I bought a used Reese FW hitch similar to This One for $100. At that price I couldn't pass it by.It is well used and has some rust. The slide handle is stiff but functional. I want to clean it up and lube it prior to trying it out.Is there any location I Should Not lube? I was thinking of spraying all the joints and movement points with lithium grease.Any and all recommendations are appreciated.

I would check the date stamp on it first. How old is it and is it worth "saving"? If it's too old or in too bad of condition you'd be asking for LOTS of trouble, remember you have a LOT riding on that hitch once you hitch it to your RV!I'd lube everything that moves. Tear it down as far as you possibly can, inspect, clean and lube. Be careful, it's too easy to make a mistake with a hitch, lots of posts here about guys dropping their trailers. DON"T let it happen to you!Just my two cents ....Dan

dapperdan wrote:I would check the date stamp on it first.Other than its age what else would this tell me? How old is it and is it worth "saving"? If it's too old or in too bad of condition you'd be asking for LOTS of trouble, remember you have a LOT riding on that hitch once you hitch it to your RV!It's dirty and has some surface rust but nothing that should affect its integrity that I can tell. I'll try to post some pics this evening.I haven't inspected the locking mechanism so that's still questionable. I have no idea how this thing works at the moment. I haven't found anything on the Reese website explaining this. There manual link takes me to a non-sliding hitch. Be careful, it's too easy to make a mistake with a hitch, lots of posts here about guys dropping their trailers. DON"T let it happen to you!Thanks for the warning and concern. I'll certainly proceed with caution.

1st MOD!!Take the kick up out of the release handle!Go from this to ....... This!Gets the handle completely out of the way of the pin box.Clean it lube it CHECK for wear, hitch correctly.Waiting for your pictures.

rhagfo wrote:1st MOD!!Take the kick up out of the release handle!Go from this to ....... This!Gets the handle completely out of the way of the pin box.Clean it lube it CHECK for wear, hitch correctly.Waiting for your pictures.Great idea for a mod. I need to do this. I assume you just cut of the original connecting section and drill a new hole for the cotter pin?Pat

2112,I only mentioned the date because if it's really old it's integrity MAY be compromised is all. You got a pretty good deal if that hitch is in decent shape. The thing is, you don't know how well or how abused this hitch was treated before you got it. When I bought my '06 RAM it had a hitch already mounted very similar to what you have now. I was leery of it at first too. I had NO idea how many winters it had spent in the bed subjected to salt spray, snow, dust/dirt or whatever but after taking the head off of it and cleaning it and lubing it I felt comfortable using it. I would say just be cautious the first few times you hook up. Enjoy your hitch!Dan

Restoring A Reese Kwik Slide Hitch | Good Sam Community

12 Replies

2112
Explorer II
Oct 28, 2015
dapperdan wrote:
I would check the date stamp on it first.
Other than its age what else would this tell me?

How old is it and is it worth "saving"? If it's too old or in too bad of condition you'd be asking for LOTS of trouble, remember you have a LOT riding on that hitch once you hitch it to your RV!
It's dirty and has some surface rust but nothing that should affect its integrity that I can tell. I'll try to post some pics this evening.

I haven't inspected the locking mechanism so that's still questionable. I have no idea how this thing works at the moment. I haven't found anything on the Reese website explaining this. There manual link takes me to a non-sliding hitch.

Be careful, it's too easy to make a mistake with a hitch, lots of posts here about guys dropping their trailers. DON"T let it happen to you!
Thanks for the warning and concern. I'll certainly proceed with caution.
dapperdan
Explorer
Oct 28, 2015
I would check the date stamp on it first. How old is it and is it worth "saving"? If it's too old or in too bad of condition you'd be asking for LOTS of trouble, remember you have a LOT riding on that hitch once you hitch it to your RV!

I'd lube everything that moves. Tear it down as far as you possibly can, inspect, clean and lube.

Be careful, it's too easy to make a mistake with a hitch, lots of posts here about guys dropping their trailers. DON"T let it happen to you!

Just my two cents ....

Dan

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Restoring A Reese Kwik Slide Hitch

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