RV Crushes Truck

jake2250 wrote:

JIMNLIN wrote:
I've seen a few high pins (non rv) with the pin resting on the hitch jaws. And non had large gaps. One would think there would be but their wasn't.
In fact one side of the hitch plate had a gap and the opposite side had no gap..... like the picture in the vid.

Most rv folks have never seen a high pin or had it happen. So all kinds of theories abound on how a high pin looks.... or have seen how many ways a high pin can happen.

Even the pro grade OTR tractor trailer brand hitches like (Jost....Fountain....SAF Holland/etc) can be high pinned. RV hitch brands are no different.

Well in the OTR circle its referred to as a "HIGH HOOK" and all the companies I have driven for a High Hook is a termination event! Not a warning,, you High Hook Your GONE!
Also,, Its a FONTAINE not a fountain.
But what would I know, only been at it for a few dozen years!

" A few dozen years " . . . I cut my teeth in a 1980 "R" Model - 1 Stack Mack :C

JIMNLIN wrote:


Even the pro grade OTR tractor trailer brand hitches like (Jost....Fountain....SAF Holland/etc) can be high pinned. RV hitch brands are no different.

I can see a difference. On a large 5th wheel used on trucks, the handle will release the jaws, but has nothing to do with holding them closed. Pin shoved into place, jaws latch on pin. Will not release until handle is pulled. No need to pin the handle.

I like my Reese 17k hitch, when those jaw's are around the pin it ain't coming loose and dropping and have done numerous pulls to check it. How many out there have a Reese.

JIMNLIN wrote:
I've seen a few high pins (non rv) with the pin resting on the hitch jaws. And non had large gaps. One would think there would be but their wasn't.
In fact one side of the hitch plate had a gap and the opposite side had no gap..... like the picture in the vid.

Most rv folks have never seen a high pin or had it happen. So all kinds of theories abound on how a high pin looks.... or have seen how many ways a high pin can happen.

Even the pro grade OTR tractor trailer brand hitches like (Jost....Fountain....SAF Holland/etc) can be high pinned. RV hitch brands are no different.

Well in the OTR circle its referred to as a "HIGH HOOK" and all the companies I have driven for a High Hook is a termination event! Not a warning,, you High Hook Your GONE!
Also,, Its a FONTAINE not a fountain.
But what would I know, only been at it for a few dozen years!

I've seen a few high pins (non rv) with the pin resting on the hitch jaws. And non had large gaps. One would think there would be but their wasn't.
In fact one side of the hitch plate had a gap and the opposite side had no gap..... like the picture in the vid.

Most rv folks have never seen a high pin or had it happen. So all kinds of theories abound on how a high pin looks.... or have seen how many ways a high pin can happen.

Even the pro grade OTR tractor trailer brand hitches like (Jost....Fountain....SAF Holland/etc) can be high pinned. RV hitch brands are no different.

TXiceman wrote:
Love my nice well built and heavy TrailerSAver TS3 with the Binkley-Holland hitch head. Very solid and positive locking of the jaws. But is cost a lot more than the Reese.

You pays your money and you takes your chances. I tell folks to stay away from the sliding-bar hitches.

Ken

Ken

I had a Hi-Jacker Ultra 16K sliding bar hitch for around 17-18 years and loved it. If it would have been a model that used standardized rails it would have gone into my 2015 RAM on the Demco picture frame. It was a well made basically fool proof hitch. I originally got it in my 1993 RAM with a Terry 26' fifth wheel and then moved it myself to our 2001.5 RAM.

Love my nice well built and heavy TrailerSAver TS3 with the Binkley-Holland hitch head. Very solid and positive locking of the jaws. But is cost a lot more than the Reese.

You pays your money and you takes your chances. I tell folks to stay away from the sliding-bar hitches.

Ken

Ken

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Big SNIP

His wife started filming him pulling away then had him stop. During this initial time of pulling ahead if high hitched that sucker would have dropped instantly! The video starts again and almost immediately the RV drops like a rock. Reason is when he stopped the tenion of the kingpin against the slide bar released and the slide bar released and once pulling again it drops.

CASE CLOSED!!!

And another one

No. You are incorrect here, but it is understandable.
Most people would be surprised how much force it takes to pull a trailer free of just resting on the hitch plate and not latched. That is why many times I have posted that the only way you can really know how to do a proper pull test is to do just that. Back under, barely take the weight off the legs, do not close your hitch, then pull out. I have done this. Most do not, and will not know how much pedal it takes to pull out. Only when you use the same amount of throttle can you do a proper pull test.

That is why I never do a pull test. I do a visual inspection, but do it at least three times before moving. Also, I do have a B&W, and they are much easier to do a visual than most hitches. If they are closed and pinned, and you verify the large part of the pin is completely visible under the hitch, they will not fail. Of course that is true of most hitches.

I also painted the large part of the pin on out last fiver so my DW would know what I was looking at when doing a walk around. She has instructions to do a complete walk around inspection separate from mine in case I have a brain fart. It can happen to anyone.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
The handle simply was not pushed in all the way as shown in pic above. BUT the slide bar WAS behind the kingpin at the appropriate level. It was simply NOT fully hitched, NOT high hitched.

"High hitch" means bottom of kingpin is setting on TOP of the slide bar or jaws and is EASILY seen with having a large gap between the hitch head plate and the pin box bottom plate.

If the bar was behind the king pin fully or partly, it would not have dropped the trailer on the truck is just a couple feet moving straight forward. There are gaps in the video, so who knows what the guy did or did not do right.

I still content that it had to be high hitched.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

noteven wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:

noteven wrote:
2 nylon plates = increased chance of a high hitch?

The release lever on either my Holland FW001 and my B&W will not latch when high hitched. The pin uncouples as soon as you tug test but you can see the jaws are not latched by the lever position. Both 5th wheels (“hitches”) are designed for 1 nylon lube plate.

And if you had tried to pull your trailer with the B&W as the OP had done you would have dropped a trailer as he did.

Nope. The handle won’t pin if the jaws aren’t locked.

People simply don't understand the simple solid mechanics of the B&W.

x2