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

[dcgoodrich50]

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.

[Slownsy]

Nothing is automatic reversing only relese the pressure on jaws so you can release with handle.
Frank.

[navajochief]

I noticed for the most part, many of you guys all agree that backing up the trailer while hitched will release the trailer when just a little of the weight is taken off the hitch. So safe to say that backing up the trailer while some of the weight is relieved will automatically release the pin from the hitch?

[the_bear_II]

Anytime I have trouble getting the hitch to release, I put the truck in reverse and back towards the trailer. This allows the hitch to open so I can unhitch.

[schlep1967]

I personally do not use grease. I use a product called slip plate. You should be able to get it at NAPA Auto parts. Google it. It is an aerosol can. It is basically spray graphite. It goes on wet and dries quickly. Since it is dry it will not collect dirt and sand that could end up causing damage. And you are much less likely to end up with it on your clothes like grease.

[navajochief]

I lubed the the way tubes with WD40 and the insides where the manual tells me to lube. Do you grease the jaws themselves or just the pin on the trailer? I'm new to 5th wheel towing so I really appreciate any help/advise from veterans that have towed with these. I thought maybe I bent the jaws or something on the hitch. I recently installed airbags and after I hitched the 5er I lifted the rear end and took it for a tow. I thought maybe when I lifted the trailer bed I was bending or binding the locking mechanism to the hitch. I will be picking up the trailer from storage tomorrow and bring it home. I guess I'll find out how it goes. I will follow your directions to a "T." I'll chime back on how it went. Thank you.

[schlep1967]

ford truck guy wrote:
When I am unhooking my super glide ,this is what I do .

chock the camper wheels
raise the landing gear
get in truck and backup to get the slack OFF the kingpin and set E-brake
get out and pull handle with ease every time

+1

Take a minute and really look at the pin and the hitch. The pin resemble an upside down "T". When the pin goes into the hitch the jaw then wraps around the thin part of the "T". So when hitched you have a wide surface both below and above the jaw. That way it can't bounce up out of the jaw. So what happens when you try to lift the trailer off the plate is you pinch the jaw between the lower wide surface and the upper plate.

Also you will notice that when pulling the movable jaw is what you are pulling against. With pressure against this piece it is impossible to pull the latch to release the jaw.


Chock the trailer wheels. Raise the trailer enough to take most of the weight off the truck. Put the truck in reverse and just ease back enough to put the pin against the front of the hitch. Set the parking brake. Put the truck in Park (in that order). And you will now be able to release the hitch. There should be no banging back and forth.

[navajochief]

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?

[ford_truck_guy]

When I am unhooking my super glide ,this is what I do .

chock the camper wheels
raise the landing gear
get in truck and backup to get the slack OFF the kingpin and set E-brake
get out and pull handle with ease every time