Forum Discussion

shadows4's avatar
shadows4
Explorer III
Oct 10, 2015

Slider came undone!!!

I hesitate to tell this but here goes. Two weeks ago a few blocks from home we had the slide on the 5th wheel hitch release. Holy ****!!!! Thought someone had rear ended us. We were on the way home from the lake about a 15 mile pull. I turned left off of a 4 lane road onto a side street that was up hill. Press the go pedal and WHAM!!! Scared the **** out of us.

We tried to lock the slide mechanism back in but I could only get it to lock in the manuver position. Ended up towing the 5er home, unloaded it and pulled it to the storage lot with it slid back.

After we got home I pulled the hitch out of the truck and partially disassembled it. Ended up lubing the locking mechanism and it seemed to help.

Pulled back to the lake yesterday no problems. I am not sure I trust this hitch now. I have lubed the jaws and the slide rails before but never the locking mechanism for the slider.

My question is, has anyone else had this happen??
Oh the hitch is an older model Reese 15K. Thanks, John
  • RCMAN46's avatar
    RCMAN46
    Explorer
    Oct 12, 2015
    RogerMo wrote:
    When I bought my 16 Reese 10 years ago, There was a ball detension pin that you put through a hole, just below and to front of the handle to keep this from happening. The handle will not move until the pin is removed. Looks like there are a lot pulling with a slider and it is not locked with a pin.


    X2
    As with all hitches the locking pins have to be in place.

    I suspect this will include the B&W hitches.

    On the Reese there is a pin on each side of the hitch.
  • TXiceman's avatar
    TXiceman
    Explorer II
    Oct 11, 2015
    This OP goes to show that all things RV related require MAINTENANCE, even a simple hitch. Keep up on the maintenance and there are far fewer problems.

    Ken
  • RogerMo's avatar
    RogerMo
    Explorer
    Oct 10, 2015
    When I bought my 16 Reese 10 years ago, There was a ball detension pin that you put through a hole, just below and to front of the handle to keep this from happening. The handle will not move until the pin is removed. Looks like there are a lot pulling with a slider and it is not locked with a pin.
  • amandasgramma's avatar
    amandasgramma
    Explorer
    Oct 10, 2015
    Not usually.....a hit in our case was a ROUGH road and hubby's firewood in the back......most things don't survive that. We're keeping an eye on it.....We've been towing with this hitch for 7 yrs, one year full-time.....this is first time we've had problems.
  • Allworth's avatar
    Allworth
    Explorer II
    Oct 10, 2015
    Unless something has failed or not been used correctly, a Reese slider CANNOT pop out of either position.

    There is an "over-center" spring inside the driver's side tower that locks the release handle in either maneuver or travel position. The dog on the end of the release lever arm then drops into the corresponding hole in the slider rail and is locked. You can make it stop at dead center straight up, but once it starts to either side the spring forces it to the end of travel position and it locks.

    1. The over-center spring is broken or has come loose inside the tower.

    2. The release handle was not fully locked in the travel position in the first place. (I know! I know! You would never do such a thing, but it happens and would explain your problem.)

    I have never heard of a broken spring but that, too, is possible.
  • shadows4's avatar
    shadows4
    Explorer III
    Oct 10, 2015
    NMDriver wrote:
    I think you have your 4 hold down pins and clips improperly mounted. See the diagram that is affixed to the hitch leg. You have likely reversed pins and clips that are not allowing the lock to fully engage the slots in the rail.

    The pins and clips must be installed so the clips are on the outside of the rail and the pin heads are laying flat. Otherwise the clip will stop the slide from moving far enough forward for the lock teeth to go all the way into the tow slot in the rail.


    Thanks NM. I bought this hitch off CL 3 years ago so most of the stickers on the hitch are faded or gone. I have been placing the pins and clips the wrong way! I thought if I put the clips on the inside it would be harder for someone to pull one out. I will switch these out today.
  • JIMNLIN's avatar
    JIMNLIN
    Explorer III
    Oct 10, 2015
    Like all things mechanical any brand hitch slide mechanism needs proper lubrication and maintaining. I doubt the mechanism that allows tow and maneuver position has ever been maintained (RR and lube) at least every other year.
  • amandasgramma's avatar
    amandasgramma
    Explorer
    Oct 10, 2015
    We've had the same thing happen twice.....once with our brand new rig!!!!!!!!! YES, it DOES give you a heart attack! We had so much stuff back there, that something hit the lever both times. SO, DH did what any redneck would do, he used straps and locked that puppy in place. No more problems. :) The slider did EXACTLY what it was supposed to do......
  • NMDriver's avatar
    NMDriver
    Explorer
    Oct 10, 2015
    I think you have your 4 hold down pins and clips improperly mounted. See the diagram that is affixed to the hitch leg. You have likely reversed pins and clips that are not allowing the lock to fully engage the slots in the rail.

    The pins and clips must be installed so the clips are on the outside of the rail and the pin heads are laying flat. Otherwise the clip will stop the slide from moving far enough forward for the lock teeth to go all the way into the tow slot in the rail.

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