Pullrite Superglide 18K ISR Unhitching

[navajochief]

I started having a problem unhitching my 5er off the hitch. Whenever I'm unhitching, I lower the front landing gear of the trailer and begin to elevate the kingpin off of the hitch. I do it until the capture plate is a barely off the hitch. I then pull the lever and it won't release! I experienced this the last time I took my trailer out. I lubed the tubes and the inside of the hitch too. It looks like the jaw won't release the kingpin. In not releasing the the kingpin, as i raise the trailer the pin remains connected to the hitch and the hitch begins to lift the rear of the truck. I ended up then slamming the truck back and forth while it is locked and eventually it released it. However, I don't remember it giving me this problem when I first unhitched it. I called Pullrite and they told me to chalk the trailer and place the landing gear of trailer to the ground to support the trailer without lifting the weight off of the hitch while the vehicle parking brake is engaged. Once the landing gear is down I am to drive forward with the weight still on the hitch and pull away. He tells me the latch will release. Any ideas? Anybody else having this issue with their pullrite hitches?

4.5" Donahoe Racing Lift, Dick Cepek Fun Country 35" tires, Helo 18" Wheels, Dieselsite Coolant filter with ELC, OEM 4.30 gears, Air lift 5k bags, Pullrite 18K ISR Superglide hitch, 5k HID headlights, Edge CTS monitor.
2016 Keystone Fuzion 325

[schlep1967]

navajochief wrote:
I called Pullrite regarding the "slip plate" spray lube and I was told NOT to use those. The "slip plate" lube is okay for older hitches prior to '09. The new hitches, which is what I have, have plastic wear plates and on my manual it clearly states to use only WD40 or 3 and 1 oil. The Pullrite adviser told me the "spray lube" graphite lube will breakdown and destroy the plastic wear plate through the friction it will create. This is reiterated on my hitch manual. It states to use only WD40 and/or 3 and 1 oil for maintenance. It says not to use grease on the way tubes or inside the cam.

Correct. When I said to use slip plate earlier it was on the pin. Not on the tubes.

[navajochief]

I called Pullrite regarding the "slip plate" spray lube and I was told NOT to use those. The "slip plate" lube is okay for older hitches prior to '09. The new hitches, which is what I have, have plastic wear plates and on my manual it clearly states to use only WD40 or 3 and 1 oil. The Pullrite adviser told me the "spray lube" graphite lube will breakdown and destroy the plastic wear plate through the friction it will create. This is reiterated on my hitch manual. It states to use only WD40 and/or 3 and 1 oil for maintenance. It says not to use grease on the way tubes or inside the cam.

[CJW8]

As stated earlier, you shouldn't be using WD-40 on the way tubes. It collects dirt and dissipates very quickly. Go to NAPA and get some Slip Plate. It is like flat black spray paint that contains graphite. That is what Pullrite recommends for my Superglide.

[schlep1967]

Pullrite sells a hitch cover that would help keep the rails clean between uses. For a few dollars more you could get a decent tonneau cover for the bed.

[navajochief]

Yeah. I know I'm going to have to practice and practice to get the hang of it. At least now I know I'm suppose to back up some to release the weight/tension on the hitch. I fully understand the rationale behind that. I've only had the hitch over a month and still in the back of my truck and I've taken the trailer out a couple of times now. I've lubed the way tubes as directed. With the hitch exposed to the elements and it being windy where I live, lots of dust/dirt has collected on the way tubes. I've cleaned off the dust and dirt and apply fresh WD40 to the tubes every time I take out the trailer; however, I noticed there appears to be some black colored streaks that I see on the way tubes mixed with the WD40. Could it be just old dirt mixed with the WD40? The hitch slides and I also applied WD40 to the inside of the hitch where the plastic wear plate is located. Just wondering. Want to make sure the integrity of the hitch isn't compromised.

[schlep1967]

navajochief wrote:
I was able to unhitch the 5er but it did stick some. Had the wife lift the pin a bit of a time and I backed up a bit but the latch never popped out. Wife pulled and it came out. Going to have to work at it some. I'm thinking it shouldn't stick this much. Oh well time will tell if I or the process improves. I looped the brake cable a bit and that helped but will hopefully will try that swagging maybe.

The latch will not pop out on it's own. You still have to pull the handle to release it. If it came out on its own after backing we would be dropping trailers all over the place.

You just need to get familiar with your hitch. Next time you hook up try different things to get the feel for the hitch. After you back under and hook up pull forward just enough to put pressure against the pin like if you were actually pulling the trailer. set the brake and put the truck in park and then go try to pull the handle. Notice I said try. You most likely will not get it to move at all. Next get back in the truck and ease it back pushing the pin against the front of the hitch, brake, Park. Now get out and pull the handle. It should pull easily.

[CJW8]

Me thinks you may be raising it too much. On mine, I lower the front landing gear until there is a slight gap, then I raise them (lowering the pin) just until the gap closes. I then pull the release handle. If it won't pull, I put the truck in neutral to take the pressure off of the pin. This usually happens when I have backed into a spot.

[navajochief]

I was able to unhitch the 5er but it did stick some. Had the wife lift the pin a bit of a time and I backed up a bit but the latch never popped out. Wife pulled and it came out. Going to have to work at it some. I'm thinking it shouldn't stick this much. Oh well time will tell if I or the process improves. I looped the brake cable a bit and that helped but will hopefully will try that swagging maybe.

[time2roll]

navajochief wrote:
So you never unload the weight off of the hitch? You only lower the landing gear so the trailer has something to land on and back up not forward?

I unload most of the weight but never raise the pinbox off the hitch.

Same with connecting. Always let the pinbox ride up the saddle a bit.

Yes sometimes there is fore/aft tension to release by nudging the truck forward or back a bit. Always chock the trailer and have the jacks down first. Sometimes I have DW move the truck a bit while I pull on the lever.

I shortened my cable with some crimp swagging from Home Depot. Look in the cable/rope section.

[navajochief]

Never thought of that. That makes sense. Will try that when I go out to pick it up today.
Thank you

[BigT]

I just make an extra loop in the break away cable and then put that loop through the release handle. The net effect is that it shortens the cable just enough so that it can't get tangled up in anything. If it is long enough to drag on the way tubes IMHO that is way too long. I have a friend whose break away cable got tangled up on the hitch, and when he made a sharp turn it tightened up and pulled the cable out of the socket and locked the trailer brakes in the middle of a busy intersection. His comment was "I know now that the emergency trailer brakes work REAL good" It took a few minutes to untangle it and plug it back in so they could get moving.

[navajochief]

One more thing.
How do you guys handle the brake away cable that dangles across the way tubes when attached to the lever? When I hitch up the fifth wheel, I attached the power cord connection along with the brake away cable and loop it over the release handle of the hitch. The brake away cable I have has a lot of slack and notice it loosely travels across the way tubes of the hitch as I maneuver the trailer. My concern is that the brake away cable will jam itself inside the way tubes as the hitch is sliding across the way tubes. Have any of you ever had this issue and if so, what remedies did any of you come up with? By the way, I still haven't picked up my trailer as I am at still at work.

Thank you.

[pennysmom09]

dcgoodrich50 wrote:
I guess I do things a little different as once the trailer is in position and the wheels chocked, I immediately pull the release. 9 out of ten times it releases. If not, I simply put the truck in reverse, and without even hitting the gas, just let the tranny take the pressure off the kingpin. I then raise the trailer until it just barely clears the plate, clear the cables, and pull forward. 11 years with my Pullrite #3300 SuperGlide, and this has always worked.

X2. This works for us everytime.

[schlep1967]

dcgoodrich50 wrote:
I guess I do things a little different as once the trailer is in position and the wheels chocked, I immediately pull the release. 9 out of ten times it releases. If not, I simply put the truck in reverse, and without even hitting the gas, just let the tranny take the pressure off the kingpin. I then raise the trailer until it just barely clears the plate, clear the cables, and pull forward. 11 years with my Pullrite #3300 SuperGlide, and this has always worked.

Different pullrites may have different instructions. Mine definitely says do not lift the trailer off the plate.