5th wheel popped out of hitch

Cummins12V98 wrote:

bfast54 wrote:

Hannibal wrote:


If the latch isn't down and secured, a turn "can" walk the jaws open and release the trailer.


The Reese two jaw hitch is one of the best and most popular on the market. Probably why there are more reports of user error than other heavy, over priced, bulky, downright ugly, less popular gimmick hitches.

Hmmmmm Very Interesting....I used to have a REESE HITCH....Nothing but Problems...I have Hauled MANY TRAILERS. (One of the guys that Haul trailers Cross country for Manufacturers)...

Since I switched to THE"" Heavy overpriced -Bulky-downright ugly -Less popular -Gimmick Hitches"" (B&W ,U.S.A. MADE -COMPANION)
Smooth as Silk, and Darn NEAR IMPOSSIBLE to do it wrong.:W

So.....lets look at facts...The "Most Popular" Reese, can MALFUNCTION.. unless you do it ABSOLUTLY CORRECT ---in a CERTAIN WAY. EVERY TIME.:E:E


While the "Heavy overpriced bulky downright ugly less popular gimmick hitch.."--has an almost ZERO failure rate, for even the most Novice user.:W


Yup.....Cannot Imagine why ANYONE would want the ALLMOST ZERO FAILURE hitch:h

Careful you will be called out for being a "FanBoy", or several other things!

Notice my sig? "HeavyWeight" B&W that is for the whiners.

Bashing?

Having fun? YES

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Pholman90 wrote:
He hitched back up and brought back to campsite. We drove into town and had a hitch guy look at. He said there was too much play and would not recommend putting the trailer back on. Also questioned the washers. I can't figure how to download a picture. So we drove to the dealer. I have pictures they gave us a new hitch this one has three washer. I asked them about the washers they didn't have an answer.

"RV.NET: Photo Upload & Post"

Go to this site it's real easy to download pics from your computer. Even use for other sites.

Trying to be helpful

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I am not saying there is a problem with ALL REESE hitches just the style shown above. I believe Valley has a similar model also and I have seen those with bed damage too.

???

This is my 13 year old hitch now on its second truck and 5er. I always hook up with leaver in closed position so I can hear it snap shut. I never pull without the locking tab pinned in place. I always to a pull test to check the hitch and continuity between the brakes and controller. It has two washers between the lock tab and head. Never had a problem with it.

RustyJC wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
Jeez fanboyz ..how about giving it a break. You constant bash the brand replies doesn't help the OP with his issue.

You're off base on this one, Jim. I shared my direct experience with both Reese and B&W hitches. No cheerleading, no bashing, just facts....

Rusty

And it seems it does not carry any weight, that many others have had a great experience with Reese, and have no desire to get a B&W. It is just the continual shove it down your throat B&W ,is gets tiresome.Basically what a couple of you are saying DON'T get Reese because I had issues, but the other thousands that don't have issues don't count here.

MFL wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:
Basically if you do not have a Ram with a B&W hitch pulling a Mobile Suites trailer then all you have is junk.

I think you're really going to have to struggle to get that out of my post. All I stated is my personal experience with both Reese and B&W Companion 5th wheel hitches - I never said that anyone else's truck, trailer or hitch are junk.

Rusty

I think the statement made was uncalled for! I am not sure if it was directed at Rusty, or Ron, but no matter. Both of these fellows are helpful, and offer good advice.

Some forum members may be more outspoken than others, but everyone is entitled to their opinion, that is what a forum is for. We don't have to agree, but we can be respectful of other members opinions.

Jerry

Thank you I appreciate that!

bpounds wrote:

0rion wrote:
don't kill me but I have trouble seeing the need for a pull test. When I first got the trailer I did one every time but it always felt like a waste of motion. If I look under the back of the hitch, which I do every time, and see the jaws (which I painted) closed behind the pin and the latch fits into place I see no reason to do the pull test. Maybe I'm missing something and it'll bite me at some point but the way I hook up I just see no way for that trailer to drop out of the hitch unless you're high hitched or the jaws didn't close all the way around the hitch which you should immediately notice when you look into the back of the hitch. I always have the hitch lift the trailer up a touch when hitching so even a high hitch seems almost impossible to me with the way I hook up. Maybe I'm missing something.

Maybe if we called it a "brake test", it would make more sense.

That is one test along with lights that I always do. If I can't see it I don't trust it.

laknox wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

RustyJC wrote:
OK, one more fan boy here. Yes, I've dropped a trailer using a Reese - several times during a pull test, so fortunately the landing legs were still extended and prevented any bed rail damage.

I switched over to the B&W Companion in September 2001 and have never had a bad hitch on a 5th wheel trailer since. BTW, I'm still using the original Companion hitch head that I bought in 2001.

Maybe that's why I'm a B&W fan boy......

Rusty

I am a "fan boy" also and for good reason.

Count me in, too. I'm also the first to admit that the only other in-bed hitch I had was a POS "folding ball" for our GN trailer. After the first 6 months, we had to almost always crawl underneath the truck to pound the ball back up because it would get hung up with dirt and general junk from being a farm truck. When I got the FW, I needed both the GN and the FW hitches, and I wanted a clean bed. There really was only 1 decent option in 2004, and that was B&W. Given the excellent service I've had from the company on the very few times I've needed to call them, I'm 99% impressed with them. The =only= issue I've had with one of their products, is the "tilt spring" that is supposed to level out the hitch head when it's in the unlocked position, since it wants to tilt forward. It works...sort of. I've left it on, but I ended up just putting a bungee cord back on, looped over the back of the big bolt and hooked to unused holes in the side plates. It was free, so NBD... (shrug)

Lyle

I have the springs on my new one and they seem to work OK did not have them ion the last one and it was not a big deal to me. My Dad does the bungee with his Companion.

MFL wrote:

RustyJC wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:
Basically if you do not have a Ram with a B&W hitch pulling a Mobile Suites trailer then all you have is junk.

I think you're really going to have to struggle to get that out of my post. All I stated is my personal experience with both Reese and B&W Companion 5th wheel hitches - I never said that anyone else's truck, trailer or hitch are junk.

Rusty

I think the statement made was uncalled for! I am not sure if it was directed at Rusty, or Ron, but no matter. Both of these fellows are helpful, and offer good advice.

Some forum members may be more outspoken than others, but everyone is entitled to their opinion, that is what a forum is for. We don't have to agree, but we can be respectful of other members opinions.

Jerry

I agree a 100 percent, but when they start bashing other products that they have no working knowledge, and base the bashing off of their campground surveys it needs to stop .

State everything you have is the best, and just leave it at that .


Its unbelievable all the bashing they come up with just the Andersen hitch, and have never towed a foot with it ,just to promote a B&W hitch. This is all after hearing all the positives from someone who actually tows with an Andersen. So you can think they are helpful, and they sure could be if they left off the bashing.

0rion wrote:
don't kill me but I have trouble seeing the need for a pull test. When I first got the trailer I did one every time but it always felt like a waste of motion. If I look under the back of the hitch, which I do every time, and see the jaws (which I painted) closed behind the pin and the latch fits into place I see no reason to do the pull test. Maybe I'm missing something and it'll bite me at some point but the way I hook up I just see no way for that trailer to drop out of the hitch unless you're high hitched or the jaws didn't close all the way around the hitch which you should immediately notice when you look into the back of the hitch. I always have the hitch lift the trailer up a touch when hitching so even a high hitch seems almost impossible to me with the way I hook up. Maybe I'm missing something.

You are not missing a darn thing, what you do have that is not missing is commonsense.

Now don't go jumping me for my statement, if you choose to do a pull/brake test that's fine I did one with the hitch I used to have and would still today if I did not 100% trust the hitch.