Accidental uncoupling - dropping a trailer -

06Fargo wrote:
I searched.

I see lots of posts about accidentally uncoupling ("dropping") 5th wheel trailers, various equipment designed to "catch" an uncoupled trailer etc.

I have a B&M Companion RV 5th wheel because the truck had the B&M Turnover Ball goose neck hitch on it.

I've looked that 5th wheel over - when you are backed in and the handle is swung into lock position and pinned, I don't see how it can unintentionally uncouple. The jaws look like a heavy duty truck 5th wheel. The handle will not move to the "locked" position if the pin is high or not fully in the jaws...

I've only been exposed to this one RV fifth wheel. Are other RV 5th wheels ("5th wheel hitches") designed differently?

I had a Companion hitch as well when we had a fifth wheel. As you are likely aware, the locking handle on the Companion leaves little/no doubt if the kingpin is properly seated in the jaws; the handle moves easily to the locked position or it doesn't. If you find you really have to put some "oomph" into moving the locking handle to the locked position, it may well be the the kingpin is seated "high" in the jaws. I did this a couple times before I recognized the "symptoms". Unlocking and adjusting the kingpin height or uncoupling and adjusting kingpin height always remedied the problem. That's what I liked about the Companion. If the kingpin height relative to the hitch jaw was right, when you backed in to the the kingpin, the locking handle all but fully moved into locked position by itself, requiring only a little push to fully lock it and insert the pin or padlock into the handle.

Yes, other hitches have different locking designs. Some employ a slide bar that moves into position behind the kingpin, some use a 'J' shaped mechanism that 'hooks' the kingpin, and some like the Companion employ the 'clamshell' style jaws that completely encircle the kingpin.