Hitch Problems

[nevlarry]

I have a PullRite 18K mounted in a short bed Ford 250. Towing a Montana 3400. Hooking & unhooking is consistently difficult. Pullrite seems to have a good reputation but the RV forums are full of people who complain about unhooking problems. Anyone out there who has a 5th wheel hitch that consistently hooks/unhooks with reasonable ease that you can recommend.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Question:

Do you block the rig, and then, slightly back the truck up, back into the hitch? Then, legs down and when you are ready to pull the handle you should find it easy to pull.

OR, maybe you have other issues?? You were not specific.

CountryGuy and I personally do this and know several other owners that did not back into the hitch and were having a devil of a time pulling that handle.

They all had no further issues once they tried this "backintothehitch" method.

Our major issue for hooking up is getting things lined up so that we do not high hitch because of the Isolator. Puts a funny angle on stuff. SO, I cannot address hooking up.

Good luck!

[brenkco]

Nevlarry,

I had the 18k PullRite super glide and yes there are a few tricks. Once you master them, it is easy on and off. To unhitch, first you must be semi-straight to the rig. There is only slight tolerance, 10-15* if memory serves me. Second is to block you wheels. You're going to use the wheel chalks to release the pressure on the jaw of the hitch. Third, raise the front of your trailer until you see slight separation from the capture plate on the king pin and the hitch. Next, you need to put the truck into reverse with just a minor bit of pressure. If you have a MorRyde hitch, you will see the nylon bushings move slightly back. Now you can pull the handle with ease and disconnect. Don't forget to lower your tail gate! (I normally do that 1st).

The secret is to get backward pressure off the jaws to release the handle. Follow the above procedure, works every everytime.

Once you get the hang of it, (it took me a time or two ...or 12), you won't have any more issues.

Hope that helps!

Ken

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

What Ken said! Cept, Ken, Al and I have been so "crooked" with truck and Tana that I have had to turn the steering wheel hard when pulling out so as to not hit the side rails. It is far from our preferred behavior, but, sometimes, ya know, it's all we can do to shoehorn Tana into the spots we have rented.

(An aside, to Ken, off subject, missed seeing you guys this year. We are still in Florida, thanks in part, to Mother Nature and Father Winter. And, now back to our OP's discussion.)

[BB_TX]

I had a Pullrite (non slider) and almost always had to back into it slightly to relieve the pressure on the latch to let me pull the handle. After a few times just became part of my procedure.

[Rondo]

We've got a Reese hitch and we do the back-in procedure on ours also. It just relieves the pressure on the pin and the jaws to be able to pull the handle much easier!

[fauch]

make sure you are not lifting high enough to put upward pressure on the bottom of the hitch lock jaw. i usually lift the trailer enough to get good ground pressure on the landing gear, then chock the wheels and pull the jaw handle. also agree with the 'back into it' step. backed into the hitch puts pressure against fixed top plate of head. pulled forward exerts pressure against the lock jaw.

[CORattler]

Agreed! I learned this method and use it all the time. Makes it EZ to pull the release handle.

quote:Originally posted by brenkco

Nevlarry,

I had the 18k PullRite super glide and yes there are a few tricks. Once you master them, it is easy on and off. To unhitch, first you must be semi-straight to the rig. There is only slight tolerance, 10-15* if memory serves me. Second is to block you wheels. You're going to use the wheel chalks to release the pressure on the jaw of the hitch. Third, raise the front of your trailer until you see slight separation from the capture plate on the king pin and the hitch. Next, you need to put the truck into reverse with just a minor bit of pressure. If you have a MorRyde hitch, you will see the nylon bushings move slightly back. Now you can pull the handle with ease and disconnect. Don't forget to lower your tail gate! (I normally do that 1st).

The secret is to get backward pressure off the jaws to release the handle. Follow the above procedure, works every everytime.

Once you get the hang of it, (it took me a time or two ...or 12), you won't have any more issues.

Hope that helps!

Ken

[brenkco]

Exactly, you don't want to lift too much. I found the sweet spot on my rig when you just start to see separation between the capture plate and the hitch. More than that causes binding

[mobilcastle]

If your hitch is new give it a few hundred miles and it will loosen up.

[steves]

Yes, I too use the back-in procedure to take pressure of the hitch jaws. One trick I've learned is while backing onto boards for leveling immediately set the emergency brake while your foot is still on the brake. This will prevent the truck from rolling forward putting pressure again on the jaws after you put it in park and take your foot of the brake. Then set your chocks, pull hitch release handle, drop tail gate, lift trailer just off the hitch and drive out from under rig. If necessary do the back-in again while chocks are in place. Most times I don't have to do the 2nd back-in.

[JandC]

On my Reese if there is the least little bit of forward pressure the handle won't release. I am not a big fan of raising the trailer until I see separation. I generally raise it to that point and then let it back down so it is again barely touching my 5th wheel plate.

[Bigsky3625RE]

quote:Originally posted by CORattler

Agreed! I learned this method and use it all the time. Makes it EZ to pull the release handle.

Have the same hitch and follow the same process.

[BB_TX]

I never raise mine to the point of separation. I had gotten pretty good at watching the truck rise as I extend the jacks and knowing when the pin box plate is going to be about an inch below the hitch plate so it will slide off and down slightly when I pull forward.
That is about the same height I use when I hook back up so the pin box plate slides up onto the hitch plate to ensure good hitching. The truck drops an equal amount as trailer slides up on the hitch so the jacks do not leave the ground.

[MDL]

I have the same Pullrite and have had the same issues. I also use the backup method after I install the wheel locks. I found that the right amount of lift was important, but I had a Airborne hitch on the SOB. When the capture plate just started to pivot down and the airbag extended, I knew I could pull out. With the V tailgate, it cleared by about 1" every time.

Not sure how I'm going to get that same lift accuracy with the Mor/ryde, but I'll start by watching the capture plate and bed lift. It's a great hitch and has worked well for us. Be sure and lubricate it and check the roller cam bearing every so often. I hear there is a new and old roller cam bearing and the older ones have had a few failures. Good luck!

[Artemus Gordon]

My dad you to tell me this about things like hitching ! "Son, your not holding your mouth right"? Lol

[mmgeol]

We also had a heck of a time with our Pullrite when we first got the trailer and hitch. It took hours at first trying to get that sucker unhitched. And then a miracle happened. I read the forum and there was a post about relieving the pressure on the pin and voila, no more unhitching problems.

Follow Ken's directions and you should be a happy camper.

[rohrmann]

I found with our Pullrite hitch, manually apply the trailer brakes and back up a bit, prior to even getting out of the truck. Problem solved, the release opens every time.