Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda - AKA Lesson Learned

[eeoski]

We went to hitch Bella up to Bruto on Friday so we could go to Silver River State Park (Florida) and Doug realized (as part of the pre-trip check out) that the teflon plate that we had on the fifth wheel when we took it to the dealership for service was not longer attached. Unfortunately he didn't notice when he picked it up last Saturday. Not a big expense item and as we make a point to ensure the pin is properly greased it wasn't an immediate need item.

So, now the return from the dealership includes checking for the teflon plate before departure!

Robin

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Or Robin, you could try to find one of these:

http://geocities.com/genieyorks/montanaourwaylubeplate

[Waynem]

The dealerships use a fork lift with a cup that comes in under the king pin. The cup will cut the teflon ring so they take it off. Check your compartments to see if they put it in one of them, including the front compartment.

Yep! Always check and ask, "Where is it?"

[simonsrf]

Carol,

That looks very nice, what was the installation cost?


"Part of the problem was that the Isolator results in a different angle for hooking up, part of the problem was the removealbe Teflon Pad we used on the pin box."

Does this angle change?...not sure I understand. Are you talking about height, or the way the base plate rests side-to-side? If it is side-to-side, doesn't that even out as the pin pushes in and is that the reason for the added teflon? That would mean that it works dual purpose of reducing the friction while traveling, and helping to slide at hookup.

Sorry for my lousy description here, but hope you understand my question.

[snfexpress]

Look in the pin box. They often stash it there, up near the front.

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Robbie, not sure I totally understand your question. The Isolator, which is no longer made, and maybe for this reason, among others, does have an angle, which made hooking up WITH the teflon plate that most RVers use, a bit difficult.

With the plate we have, which is welded to the hitch, it never moves, we can RUN up on the hitch, and that thing is pretty much indestrucable.

I believe the cost was around $60.00, Al is not here for me to ask right now.

The angle was NOT side to side and had nothing to do with height.

Yep, hard to describe.

[eeoski]

Carol,

Thanks for the alternative...when the opportunity arises can you provide the source information as when I showed Doug the photo he was "Yeah! That's neat!" which usually means "need to find it, buy it, and install it!"

Michael and Wayne,

Thanks for the suggestions for finding it...will look tomorrow as it is DARK out and there are CRITTERS rumaging around outside! LOL

Robin

[MIMF]

Everyone,

I believe that what Carol was trying to explain is that, on a lot of the aftermarket air bag pin boxes, the king-pin is pointed down to the ground at a slightly backward angle. That is because, of the air pressure inside the air bag pushing down on the flexible plate, which extense it. It then gives the appearance that the king-pin is pointing back toward the landing legs when coach is unhooked and leveled. It is the nature of the beast.

For example, our coach is equipped with the TrailAir pin box. Because of the amount of air pressure in that air bag, which could be anywhere from 60 to 80 psi, depending on how heavy I have it loaded, when I unhook from the hitch, I have to actually raise the the pin box to relieve some of the weight on the hitch so that when the jaws are open, I can pull the truck out from under so the coach won't follow along. Once the king pin slips past the 5th wheel plate, it has the tendency to move downward toward the floor of the bed of the truck.

Once I have the king pin past the open tail gate, I then lower the front of the coach to level it.

The orange plate that Carol shows is a lub plate that is permanetly rivited to the plate of the 5th wheel hitch. That way it don't move, come loose or get lost. I have the same orange plate on my hitch.

But, would you believe I also have the white disk lub plate stuck to the king pin? Yupper! Talk about slipping under and hooking up quickly and quietly!!!

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Dale,

BINGO, thank you, mucho better description.

Robin, we purchased at a "hitch" place/business in the Elkhart County Indiana area. (Sounds like a good reason for a trip to Elkhart, eh??) But, you local hitch provider may be able to find you one???

We first saw it in the bed of a hauler's truck, and it made so much sense to us. Never have to worry bout that disc again. Where is it, do we have it, blah blah blah. Seemed like a good thing for our older leaky memory tanks, eh??

Interesting Dale that you still use the disc, did not know you could do that, never thought about it!

[simonsrf]

Thank you for the clarification. I get it now, real hard to describe, you did an excellent job, must be in the business.

[MIMF]

Robbie, if you are talking about me, how did you guess?

Carol, the main and about the only reason I use the white disc is because sometimes there is some weld slag on the bottom surface of the plate around the king pin. I put that plate on there because, it was just laying around and I didn't want to chew up the new orange lube plate from the slag cutting it as I turned corners. Rather chew up the white disc instead. But, did discover that when unhooking and hooking up, things fit together easier.

Heck, come up to the Great Lakes Rally at the end of July in Mackinaw City (sp)and I will be delighted to demonstrate.

[sreigle]

Robin, that happened to me but, unfortunately, there was more damage to the hitch head. The Keystone Service Center neglected to put our plate back on and it wasn't hanging from the brake wire as they usually do. We didnt' notice, hitched up, drove 700 miles over 3 days, not unhitching at night. There was no paint left on the hitch head of around the kingpin on the pinbox. Paint on the pinbox plus a new teflon plate took care of that part. But no paint would last on the hitch head, even with grease. Keystone had done such a great job and been such a big help I didn't have the heart to say anything to them. But, when we traded Montanas I made sure a new hitch head was thrown in on the deal.

I'm glad you had no serious damage. Now, with this superglide, I don't need a teflon plate. It's superflous. However, when I leave the rig at a dealer I have to remove the capture plate (not difficult). Then I have to remember to put that plate back on before we tow the rig home. I forgot that once and was very lucky not to have serious problems in that heavy traffic.

[eeoski]

Steve,

I am VERY glad we didn't have the problems you encountered! We've already replaced the teflon plate. First trip out of Silver River SP was to a local RV dealer to get a new one. I did check the two potential "hidy holes" but no joy! It is amazing how much good a $10.00 part can do to prevent big problems.

Robin