Pro Pride 1400 hitch - need help

[leoshats]

Hello everyone, I need any of your professional experience regarding to use the Pro Pride hitch please. One and half month ago the RV dealer has installed this PP hitch in my brand new trailer. 5 times I've connected w/out any problem and spent about 20-25 min. for each connection, but yesterday was the horrible day for me.I spent about 3 hours ander the sun and the temperature of 95F. Point is that, the main hitch head changed the angle to down (will try to attach photos) and I couldn't to do anything to move the head up. I've adjusted the distribution bars, but everything was the same - the hitch bar stinger couldn't come in. I called to Sean (ProPride), sent a photos and he said "the only thing you'll need to use a bottle jack, get the hitch head up to level and you'll be able to back right in." Finally I have connected, but still DON'T understanding: 1. What happened with my hitch head and how can I fix this problem. As far as I understood this head's adjusting with the lift jack is abnormal and what should I request from dealer to fix this problem?

2. Yoke of my hitch is very flexible, not stable, playing and changing the angle during the connection. What should I do to stabilise the hitch head and not allowed to change angle? 

3. Also hitch head every time change angle from left to right and vice versa as well and not stable in one position (playing). Should I use the distribution bars to handle the hitch head?

4. Should I take the lift jack in each travel!?? It's very heavy unit and extra weight for my truck.
Please help me with your proffesional advice. We are staying now in camping and I didn't disconnect truck from the trailers hitch, since I'm very afraid to get this problems once again. After 4th of July Holiday will go to dealer. I greatly appreciate in advance your help and support. Best regards, Leonid

[leoshats]

[leoshats]

No, this is a brand new PP 1400 system. One year ago during the process of choosing a new WD system for our future trailer, I asked Sean about an alternative system for WD bars since I thought if I'll use the standard Jack's columns, the cover of the trailer's propane tank chamber will not remove easily and a jack columns will not allow me to replace the propane tanks as well. Sean offered to buy the LCI Strap Tak System except of regular jacks (see photo below).
Thank you again for your response. I sent email to Sean about the torque of the Yoke slide bolts and let you know as soon as I'll get any response.
Have a happy and safe 4th of July!
Best regards, Leonid.

[Flapper]

If you want "official", none of us really know, as it is not in the manual. So a call to Sean would be needed. But 150 was the number for the the other similar sized bolts, so seemed reasonable for these too, hence why I said such in my previous answer.
In your last photo, the bolt with the slot looks like it has moved up, judging by the worn paint/rust marks.

Was this a "pre-owned" hitch? I too am curious about the ratchet straps rather than the BAL jacks current ones are being shipped with.

[leoshats]

I know about torgue of the 3/4 main Yoke bolts, which comming through the Yoke bushings and into the hole of the main hitch. This is 250 ft-lbs. I asked about the side bolts of the Yoke, which on my last photoabove: a) pivot bolt (trailer side) and b) bolt in the slot (toward to the taw car). What is the torque of these bolts? In the installation manual I found only:"Tighten the side Yoke bolts shown in the pucture above." Thank you!

[Mortimer_Brewst]

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[leoshats]

[leoshats]

Dear Mortimer, I completely understand your alignment process and once again walked tghrow via the installation manual as well.
Point is that the RV dealer installed my PP and only now I have a clear picture how it suppose to be. I'll do my best to double check everything and align properly. You are right, main problem with the Yoke level. I made one more photo about bolts location and attaching now. Please tell me (couldn't find in the manual) what is the correct (lbs/ft) torgue for the Yoke pivot bolt and for the slight bolt as well? I greatly appreciate everyone for your attention, time, help and support.
Best regards, Leonid.

[RobWNY]

A little off topic but is Propride now using ratchet straps for the WD bars as shown in Leoshats photos? I bought mine 3 years ago and it has the jacks. This is the first time I've seen the ratchet straps.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

leoshats wrote:

I didn't notice this before, but on this side it looks like the Yoke has slipped down. Look at the area just below the bolt used for adjusting the Yoke.

[leoshats]

[leoshats]

[leoshats]

As far as I see, the ball and coupler have connected properly (please see photo)

[Mortimer_Brewst]

It should be fine, but check the connection between the ball of the hitch and the trailer coupler.

[Flapper]

While the hitch head itself can pivot freely left and right when hitching, as long as the opening is reasonably well aligned with the stinger on the truck when backing in, it should give few issues. Meaning, if your truck is at an angle, it should be at the same angle, etc.

But, the tail of the yoke (under the front of the A frame pointed to the back of the trailer) should not have any right/left play in it. You'll see it resting on top of a cross bolt with a roller that allows it to move front to back. Tighten the cross bolt, to the point there is no room for the yoke tail to move side-to-side. Do not tighten more than that, though.

[Flapper]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
To me it looks like your Yoke has dropped. I can''t tell from Photo 1, but look at the area beneath the bolt I marked with the red arrow for signs of slippage.

Here's a page from my setup manual for the ProPride. Double check that it's the same in your manual. I doubt if it's changed.



Steps 10 and 11 show how to adjust the Yoke.
It would be a good idea to check all the bolts to see if they have been torqued properly and haven't loosened up.

I just finished installing my new one, and agree with the above, the yoke has slipped and changed the angle of the head.
Make sure there is no tension on the WD bars.
Loosen the bolts shown. With some effort, you should be able to change the head angle by pushing down on the sides of the yoke.
On level ground, backing in perfectly straight and square, hitch up, doing whatever you need to to get the stinger fully seated and latched. Do not tighten up the WD bars. Make sure there is no weight (or pull up) on the hitch - look for movement on the ball coupler as you raise/lower the trailer jack.
Torque all the bolts down tight..150 ft/lbs at least.

Unhitch, and then see how it works backing in again.
As a final test, crank up the WD bars to your normal height and go for a drive.
Unhitch like normal, and verify that nothing has changed.

While the yoke needs some adjustability to accommodate different installs, it also is subject to lots of torque from the WD bars, trailer load, and bumps. So if the bolts weren't quite tight enough to begin with, they allowed the yoke to slip at one point, giving you the excessive down angle.