Hitch life????????

[jalichty]

Just wondering how long a person should own and use a FW hitch. We bought our Reese manual slider hitch in 2002 and have used it ever since. I have noticed it's becoming a little more difficult to un-hitch when camping and wonder if there is any chance it is wearing out? This may have been covered elsewhere, but just thought I would ask.

[jalichty]

Thank you for the opinions. I have never taken my hitch head apart and looked it over. Maybe that's something I should do to see if it needs further maintenance and TLC.

[Hannibal]

Our 21 year old non-tilting Reese 15k Classic has gone from one truck to the next in my sig with new bed rails and hardware each time using hand tools. It's light weight makes it easy to remove, turn over, inspect and lube. My preference is Mobil-1 5w-30. Any time the jaws don't want to release, I back the truck into it a tiny bit and they release.

[rhagfo]

mkirsch wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
Just a little lubrication from time to time.

That may be the problem.

You can't just gob grease and drool oil all over everything, year after year. The old grease traps dirt and hardens/dries out over time.

It may be getting harder to operate the hitch because of the dirty gummy dried up grease buildup. Time to clean things out.

lubrication, is a combination of grease and oil. 🙂

About every two years I tear down my hitch and check, clean and lubricate, then lubricate as needed in between.

[RAS43]

My Reese classic 20k hitch is 19 years old and still works fine. I recently replaced the 2 springs for the handle and jaws but otherwise just regular inspection, cleaning and reapplying grease to the pivot points and mechanism.

[agesilaus]

My hitch manufacturer specifies 'light oil' not grease

[Cummins12V98]

Be sure to get it back in good working order. You don't want this to happen!

[mkirsch]

rhagfo wrote:
Just a little luberication from time to time.

That may be the problem.

You can't just gob grease and drool oil all over everything, year after year. The old grease traps dirt and hardens/dries out over time.

It may be getting harder to operate the hitch because of the dirty gummy dried up grease buildup. Time to clean things out.

[Old-Biscuit]

My current hitch is 9 yrs old. For 7 yrs. it was operated weekly hitching/unhitching/towing our 14K 5vr.

Once a year I would clean/lube

Sounds like YOURS is needing some 'routine' maintenance

Replace hitch:
1) when damaged (bent/cracked etc)
2) when it is under-rated for new trailer
3) when you just want to have a new one

[rhagfo]

Just a little luberication from time to time.

[jerem0621]

From what I understand you can replace the springs in the hitch head and it will be good as new. You can even get new jaws for it and replace them too.

Good opportunity to get new stickers and repaint that bad boy while you are at it.

Pretty cheap maintenance, around $80.00 from Etrailer.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[agesilaus]

The good ones have very heavy construction and unless some damage occurs I suspect they'll outlast you.