How to safely operate a B & W Patriot 16k 5th wheel hitch

The handle on the Patriot operates a cam action release, which opens very easily. After backing into hitch, to hook up, you just need to be sure the jaws are fully closed around the king pin, put the locking pin in handle. At this point you are good to go. You can do a pull test if it makes you more comfortable. You will soon be able to easily see how the system works, and make your own judgement whether more than a Just visual check is all that is needed.

I use the look twice method, first when backed in, lock pin in, LOOK, and the second time just before climbing into truck, look again, jaws closed around pin, lock pin in place, good to go. IMO, no bed saver needed with this hitch.

Jerry

FORGET the bed saver!!!

1. Never leave the arm pinned open!!!

2. remove pin ( I prefer a lock) back in alignment with pinbox stop just short. Now raise or lower so the bottom of the pin box is slightly lower than the top of the hitch place. Back til you feel it make firm contact. Put parking brake on. Now reach over bed side and close and lock the handle. Before closing tailgate LOOK to see the 1" thick jaws are closed around the kingpin and the top of hitch and bottom of pinbox are touching.

3. This is where I tell you to read your instructions. OK now if you want to use the great mind GOD gave you you will have VISUALLY verified you are truly hitched and now can raise the RV landing gear and close your tailgate.

If you look like first and third pic it's hitched plain and simple!!!


Welcome from the President of the "B&W HeavyWeight FanBoy Club"

With the handle open, toward the truck cab, when you are hitched, the handle will swing to the rear, nearly to the fully closed position. At that point you are hitched. You conceivably could take off and be okay, DAMHIKIJK. :)

My B&W hitch can be a bit fiddly sometimes getting unhitched. Not very often, but if there is too much weight on the hitch, or too little weight, the jaws will not release. With mine, if I have a little, very little, pull on the hitch by the trailer the jaws tend to open easier.

It's an excellent hitch, and it's as fool proof as anything can be made. One guy has dropped his trailer with the B&W, but he did have the handle pinned open so the jaws couldn't close. A real "Oh POOP" moment.

I have the slider version of the 16K patriot hitch. Have never had it bind when unhooking. Lift the trailer until the pinbox barely lifts off the hitch, pull the pin and open the handle.

When hooking up open the handle, get lined up with the pin box slightly below the top of the hitch and back in, the handle will close on its own. Do a quick visual check and put the lock pin in.

I lube the bushings on the uprights every month or so. I wipe off the kingpin and use my finger to put a light coat of bearing grease in the grove every time I tow. There is a grease fitting on the hitch that also needs to be lubed every 6 months. It's covered in the manual.

Gary

"I lube the bushings on the uprights every month or so. I wipe off the kingpin and use my finger to put a light coat of bearing grease in the grove every time I tow. There is a grease fitting on the hitch that also needs to be lubed every 6 months. It's covered in the manual."

I met a guy recently that had a Mobils Suites so we were talking. I noticed the new looking B&W Companion and asked how he liked it. He said "so far so good, but I really like I don't have to grease it"

I gave him the WTF are you talking about LOOk then proceeded to tell him to use White Lithium ONLY on the uprights. Once that sank in I mentioned the grease ZERK on the bottom and his eves grew even wider.

His truck was a FORD. :B

About 3 years ago I backed up into my companion, did a test pull and got out of the truck to be interrupted by a neighbor. Ended up towing about 60 miles when I discovered I had not pinned the jaws. After an almost heart attack, we finished that trip. B&W is the best on the market made totally in the USA.

dpgllg wrote:
I will be having a B & W Patriot 16k hitch installed later this week. I am replacing a R & W Lil Rocker 15k hitch. The Little Rocker uses a slide bar to secure the pin. I also have a Bed Saver installed.

This is NOT a sliding hitch as I have an 8 foot bed.

I have watched a few videos on the Patriot but really want to feel comfortable prior to an upcoming trip.

Is it really as easy as pulling the pin on the handle and pushing the handle open?

My Lil Rocker would often bind. Can I really just open the handle and pull forward even if the jaws did not open? (etrailer video states this)

Should I order the Bed saver as well? I never used it in almost 15 years of pulling a 5th wheel and they cost $349 for the Patriot hitch. Will I be okay closing jaws and handle insert pin and then do a pull test?

Are there any things that I need to be aware of with this hitch? hitching, unhitching, unlevel ground, and maintenance?

Any issues with high hitching?

Any other helpful thoughts or comments are appreciated!

Dave

I went from a Lil Rocker to a B&W Companion. The B&W is a much easier hitch to use. In my experience, if the handle will not stay forward when you try to unlatch, there is a hole to put the locking pin in that will hold the handle forward so you can pull out. Remove the pin as soon as you pull out. I have to do this every time I unhook at home.

When you back under, make sure the handle goes to the "closed" position, go under the trailer to verify the jaws are wrapped around the pin, THEN put the pin in the handle locking it closed.

I TRIPLE check that the jaws are closed and the handle is pinned by grabbing the handle and looking at the jaws every time I go by it on my walk around. Once when I hook up, once when I start the walk around, once when I get done with the walk around (looking at jacks up, lights working, cargo doors, windows, awning, antenna etc.). I never do a pull test, they are almost always done wrong anyway. This takes about a minute in real life. I drove truck for 17 years, and just kept my habits and I have never dropped a trailer.

Yet. ;)

MFL wrote:
The handle on the Patriot operates a cam action release, which opens very easily. After backing into hitch, to hook up, you just need to be sure the jaws are fully closed around the king pin, put the locking pin in handle. At this point you are good to go. You can do a pull test if it makes you more comfortable. You will soon be able to easily see how the system works, and make your own judgement whether more than a Just visual check is all that is needed.

I use the look twice method, first when backed in, lock pin in, LOOK, and the second time just before climbing into truck, look again, jaws closed around pin, lock pin in place, good to go. IMO, no bed saver needed with this hitch.

Jerry

I do what Jerry does and then add a long shackle lock to pin the hitch shut. I then attach the breakaway cable into the lock. No one can release it but me.

I have had it bind twice and unlike conventional 5W hitch you do not yank it trying to release. Move the handle forward to the open position and pin it (you will find a hole to do this, drive out the hitch is open - instruction per the B&W manual) Remove pin when clear.

Doesn't get much easier than with a B&W.
Slide the handle towards the cab, back in correctly and the hand will move towards the tailgate when hitched. Walk around to plug the 7 pin cord in and check that the jaws are around the pin.
Reach in the bed and pin the handle.
Used a 16K Patriot for 6 years without one issue.

12V98 did you have an incident somewhere that triggered you buying every lock Ace Hardware had in stock to put on that hitch? :B