How to remove hitch from TV -- Use the FW ???

Yup, got the same hoist. Went thru that nonsense for the past 9 years, no more. Bought the Andersen. :B

I use this setup.



It is an electric hoist I got at Harbor Freight.

I have a 2x12 between the shop rafters. Then a barn door rail with rollers attached to the 2x12 that you can find at many farm supply houses.

That way I can move the hoist between the rafters even with a load on the hoist.

I can lift the hitch and then slide it back out of the pick-up bed without having to move the truck. Makes easy when putting hitch back in the truck.

Picked this block and tackle rope system up at tractor supply. It has a brake on it so I can drive under or away with load suspended in air. Works great for loading the generator as well.

TenOC wrote:
I am new to FW. Moving from a TT to a FW in a few days. I am worried about removing the Demco Autoslide hitch from the TV. When talking to a neighbor who does NOT have a FW, he suggested to simply leave the hitch connected to the king pin and remove the bolts that hold the hitch to the TV. When raise up the FW with hitch attached and leave the hitch attached to the king pin while I store the FW. I think this will work when I unhook.

But I can see a major problem when I attempt to hookup. After I back the TV under the hitch and lower the FW, will the kingpin release from the hitch so I can re-attach the hitch to the TV. When I use the leaver to release the jaws of the hitch, can I then simply raise the FW out of the hitch or will it hang-up . . . . :h

Do any of you FW owners use the FW to remove (lift) the hitch from the TV?

Simple solution ,buy an Andersen Ultimate, its what I did. :) No longer the need for the electric hoist in my garage, or taking it apart away from home to remove to haul my inflatable pontoon boat.

I have the B&W slider. I made up an A-frame that straddles the hitch. Use a come a long to hoist it up. I set it on a furniture dolly. Roll to edge of truck bed. Then use a cherry picker ( engine puller) to pick it up and set it on the ground back on furniture dolly. Then roll it to a corner of the garage.

I use the same set up in reverse to put it back.

When I had the my superglide hitch that had rails in the bed I could jockey the hitch by hand near rear of bed then extend the arm of cherry picker to lift it up and out.

But the B&W has the turn over ball set up. And that is to much to for me to pick up and out so I made the A-Frame set up.

Or if you have a place in your garage where you can secure a good hook to use a hoist or a come a long to pull it.

You can let it hang or not.

However, if you do....Be ready for question/s, "How's it hanging?"

Several (other) easy ways to remove heavy hitches from pickup bed - if you desire to do that.
"laknox" (and other posters) hit on a few already.

Here they are:
Note: Not everyone has a tractor or a fork lift..:S

1. Easiest. The "one finger lift".....no, don't give it 'the bird' -
Get a HF electric cable hoist - it's about the size of a lunch box, weighs about 25 pounds.
Hang the hoist from a rafter in your garage -or- from a 4x6 between two stationary objects. Back under, connect & release hitch, etc. Push "UP" button, pull forward. Push "DOWN" button, lower hitch to furniture dolly, roll it to wherever you like.

2. Engine hoist. Roll hoist to back of truck, procedure as above.
Note: the lifting 'arm' of the hoist must be long enough to reach from the back of the bed to the hitch. Modification is no big deal.

3. Chain hoist- as in #1. Heavier to move it (the hoist) around if you wish to store it.
(Also "come-along" style - variation of same)

4. The crane - mounted to the floor of your garage (or?).
Kinda makes it stationary - may be in the way.

All of these are inexpensive, available at HF - and are handy for other uses...:C

Not listed: The "2.5" method.
Two men and a boy. Watch fingers and feet/toes - there have been *posted* injuries to same - and recovery time is a PITA..:(

~

I just pull the pins securing hitch to rails and then pick it up.......course I use the front landing gear legs of 5th wheel to do the actual lifting.

Hitch then hangs from king pin until I am ready to reinstall back in truck


3000# wet pin weight ...add in the 'dynamic loading' as we go down the road, the fore/aft forces exerted on king pin/hitch jaws/rails

No I am NOT concerned with a few hundred pounds of weight hanging from king pin/pin box

And I don't have to go find help to do it...In or Out

I keep my hitch stored connected to the king pin. Over two years and never had a problem. As others have said weight is not an issue.

Sometimes wrapping with a tarp may make things worse. The tarp can trap water that can not evaporate when the weather is good.

As said they sit in the back of the truck without a problem. Infact when on the kingpin the trailer will provide some protection.

When I hang mine on the kingpin I lock the hitch so it can not be stolen or some kid releasing it and possibly be injured.

I've done it. Stored it there one winter. Next spring the piece of spring steel under the hitch head broke. Cheap fix but my guess is that the hitch weight hanging/resting on that spring steel through the temp changes of winter caused the break.
I would go with plan B. Use the trailer to lift the hitch off of the rails. Roll the truck forward and set the hitch back down behind the rails partially on the tailgate. Now two guys can easily lift it off the truck and lower it onto a rolling cart. No odd bending and footing trying to stand in the bed to lift the hitch off the rails.
One note on using the trailer to lift the hitch. It lifts the front of the hitch first. You will need to "help" the back end of the hitch to go up at the same time to prevent it binding on the rails. I used a piece of 2x4 right behind the hitch and a flat edging shovel over the top of that to "pry" the back up as the trailer is lifted.