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.

[rhagfo]

blofgren wrote:

laknox wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

laknox wrote:
I posted this a while ago, but after 15 years of RVing, I managed to forget to latch my hitch and dropped my FW on the bed. What happens when you get in a hurry.

Lyle

Well I also forgot to latch the Reese twin jaw hitch we have once. Drove for almost twenty miles, fast, slow, turns, over RR tracks, and highway. I was taking the 5er to scale it at a local weigh station, was a bit surprised when I went to release the hitch, to scale just the TV.

My issue was that I had my Companion pinned OPEN from the last unhitch, so the pin never even closed the jaws. (I have the older style and the hitch =has= to be pinned open or the jaws won't release.) Had I unpinned the latch handle so it was in the "armed" position, the pin would have closed the jaws, just the safety pin wouldn't have been in place. Given that the jaws, when properly latched, go to an "over center" position, not having the safety pin in place isn't a huge issue.

Lyle

I've backed into my fiver a few times with the hitch pinned open too, and wondered why it wouldn't latch. :S It really doesn't take much to make a mistake which is why visual checks and a pull test are so important.

Well a Reese twin jaw 16K will pass pull test even without the handle locked. This is why a visual check to lock the handle is needed.

[Cummins12V98]

I am all about VISUAL testing my B&W but no pull test for me. Now on other brand hitches I have used the the pull is done for sure.

I saw a guy with his new B&W drop his 5er and yes it was because he pinned it open and was used to backing into his old hitch and having it latch. Thankfully no real damage. He admitted not reading about the new hitch.

[blofgren]

laknox wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

laknox wrote:
I posted this a while ago, but after 15 years of RVing, I managed to forget to latch my hitch and dropped my FW on the bed. What happens when you get in a hurry.

Lyle

Well I also forgot to latch the Reese twin jaw hitch we have once. Drove for almost twenty miles, fast, slow, turns, over RR tracks, and highway. I was taking the 5er to scale it at a local weigh station, was a bit surprised when I went to release the hitch, to scale just the TV.

My issue was that I had my Companion pinned OPEN from the last unhitch, so the pin never even closed the jaws. (I have the older style and the hitch =has= to be pinned open or the jaws won't release.) Had I unpinned the latch handle so it was in the "armed" position, the pin would have closed the jaws, just the safety pin wouldn't have been in place. Given that the jaws, when properly latched, go to an "over center" position, not having the safety pin in place isn't a huge issue.

Lyle

I've backed into my fiver a few times with the hitch pinned open too, and wondered why it wouldn't latch. :S It really doesn't take much to make a mistake which is why visual checks and a pull test are so important.

[laknox]

rhagfo wrote:

laknox wrote:
I posted this a while ago, but after 15 years of RVing, I managed to forget to latch my hitch and dropped my FW on the bed. What happens when you get in a hurry.

Lyle

Well I also forgot to latch the Reese twin jaw hitch we have once. Drove for almost twenty miles, fast, slow, turns, over RR tracks, and highway. I was taking the 5er to scale it at a local weigh station, was a bit surprised when I went to release the hitch, to scale just the TV.

My issue was that I had my Companion pinned OPEN from the last unhitch, so the pin never even closed the jaws. (I have the older style and the hitch =has= to be pinned open or the jaws won't release.) Had I unpinned the latch handle so it was in the "armed" position, the pin would have closed the jaws, just the safety pin wouldn't have been in place. Given that the jaws, when properly latched, go to an "over center" position, not having the safety pin in place isn't a huge issue.

Lyle

[rhagfo]

laknox wrote:
I posted this a while ago, but after 15 years of RVing, I managed to forget to latch my hitch and dropped my FW on the bed. What happens when you get in a hurry.

Lyle

Well I also forgot to latch the Reese twin jaw hitch we have once. Drove for almost twenty miles, fast, slow, turns, over RR tracks, and highway. I was taking the 5er to scale it at a local weigh station, was a bit surprised when I went to release the hitch, to scale just the TV.

[Campinghoss]

All I do on rig in signature is hit auto reconnect. It remembers where the set point was when I disconnected. Also I can see the action when I back up to reconnect.

[Martyn]

I have a Demco Autoslider which is very picky about hitch height. Numerous times I was either too high or too low and the pin would catch and tilt the head up or down.
I experimented to find the exact height that was correct, when the bed of the truck was just under the 5er.
I then cut a piece of 3/4 dowel to the distance between the truck bed rail and the underside of the 5er overhang.
Now I simply back in and then adjust the gap to fit the dowel. Hitches right up perfectly every time. 🙂

[laknox]

I posted this a while ago, but after 15 years of RVing, I managed to forget to latch my hitch and dropped my FW on the bed. What happens when you get in a hurry.

Lyle

[Roger10378]

It sounds like the OP wasn't using a good set of chocks. Always leave your chocks in until you have hooked up.

[FlatBroke]

I put whoopies in 2 different tailgates. Thats all I gotta say.

[rhagfo]

RoyF wrote:
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.

I am not going to read all three pages of this post.
If mine doesn't lift, slide in at this point (red above), I stop get out and look!

[JRscooby]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

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.

Like most young kids, my dad was a hero. Long about 12, he started to get dumb. By early 20s, he was smart as average man. From about 30 on, after we became friends, and for the rest of my life, I have realized the man was a practical genius. Doing some work after I bought his house I found a refrigerator thermostat mounted in basement near water pipes. Next time he called (was full timing then) I had to ask. You can turn furnace off in the hall, but if that area gets down to 35* furnace will kick on, heat house. Any other snowbird think to do that?

[ford_truck_guy]

*** DON'T HATE THE PLAYER - HATE THE GAME ! *** :B

Yes my wife can operate the landing gear from the control panel at the RV while I am backing under, but what fun would that be ?? Not to mention, I do much better by myself when it comes to this stuff !

She is better at staying outta my way :W

[Cummins12V98]

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.

From the cab???