Safe but scared!!!!

[Gubs]

Just wanting to know if this has happened to anyone else??

BW Patriot 18K slider hitch


Yesterday April 3rd 2024 we were getting ready to leave our campsite at Lake Mead RV in Boulder City, NV. As usual my wife took care of everything inside the camper in preparation for our trip back home as I was packing everything up on the outside and hooking up our 5th wheel RV to our 2019 F-350 super duty. As we have done for over 15 years as a 5th wheel owner I hooked up the trailer and preformed our ritual of making sure the hitch was locked in by setting the brake on the trailer and pulling forward to make sure the kingpin on the trailer was securely attached to the hitch! Ok, all was ready for our trip home. Up the hill out of the campground on to HWY 93 and headed home. 30 minutes down the rode and a huge jerk on the truck which almost caused me to lose control. We thought we had blown a tire or that someone had hit us from behind. I slowed down and proceeded to find a place for us to safely pull over and inspect our rig and truck for any sort of damage. The shoulder on the road was not very wide and therefore we had to proceed down the road at a much slower rate of speed to locate a safe place to pull over, which seemed like forever however was only about 5 or so miles. We spotted a place that would provide us with enough room to safely pull over even though there was a 18 wheeler pulled into the same area. We pulled off the road and both got out to inspect our rig and truck. My wife started speaking to truck driver as I began my inspection. To my GREAT surprise the kingpin on the trailer had somehow detached from the hitch although the hitch jaws were still closed and locking pin was still in place in the arm hole. The only thing that kept the trailer from a complete disconnect, which would have caused significant damage to our rig plus may have resulted in damage or death to anyone behind us as the rig would have stopped rather abruptly as the safety brake would have been pulled. The trucker and myself was amazed that the kingpin had slipped out of the locked and still closed hitch jaws. We were both surprised the trailer was still in the bed of the truck and stated that that tailgate was really strong to have supported the 5th wheel and kept it from falling off the back to the truck.That tailgate pulled the trailer down the road for an additional 5 or more miles.