Damaged 5er hitch by backing too hard

[RoyF]

I've been hitching up for many years with no problem until this summer.
The hitch head is supposed to be a little higher than the kingpin. But this time, it must have been several inches higher. As I slowly backed into the kingpin the truck was stopped by the pin box, which did not rise up to engage.

I pressed the gas pedal a little with no result. Now the big mistake: I pressed the gas pedal a little bit more. This time, the 2021 F350 (with 1,000 foot-pounds of torque) lurched back and made a very hard impact with the trailer.

The upshot was that both my front jacks and my (brand new) hitch head were damaged. The jacks would operate, but only slowly (the motor was really struggling). The hitch release arm could be pulled out only by rigging up a hydraulic jack. Total cost: more than $1,000.

Don't do what I did. If your pin box does not lift up to engage easily as you are slowly backing then get out and raise the pin box.

[Cummins12V98]

ford truck guy wrote:
This story makes me real happy that I can control my front landing gear with my phone...

I simply go to hitch height on my 6 point, get in the truck and get close.... then I raise or lower to my desired height... then I back under "gently" :B

Show off!!!

[Njmurvin]

With my Superglide, I always would ride up the hitch and never sensed the trailer lifting or moving back at all (chocks still in place). In fact, the effect would always be compression of the rear truck suspension. But, that's all history with my new truck and Andersen hitch. It's a little tougher to align the ball (fore/aft) but a cinch with a second person or camera assist.

[Retired_JSO]

The OP was right to allow the trailer to be raised by the hitch. What he failed to do is back up to the pin box and get out to check the height is correct. With my levelup system, the hitch height will be different if the trailer has been idle for several weeks.

[MNRon]

Good PSA. Only problem I’ve ever had with my SuperGlide was high hitching and bending the trigger, had to take head off of hitch to fully release and bend pin back. Pullrite customer service was fabulous and sent me two trigger pins (in case I did it again 🙂 ) for free. Since then I’ve always had the pin box ride up the hitch an inch or more to avoid high hitching. I also leave chocks in while hitching to avoid putting pressure on the front jacks.

[Johnny_G1]

I never hitch lifting the trailer, most of the time there is an air gap between the wheel and the plate and gently back in and lower the trailer onto the wheel, have never had a high hitch problem doing it this way and always make sure I am straight on for the hitch.

[MFL]

way2roll wrote:


You know you can operate the landing gear with out the phone.

No, really? Lol

Just kidding poster friend, that I quoted. :R

[fj12ryder]

way2roll wrote:

MFL wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
This story makes me real happy that I can control my front landing gear with my phone...

I simply go to hitch height on my 6 point, get in the truck and get close.... then I raise or lower to my desired height... then I back under "gently" :B

Kids an their tech stuff! Lose their phone, can't leave the house! :B

Jerry

You know you can operate the landing gear with out the phone.

Yeah, but do they know it? 🙂

[way2roll]

MFL wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:
This story makes me real happy that I can control my front landing gear with my phone...

I simply go to hitch height on my 6 point, get in the truck and get close.... then I raise or lower to my desired height... then I back under "gently" :B

Kids an their tech stuff! Lose their phone, can't leave the house! :B

Jerry

You know you can operate the landing gear with out the phone.

[MFL]

ford truck guy wrote:
This story makes me real happy that I can control my front landing gear with my phone...

I simply go to hitch height on my 6 point, get in the truck and get close.... then I raise or lower to my desired height... then I back under "gently" :B

Kids an their tech stuff! Lose their phone, can't leave the house! :B

Jerry

[Durb]

I have to have hitch pressure on my lube plate in order center my wide hitch jaws in the kingpin groove. I need an 1/8" clearance top and bottom, otherwise the hitch jaws won't snap close. I generally compress the air hitch about half an inch. I too have to do a number of cab trips. I would have to ram the trailer pretty darn hard to damage my hitch.

[ford_truck_guy]

This story makes me real happy that I can control my front landing gear with my phone...

I simply go to hitch height on my 6 point, get in the truck and get close.... then I raise or lower to my desired height... then I back under "gently" :B

[Cummins12V98]

JRscooby wrote:
Back decades ago, my Dad had clip mounted to a magnet and a beaded chain like we used to turn on lights.
Unhook, pull the truck out. Before adjust to level hang the chain so end is just above ground with magnet in same spot. Ready to hook up, put magnet back in place, work the jack until chain just touch ground. Unless 5th wheel is way down in front, no issues with lifting trailer, mash truck down less than half inch if at all.
I don't know about pickups with air bags, but with trucks we sometimes have issues pulling out from under a trailer w/o dumping suspension. Unloading, the frame comes up faster than leveling valve can adjust. Top of bed could get ugly.

That's a great method! If only after all these years I would remember to set that system up.

[hornet28]

I use two screw/stick on levels. One is movable and I set it
at zero for the unhook height so when time to hook up I just raise to zero. The other is to level the trailer front to back

[noteven]

I set the trailer height so there is a slight teeny bit of ramp up to avoid high hitching. I never lift an RV trailer ramping it with the truck. I take my time in and out of the cab as needed. They are too flimsy.

RoyF ‘s experience is good advice. Due to bad manners on the inter web most people would not share a story of a boo boo that caused damage.

Thanks RoyF

[Lwiddis]

Sorry to hear this but after so many times we all could have an issue.