Trouble Opening 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch

Check to see if there is a ridge build up where the pin contacts the locking mechanism. I have a bar style locking and it will cause a ridge to be formed on the bar making it difficult to open until the ridge is filed off.

rhagfo wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
This is a recipe for dropping the 5er!

Most of the damaged trucks I have seen have REESE hitches. Seriously I would sell what you have and buy a B&W.

You should not have any problems hitching or unhitching!

Flame on!

Most likely because they are the most common, the other item would be the old handle design, which is easily fixed.

Before



AFTER

There are other brands with similar designs and they are all the bulk of the ones with damaged beds.

RCMAN46 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:

Quick trip wrote:
Try chocking the fiver first and then put the truck in NEUTRAL, let the truck settle for a minute and then try to release the handle!
Good Luck & Drive Safe!

But do not release the hitch with the truck in neutral. You may be chasing a truck down the road. Always chock the trailer before unhitching or you may have a trailer going down the road.

I raise my 5th wheel and watch the hitch plate. It will move a little as the weight is removed. There should not be any gap between the hitch plate and the king pin plate. If there is you are too high. Also as mentioned best to have a little pressure in reverse when you put it in park. If there is any forward pressure the hitch will not release.

I do this every time I unhitch! I do set the Parking Brake, something most with automatic transmissions have forgot about! Never had to chase the TV down the road.

I never raise the 5er to remove all the weight from the truck. I take some of it off, but not all the truck will rise about 1" as I pull forward.

When you hitch the pin plate should be 1" to 2" lower than the hitch plate and ride up as you back in, this will prevent "High Hitching".

If you are setting the parking brake what is gained by leaving the transmission in neutral? I see it as only eliminating one level of safety.

Well with a manual and the engine running, neutral is the only choice!

That and with a manual, my parking break WORKS!!

I find it hard to blame a piece of steel for not being handled correct.

chevman

Cummins12V98 wrote:
This is a recipe for dropping the 5er!

Most of the damaged trucks I have seen have REESE hitches. Seriously I would sell what you have and buy a B&W.

You should not have any problems hitching or unhitching!

Flame on!

Most likely because they are the most common, the other item would be the old handle design, which is easily fixed.

Before



AFTER

This is a recipe for dropping the 5er!

Most of the damaged trucks I have seen have REESE hitches. Seriously I would sell what you have and buy a B&W.

You should not have any problems hitching or unhitching!

Flame on!

rhagfo wrote:

RCMAN46 wrote:

Quick trip wrote:
Try chocking the fiver first and then put the truck in NEUTRAL, let the truck settle for a minute and then try to release the handle!
Good Luck & Drive Safe!

But do not release the hitch with the truck in neutral. You may be chasing a truck down the road. Always chock the trailer before unhitching or you may have a trailer going down the road.

I raise my 5th wheel and watch the hitch plate. It will move a little as the weight is removed. There should not be any gap between the hitch plate and the king pin plate. If there is you are too high. Also as mentioned best to have a little pressure in reverse when you put it in park. If there is any forward pressure the hitch will not release.

I do this every time I unhitch! I do set the Parking Brake, something most with automatic transmissions have forgot about! Never had to chase the TV down the road.

I never raise the 5er to remove all the weight from the truck. I take some of it off, but not all the truck will rise about 1" as I pull forward.

When you hitch the pin plate should be 1" to 2" lower than the hitch plate and ride up as you back in, this will prevent "High Hitching".

If you are setting the parking brake what is gained by leaving the transmission in neutral? I see it as only eliminating one level of safety.

Happy Holidays,
I have the same hitch and noticed the same issue with it getting more finicky over time. I agree with everyone's advice regarding chocks etc. Here's a couple things that I had good luck with, I spray Teflon lube ( dries and does not attract dirt ) on the pin and flange of the jaw a couple times a year or when it gets cranky. The head of our hitch pops off with two pins really easily so I regularly lube all the underside mechanism with the same. Another lube spot is the handle itself, the design of it is like a sword going in a scabbard, when it gets dry in there a little side load creates a lot of friction it's easy to lube it with the head off.
OP I hope this helps.

RCMAN46 wrote:

Quick trip wrote:
Try chocking the fiver first and then put the truck in NEUTRAL, let the truck settle for a minute and then try to release the handle!
Good Luck & Drive Safe!

But do not release the hitch with the truck in neutral. You may be chasing a truck down the road. Always chock the trailer before unhitching or you may have a trailer going down the road.

I raise my 5th wheel and watch the hitch plate. It will move a little as the weight is removed. There should not be any gap between the hitch plate and the king pin plate. If there is you are too high. Also as mentioned best to have a little pressure in reverse when you put it in park. If there is any forward pressure the hitch will not release.

I do this every time I unhitch! I do set the Parking Brake, something most with automatic transmissions have forgot about! Never had to chase the TV down the road.

I never raise the 5er to remove all the weight from the truck. I take some of it off, but not all the truck will rise about 1" as I pull forward.

When you hitch the pin plate should be 1" to 2" lower than the hitch plate and ride up as you back in, this will prevent "High Hitching".

A simple fix. When jammed the DW either put the truck in neutral & releases the brake or, if that does not do the trick, a gentle move backwards releases the pressure & the handle pulls easily. Out she goes.

Watch out for being too high also. A little weight helps to be on the truck.