Hitch Maintenance

[Padlin]

Spent the weekend installing a B&W Patriot in my F150. After drilling through the frame and the truck bed and installing dozens of 1/2" bolts I got to wondering about the unit rusting, both the hitch and the truck. A few questions if you've done similar.

I did nothing to treat the frame and bed edges after drilling, need I worry about rust here? if so, what would you suggest? I live in New England with all it's snow and road salt.

Do I need to paint all the exposed bolts or not worry about them?

The truck lives outside, I have no garage. Do you remove the hitch when not in use? I can lug it back to the shed like I do my current WDH, but it's no fun. Currently do not have a tonneau cover either.

I saw I can either grease the coupler plate or use a nylon lube plate, is the lube plate sufficient?

Last one, how common is walking into the trailer pin box? After a few bruises and a bit of swearing, I did eventually learn to go around the hitch head on my bumper pull.

[jjbrown6818]

Just had a B&W Companion hitch installed in my 2014 Ram 3500 longbed. I love it and the way it works. I had a Reese in my last truck. I never felt good about the connection until I did a test pull. With the Companion hitch I felt safe from the time I back in. Great hitch.

[Padlin]

Thanks all, helps a lot. No upper slide so one less item to watch out for.

[rhagfo]

mguay wrote:
After you tow with it a few times, get back under it and make sure all the bolts are good and tight...then paint it all. This is what I do with a new truck and have never had a rusting problem. Then I check the bolts each spring. The paint not only protects, but it also will let you know if a bolt loosened and the washer slipped. You will see the outline of the washer in the paint.

I remove the hitch in the winter...but it lives in the truck all summer.

I have a tonneau cover.

I use a lube plate, grease on the jaws (the grease only needs to be on the recessed part of the pin) and penetrating oil on the jaw pins (the vertical pins on the top of the head)in the spring.

I use a tripod, which eliminates the problem of walking into the kingpin.

This is pretty much spot on advice! We also have a tripod, and the plus for keeping away from that pin is well worth it.
The other heady issue is the front compartment door, and the real nasty one is if you have an upper slide is that EDGE!

Simple solution below Swim noodles split and cut.

[MFL]

You are going to love that Patriot! I would be most concerned about the holes in the bed. This metal is thin, and flat, where water can puddle.

I keep my bed covered when not towing. I use a Access roll up cover, that works very well.

It won't hurt the hitch to get wet, but I try to avoid it when I can. If I get caught towing in the rain, I hit the bolts in the bed with a little rust preventer, so it will run down through the bed holes.

I remove mine in winter.

Lube Plate is sufficient.

The pin box is going to hurt more than the bumper pull, but will only help you remember sooner.

Happy travels,
Jerry

[mguay]

After you tow with it a few times, get back under it and make sure all the bolts are good and tight...then paint it all. This is what I do with a new truck and have never had a rusting problem. Then I check the bolts each spring. The paint not only protects, but it also will let you know if a bolt loosened and the washer slipped. You will see the outline of the washer in the paint.

I remove the hitch in the winter...but it lives in the truck all summer.

I have a tonneau cover.

I use a lube plate, grease on the jaws and penetrating oil on the jaw pins (the vertical pins on the top of the head)in the spring.

I use a tripod, which eliminates the problem of walking into the kingpin.