After seeing the post "Bad Day" it made me wonder how people hitch and unhitch their 5er. I always make sure the rig is higher by just a bit than the hitch. Maybe a 1/4 to 1/2" and then back the truck under it and lower the rig down on to the truck. I do the same when unhitching. I lift the trailer off the truck,after dropping the landing gear and double checking them to make sure the pins are engaged. Raise the trailer just off the hitch so I can see light between the hitch and rig and slowly pull away. So far So good although I have almost torn off the tail gate a couple of time becuase of fogetting to lower it.I am wondering what other people do. I just figure if I knnow the trailer is on the truck or off the truck I wont have it drop.

I have king pin plate 1/2" lower than hitch plate and back into it so that pin box slides up and into hitch.........NO chance of 'high hitching' which can happen when lowering it onto hitch.Unhitching.....I raise king pin until there is slight daylight between the two plates. That way when I drive out no strain placed on front landing gear legs.BUT the first thing I do is chock wheels.Chocks.....FIRST thing ON--------LAST thing OFF

Old-Biscuit wrote:I have king pin plate 1/2" lower than hitch plate and back into it so that pin box slides up and into hitch.........NO chance of 'high hitching' which can happen when lowering it onto hitch.Unhitching.....I raise king pin until there is slight daylight between the two plates. That way when I drive out no strain placed on front landing gear legs.BUT the first thing I do is chock wheels.Chocks.....FIRST thing ON--------LAST thing OFFX2

Old-Biscuit wrote:I have king pin plate 1/2" lower than hitch plate and back into it so that pin box slides up and into hitch.........NO chance of 'high hitching' which can happen when lowering it onto hitch.Unhitching.....I raise king pin until there is slight daylight between the two plates. That way when I drive out no strain placed on front landing gear legs.BUT the first thing I do is chock wheels.Chocks.....FIRST thing ON--------LAST thing OFFX2Not letting the pin ride up onto the plate will cause high hitching. I also let the pin open the jaws too.

Old-Biscuit wrote:I have king pin plate 1/2" lower than hitch plate and back into it so that pin box slides up and into hitch.........NO chance of 'high hitching' which can happen when lowering it onto hitch.Unhitching.....I raise king pin until there is slight daylight between the two plates. That way when I drive out no strain placed on front landing gear legs.BUT the first thing I do is chock wheels.Chocks.....FIRST thing ON--------LAST thing OFFx3, exactly the way i do it

Hitch/Unhitch | Good Sam Community

24 Replies

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Mar 18, 2014
dapperdan wrote:
lakeside013104 wrote:
Old-Biscuit's method works for me. The only thing I would add is: Pay attention, no distractions, double check each step, and most importantly, DO NOT hurry.

Lakeside

I totally agree with these statements!! We were in West Yellowstone MT last fall, the guy next to us struck up a conversation with me while I started wrap things up so we could get moving. I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing and I pulled away with one of the BAL X chocks still between the wheels!!
You have to really PAY ATTENTION to what you're doing or bad things can happen. Luckily for us there wasn't any damage to the tires or the chock. I try to stick with a routine both setting up and breaking down but last September I let myself get a little distracted.

Dan

I stop what I'm doing, engage in a little conversation then state "Well best get back to what I was doing, nice talking with you. Have a nice day" Then I START all over.
dapperdan
Explorer
Mar 18, 2014
lakeside013104 wrote:
Old-Biscuit's method works for me. The only thing I would add is: Pay attention, no distractions, double check each step, and most importantly, DO NOT hurry.

Lakeside

I totally agree with these statements!! We were in West Yellowstone MT last fall, the guy next to us struck up a conversation with me while I started wrap things up so we could get moving. I wasn't paying enough attention to what I was doing and I pulled away with one of the BAL X chocks still between the wheels!!
You have to really PAY ATTENTION to what you're doing or bad things can happen. Luckily for us there wasn't any damage to the tires or the chock. I try to stick with a routine both setting up and breaking down but last September I let myself get a little distracted.

Dan
jnharley
Explorer
Mar 18, 2014
We have a companion storage box in the rear of the truck and have to make sure to clear that when hitching/unhitching but our procedures are pretty much the same as everyone else. We do have the BigFoot system and we are able to raise the rear legs and adjust the front for hitching with just one touch of a button. Very handy.
ependydad
Explorer
Mar 18, 2014
laknox wrote:
Most hitch instructions I've read all say to let the king pin ride up the hitch while hooking up, and compress the truck's springs just a touch. Main reason for this is to prevent high-hitching (not that it's possible to high-hitch a B&W Companion). When I unhitch, I get level, chock the wheels, drop the gear, make sure the snap-pins are locked in place on the landing gear, raise the FW until the motor starts to strain, open the hitch jaws, drop the tailgate and pull forward. The truck will usually raise about 1/2-1" as I slip out from under the pin, but the vast majority of the weight is already on the legs. The jaws on my Companion are tight enough that it's nearly impossible to see daylight between the hitch and the pin box and I really don't want the landing gear motor lifting much, if any, of the truck's weight.

Lyle

Lyle, if I get low enough- I can see the king pin separate from the coupler. Then, to make sure I'm not lifting the truck- I watch the bottom of the pin and the jaws. There is a sweet spot where the king pin isn't pressing on the truck at all.

Otherwise, for the OP- I wrote up my Hitching and Unhitching Steps for my 5th wheel.
rhagfo
Explorer III
Mar 18, 2014
Lurker52 wrote:
I also have a super glide and have found that mine binds at times so the lever will not release. I can raise the trailer of the hitch but the lever won't release. When ths happens I move the truck back a hair and DW releases the hitch onece the pressure is off of it. The trailer does not move during this proceedure. As for hitching and letting the trailer ride up on to the hitch I think that puts undo stress on the trailer. By raising it just above the hitch I slide it into the hitch and lower it onto the truck. Never had a high hitch problem. I always check the jaw to verify it is hitched properly and do a tug test. I also have a Blue OX to catch it if something happens.

WOW, you will soon have a "BAD DAY". :S

#1. The slight lifting of the pin by the hitch puts no more stress on the hitch or trailer than towing!!!

#2 Every manufacture warns against "LOWERING" the pin into the hitch, fastest way to High Hitch and drop the fiver on your truck!! Good thing you have a Blue Ox!!!

VTLee wrote:
wkswenson wrote:
Reese has released a good video on general 5th wheel hook-ups.

Video

I just watched the video and the pin in the leg does not engage when he goes to unhook. I wished that it showed the truck driving out. It would have been entertaining.

He did state that he lifted the 5er, but I sure would not trust the pins to engage while lifting! I lift the foot to the next hole and double check to be sure the pin is fully seated!!

I also never lift the 5er clear of the plate, only enough to take most of the weight off, then slide out.
Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Mar 18, 2014
VTLee wrote:
wkswenson wrote:
Reese has released a good video on general 5th wheel hook-ups.

Video

I just watched the video and the pin in the leg does not engage when he goes to unhook. I wished that it showed the truck driving out. It would have been entertaining.

I also could not believe that such an unbelievable thing as leaving the landing gear unpinned could slip by all the "experts" :S
Water-Bug
Explorer II
Mar 18, 2014
Nobody has mentioned it but in addition to chocking the trailer wheels I also manually lock-up the trailer brakes with the brake controller, when hitching and unhitching. That means that I plug in the ambilical befor hitching and when unhitching leave it plugged in until the pinbox is clear of the hitch. I know that the trailer brakes won't fully lock up unless the trailer moves but it won't move very far.
VTLee
Explorer
Mar 18, 2014
wkswenson wrote:
Reese has released a good video on general 5th wheel hook-ups.

Video

I just watched the video and the pin in the leg does not engage when he goes to unhook. I wished that it showed the truck driving out. It would have been entertaining.
wkswenson
Explorer
Mar 18, 2014
Reese has released a good video on general 5th wheel hook-ups.

Video
Traveler_II
Explorer
Mar 17, 2014
Lurker52 wrote:
After seeing the post "Bad Day" it made me wonder how people hitch and unhitch their 5er. I always make sure the rig is higher by just a bit than the hitch. Maybe a 1/4 to 1/2" and then back the truck under it and lower the rig down on to the truck. I do the same when unhitching. I lift the trailer off the truck,after dropping the landing gear and double checking them to make sure the pins are engaged. Raise the trailer just off the hitch so I can see light between the hitch and rig and slowly pull away. So far So good although I have almost torn off the tail gate a couple of time becuase of fogetting to lower it.

I am wondering what other people do. I just figure if I know the trailer is on the truck or off the truck I wont have it drop.

I do it your way, the main reason is I have an air hitch and this compresses the air bags by doing it this way.