Forum Discussion

beelbill's avatar
beelbill
Explorer
Apr 18, 2015

That went as expected-Part Deux

After my first failure to get the 5th wheel backed into the site. I got a friend of mine to help guide me this time and I ignored my wife(after 25 years of marriage that part is getting easier). Put the 5th wheel in position with one try. Felt real proud. Then I went to unhitch it. I cranked the landing gear up to where I thought it should come free and I went to pull the handle but it would not release. So I cranked it up higher pulling the handle every little bit but nor release. I saw the back of the truck start to lift so I lowered it slowly pulling the handle every little bit. Still wouldn't release.

When the landing gear left the ground I figured I must not have gone high enough before. Maybe the truck was just lifting from the weight coming off of it. So I cranked it back up again pulling the handle every little bit. Still no release. Then the switch stopped working. I figured I had run the battery dead. So I hooked the power cord back up to the truck to charge it. Still now power. So I took the gas tank out of the 5th wheel and went to gas station to fill it up. Came back, hooked back up the quick release and went in to start the generator so I could have power to run the landing gear. Gas sprayed all over. I found out why it is called a quick release and not a quick connect. Could never get it to stop spraying gas.

Gave up on generator and searched inside fuse panel looking for blown fuse. No blown fuse. Traced power line for a short and found an inline fuse. Drove to auto store and got new fuse. Replaced the fuse and the landing gear worked again. Went back down and back up again. Stopped where I felt it had to come loose and got in the truck. Pulled forward slight amount, no release. Backed up slight amount and it released. Pulled out from under the 5th wheel and locked it up. I figure after I recover for a week or so, I will try to hook it up to water and electricity. Can't imagine anyone doing this for a weekend trip.
  • Dayle1's avatar
    Dayle1
    Explorer II
    Apr 18, 2015
    beelbill wrote:
    The Mad Norsky wrote:
    Yep, gotta relieve that pressure on the hitch some before attempting to un-hitch.

    Ain't RV'ing fun!!!!!!!!!!!!


    That is like telling a pregnant girl she should always use birth control. Good advise but too late. And, I wouldn't say fun yet, but definitely an adventure.


    But now you know this, if you have a question or are uncertain about an RV issue, then ask it here first and you will likely find the answer. Might help in the future as we have all probably been down that road already. And as you get older, you may forget things and have to relearn them on occasion. Again, won't hurt to ask.
  • 12thgenusa's avatar
    12thgenusa
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    1. If your last motion before unhitching was to pull forward, you have to put it in reverse to move the pin tight against the front of the hitch. Otherwise it will bind the release mechanism.

    2. Raise the landing gear until you just start to see a gap between the hitch plate and the pin box plate.

    3. Always wait for the landing gear motor to come to a complete stop before reversing direction. Otherwise you will blow the fuse every time.
  • beelbill's avatar
    beelbill
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    Brockinfla wrote:
    How the hell did you get possession of this 5er from a dealer or private seller and what seems like you didn't even do a walk through? No offense but it's as if you weren't even shown the most basic functions of the equipment.

    Very true. I was walked around the 5th wheel and shown where the switches were and how they worked. The guy backed the truck up to the trailer and hooked up. Then he unhooked without having moved the truck or rig and said for me to do it. I pulled forward and then backed up until it latched and he said: "That's all there is to it." My friend that helped me last night said it was like they handed me the keys to a 747 and said: "Have a nice flight."
  • Brockinfla's avatar
    Brockinfla
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    How the hell did you get possession of this 5er from a dealer or private seller and what seems like you didn't even do a walk through? No offense but it's as if you weren't even shown the most basic functions of the equipment.
  • Dog_Folks's avatar
    Dog_Folks
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    We have all been through these type of situations. I have noticed that once things start going downhill, they always get worse! Never better.

    One question: If your truck was attached to the 5th, what did you use to drive to the parts store for a fuse? With my luck I would have to walk.:)
  • beelbill's avatar
    beelbill
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    The Mad Norsky wrote:
    Yep, gotta relieve that pressure on the hitch some before attempting to un-hitch.

    Ain't RV'ing fun!!!!!!!!!!!!


    That is like telling a pregnant girl she should always use birth control. Good advise but too late. And, I wouldn't say fun yet, but definitely an adventure.
  • The_Mad_Norsky's avatar
    The_Mad_Norsky
    Explorer
    Apr 18, 2015
    Yep, gotta relieve that pressure on the hitch some before attempting to un-hitch.

    Ain't RV'ing fun!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • laknox's avatar
    laknox
    Nomad
    Apr 18, 2015
    If you're on level ground, you =always= put the truck in neutral and step off the brake, after setting the chocks on your trailer, to release the pressure on the hitch. If you've backed up a slight grade, reverse slightly and set the parking brake before you put it in park. Same thing in the opposite direction if you're backing slightly downhill.

    Lyle

About Fifth Wheel Group

19,008 PostsLatest Activity: Mar 07, 2025