Reese R16 Noise

[jamjrks]

I have read several posts about the noise from Reese hitches and am now experiencing it first hand. We are new full timers and will begin our full time adventures in early July. In anticipation of our travels, I replaced my five year old Reese 16K with the Reese R16, thinking I was upgrading to a better quality heavy duty hitch. My old 16K was relatively quiet. The new R16 is not. When I come to a complete stop there is a pop or chunk sound. When I start from a complete stop, there is a pop or chunk sound. I checked all the connector pins and they are properly installed, however, there is considerable slack in the two pins that hold the hitch head to the hitch base.I called Reese tech support and was told that the noise was normal and was not a safety issue, but I might want to consider using spacers to eliminate some of this slack. Of course Reese/Cequent couldn't provide the spacers. Then I just read a post that cautions about the yellow spacers used in the hitch. I bought the hitch through Tweedys. Comments and suggestions as to this situation will be appreciated.

[kennethwooster]

I've ran Reese and thought it was ok, but always a problem. Went to Super Glide and couldn't believe the difference. When I bought the DRW truck with hitch ready I went to the B&W. It is one sweet hitch. Another I have that helps is the Mor Ride pin box. It's well worth it.

[SuperDutyMan]

Sometimes,not enough pin weight will cause more noise also,if your fresh and or gray tanks are in the front,try filling them and go for a ride to see if it changes,when all my tanks are empty,sometimes I will get a little clunk,but 90% of the time it's quiet,and I do not feel or hear any clunk.Are you using a Teflon disc on the pin box?

[Cummins12V98]

Take my advice you will thank me!

Sell your hitch on Craig's List then order a B&W from tweetys. It will drive you crazy listening to it clunk all the time.

Silence is golden!

[tegu69]

I just got back from 8000 mile trip (Fl-Ca). As the trip progressed, I noticed that when pulling into campgrounds, my hitch would make all kinds of noise. I sprayed on grease and it seemed to quiet the noise for a while. Now I am noticing a groove forming on the bed rails. I had replaced my 14k, 16 plus yrs old Reese, with a 16k. I still have the 14k and I am thinking about switching the legs. The old hitch legs seem to be made with heavier material and I never noticed them to move around.

[elwood1944]

Found the R16 harder to hitch and unhitch. Still like the heavy duty style, have used it in the mountains and feel secure using this hitch.

[Money2Burn]

I have an R20 1 year old that I don't like either. Mine is also noisy and hard to hitch.

[the_bear_II]

Believe it or not I found that grease will silence that type of noise from a hitch. I seems wrong but I'm guessing the grease although slippery is also sticky and can be compressed so it may act like a shock asborber.

When I start getting the clunks...I used to use petroleum based grease but now use teflon or dry lube type grease and the clunking goes away. I apply it to all of the parts that rub metal to metal on the hitch, saddle and king pin plus kin pin lock/clamp. Clunks gone....