cruz-in wrote: "If you are lifting the 5th wheel landing gear off the ground, you have it too low."
Why? What harwm does this cause? Seems like it would significantly redcue the chances of "high-hitching". Am I missing something?
More is not always better.
To have it low enough that it actually lifts the landing gear legs off the ground, it would require a pretty hefty amount of force to get the hitch under the pinbox. I've found that if I'm a too low, it just pushes the trailer back rather than lifting the front of the trailer, since the hitch head is at too steep of an angle. If you kept giving it gas, it would probably get in thier eventually but that's where you can wind up slamming pretty hard and potentially doing some damage.
Once you have it low enough to compress the truck springs a little, high hitching shouldn't be a problem.
Another issue is the truck bed rails will sit higher until the springs compress. If you are on uneven ground, your bed rails may hit the overhang before the pin reaches the hitch if you have the pin box too low.
Tammy Mike & the Bilge Rat (AKA: Diego)
Ford F250 7.3L
1997 Sunnybrook 27' 5er
1995 Gemini Sail Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and 5er
Yikes,
I guess just raising and lowering the trailer onto my gooseneck ball has its advantages. And its slow and gentle since the trailer jacks move so sloooow.
Lifting the trailer off the ground with the hitch plate can also place a severe horizontal strain on the landing gear. The hitch plate should be at roughly the same height as the pin plate. A quarter inch high isn't going to cause you to high hitch.
Semi-"retarred" in 2006. :-) 2008 Newmar Cypress 5th wheel, 2008 Dodge diesel dually to pull it with.
Endricken wrote: Yikes,
I guess just raising and lowering the trailer onto my gooseneck ball has its advantages. And its slow and gentle since the trailer jacks move so sloooow.
No worries unless you do something silly, you shouldn't be slamming into the 5th wheel hitch.
I agree, and this is how I've hitched dozens of times, about 1/4 inch high. However, after reading this thread, I'll try the 1/4 inch low method just for giggles.
HOWEVER, something I have ALWAYS done (thanks to this forum, again, you guys are great), I always visually check the pin from behind after hitching using a flashlight. I confirm capture and jaw placement, and confirm full jaw closure (the safety pin goes straight in nicely) before ever removing the roto-chocks.
John Bridge wrote: Lifting the trailer off the ground with the hitch plate can also place a severe horizontal strain on the landing gear. The hitch plate should be at roughly the same height as the pin plate. A quarter inch high isn't going to cause you to high hitch.
When the dealer was teaching me how to connect my fiver, I backed in slowly and the Reese 16K/Sidewinder combo failed to latch. They told me I had to hit it harder. With fear in my heart, I goosed it, bang! and it latched. I still don't like the idea of doing it that way.
2011 F150 Super Crew EcoBoost, Short bed, Max Tow, Truxedo Lo Pro QT, SuperSprings, Bilstein HD shocks, Reese 16K hitch.
2012 Cougar High Country HE 299RKS 5th wheel, Reese Sidewinder pin box
I adjusted my "emergency brake" cable to the a length that is perfect for hooking up.. The brake cable will touch the ground and at the proper height of the hitch in the truck..
Unwrap my e-brake cord.
Lower/raise landing gear so the cable just touches the ground.
Back in truck, Camper is @ perfect height every time.
Wife pushes in the latch. (my latch won't close itself, Reese 16k)
Now back on topic.. People who slam into the pin boxes will be on the forum complaining about frame manufactures and shady welding practices..
FWIW, my hook-up procedure.
Hitch is a Husky 16k with roller and Teflon plate
Back up (after lowering the tailgate) and raise or lower the trailer so that the hitch is abt 1/2" higher than the trailer.
Hook up the trailer power cable.
Back into the hitch slowly with the trailer brake on. When the hitch makes contact ease into it until it latches. THEN holding trailer brake pull forward slightly to confirm hookup. If it isn't hooked up it won't drop in the bed just sit back down on the landing gear. Back up slightly to remove tension and set parking brake. Raise landing gear, remove tire chocks, etc and get ready to move.
The trick to not dropping the trailer in the bed is to make sure you are hooked up before raising the landing gear. Use the trailer brake to keep the trailer from moving and possibly damaging the landing gear.
Clif & Millie
Ozzie half a dog tall and 2 dogs long
2009 Ford F350 SRW CC Lariat 6.4 Diesel
2011 Crossroads Cruiser CF285RL Patriot Edition
57 Panhead wrote: Since I am retired I don't need to be in a hurry about anything. I set the pin plate so that it is the same height as the hitch plate and back in nice and easy. Slides in and hitch jaws close smooth as butter. Gotta love that B&W companion. After seeing some of the problems others have had unhooking again, love that B&W
57 Panhead wrote: Since I am retired I don't need to be in a hurry about anything. I set the pin plate so that it is the same height as the hitch plate and back in nice and easy. Slides in and hitch jaws close smooth as butter. Gotta love that B&W companion. After seeing some of the problems others have had unhooking again, love that B&W
Steve
Steve is absolutely right! B & W no worries.
Mark
2010 Montana 3150. Chevrolet 2006 Duramax 2500 long bed 4x4 Michelin. B & W Companion. Goodyear Marathon Chinese Bombs gone, New B.F. Goodrich Commercial LT. Mark Allen
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