Problem with B&W Hitch

If I remember right, you made your step. I like it. If I could buy a bolt on step like that, I would be interested.

"I will say, with a dually it is a pain to reach far enough to get the pin in the other hole. It would be a big improvement to have an easier method to lock/unlock the coupler arm. "

Never have used the other hole to pin the handle open. This step will make it much easier.

Learjet wrote:

wallaceb wrote:
Update: I went through all the motions again and raised the camper a little bit more, had the DW hold the release bar full open and this time it finally released. I dropped and reattached three times to be sure and then drove to a B&W dealer and had them give it the once over. They said it is good to go and sometimes "it just happens" so ALL IS GOOD !! Thank you all for your help. Travel save and travel far.

So you never took the release arm locking pin and placed it in the hole that keeps the arm open...like i suggested before?

From the B&W manual:

"Lower landing gear and block the trailer wheels.
Raise the trailer until the tongue weight is removed
from the truck. Then, unpin the Coupler handle and
rotate to the open position to unlatch the jaws. If the
jaws do not open, readjusting the landing gear may
relieve pressure and allow them to open. Use the
safety pin to lock the handle in the open position and
when you are sure that the landing gear will support
the trailer, move the truck forward to release the
jaws from the kingpin. The jaws will always open
when the pressure of the trailer is taken off the
coupler as the truck pulls away"

X2 on Learjet's point.

Usually the coupler handle will stay open enough, that it makes no difference if it is pinned open. Other times the handle doesn't stay open far enough for the jaws to release. So the pin must go in the other hole to keep the arm open. More experience will show the difference.

I will say, with a dually it is a pain to reach far enough to get the pin in the other hole. It would be a big improvement to have an easier method to lock/unlock the coupler arm.

wallaceb wrote:
Update: I went through all the motions again and raised the camper a little bit more, had the DW hold the release bar full open and this time it finally released. I dropped and reattached three times to be sure and then drove to a B&W dealer and had them give it the once over. They said it is good to go and sometimes "it just happens" so ALL IS GOOD !! Thank you all for your help. Travel save and travel far.

All is good ?? Maybe ,until next time ,solve your problems with those monster heavy hitches, and go to an Andersen hitch

wallaceb wrote:
Update: I went through all the motions again and raised the camper a little bit more, had the DW hold the release bar full open and this time it finally released. I dropped and reattached three times to be sure and then drove to a B&W dealer and had them give it the once over. They said it is good to go and sometimes "it just happens" so ALL IS GOOD !! Thank you all for your help. Travel save and travel far.

So you never took the release arm locking pin and placed it in the hole that keeps the arm open...like i suggested before?

From the B&W manual:

"Lower landing gear and block the trailer wheels.
Raise the trailer until the tongue weight is removed
from the truck. Then, unpin the Coupler handle and
rotate to the open position to unlatch the jaws. If the
jaws do not open, readjusting the landing gear may
relieve pressure and allow them to open. Use the
safety pin to lock the handle in the open position and
when you are sure that the landing gear will support
the trailer, move the truck forward to release the
jaws from the kingpin. The jaws will always open
when the pressure of the trailer is taken off the
coupler as the truck pulls away"

Glad to hear that all is good. Enjoy your vacation!

You just need to hold your tongue just right!

A call to B&W is the best medicine!!!

Update: I went through all the motions again and raised the camper a little bit more, had the DW hold the release bar full open and this time it finally released. I dropped and reattached three times to be sure and then drove to a B&W dealer and had them give it the once over. They said it is good to go and sometimes "it just happens" so ALL IS GOOD !! Thank you all for your help. Travel save and travel far.

The Binkley head has similar jaws with a block that keeps them closed vs B&W dual cam. Chris

As someone else said. Having the TV pulling forward slightly on the trailer allows the jaws to open when the dual cam lock swings around to be parallel to the front extensions of jaws. If the trailer is pushing forward on the TV then the latch arm will not stay open, unless it is pinned or tie back in the open position.

The B&W mechanism is different than most other hitches. There are no latches to release. The dual cam on the inter end of the release handle is cross wise to the front jaw extension when it is locked, blocking the jaws from opening. When the handle is swung to the release position, the jaws will open when the king pin puts pressure on them. Remember the handle is spring loaded in favor of being lock. So to release the king pin there needs to be pressure pulling back on the jaws as the handle swings to the release position, or held or tied to the open position. Other wise the spring just closes it again, allowing the dual cam to block the jaws from opening.

Chris

The dual cam is the smaller center pin you see on the turn table in this picture. The two jaws have forward extensions. When the cams are cross wise the jaws will not open, when the handle is swung to the open position, the jaws can pivot on their pins(the two larger ones.

I would also note that if the trailer is lifted to high off the turn table then the bottom flange of the king pin would pull up against the jaws, making them hard to open.