off the 5thwheel hitch. This allows you when re-hitching to actually take some weight off the landing gear before you hook up. If you dont do this it can bend and bind your landing gear and makes the electric motors work harder to retract.

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