How do you hook up? - Montana Owners Club

waldo238 · 04-02-2008, 06:41 AM

I have a question on how you hook up your'e fifth. My dealer when I bought the rig told me to open the jaws and back up the tv until it stops and then close the jaws and flip the lever down to secure it. Reading my Reese manual says to flip up the locking lever and then back up the tv until you hit the jaws and let them open and shut around the king pin. How do you do it? Also on another note is there anything that has to be lubricated? I have one of those disks for the pin box but what about the internals of the hitch?

H. John Kohl · 04-02-2008, 06:48 AM

I do it as Reese manual states. I open the lock, which is secured with a padlock when hitched up. Line the pin and my "V" in the rear view mirror and back into it. I make sure the height is correct. I watch the release level extend out and then close. I then put the truck in forward 5th since it is manual and pull lightly on the hitch with the trailer wheels still chocked. This ensures the jaws will not release. I then lower down, lock the release bar and padlock it secure, hook up the breakaway cable and the trailer electrical cable.

Grease, I use which lithium spray grease on the pivot points of the hitch and based on another post I will spray WD40 on the black plate to help lubricate the white nylon plate.

I normal hit the internals once or twice a year.

I hope this helps.
cheers,

Jolu · 04-02-2008, 07:05 AM

I'll second John's method. I add a little white grease to the jaws from time to time as needed. JB

SlickWillie · 04-02-2008, 07:08 AM

Same here.

waldo238 · 04-02-2008, 07:19 AM

OK, Another question. Do you want the pin box just slightly lower the the hitch while hooking up. So you are sliding up onto the fifth wheel hitch.

rldriver · 04-02-2008, 07:32 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by waldo238

OK, Another question. Do you want the pin box just slightly lower the the hitch while hooking up. So you are sliding up onto the fifth wheel hitch.

Thats the way that I do it. I am going to pull the switch for the front jacks out of the basement and attach it to a long wire and use it as a remote so I can stand next to the truck while adjusting the height of the RV.

Some of the members bring the pin box up to the right height to pull out from under the RV and determine the height of the pin box from the ground. Then when getting ready to hook up to leave they just adjust the pin box height to that original dimension and back under the rig.

Emmel · 04-02-2008, 03:13 PM

Same as John on hooking up. I do keep the pin box and hitch about the same level, the reason, I watched a good friend of mine back into his hitch a little too fast. Missed the "v" and pushed his 5er about two feet almost into the motor home in the space behind him.
Being level takes the guess work out of the correct height to set the pin to keep that from happening.

H. John Kohl · 04-02-2008, 04:02 PM

I use to leave it a little low causing it to ride up. One time I tore up a nylon disk because it was too low. Now I make it level but less than 1/4 of an inch of day light. That makes sure the pin is not too high and also ensures there is not too much pressure that could push the trailer back wards.

I did paint the vertical edge of the jaws white to also make sure they are closed.

Good luck.
Cheers,

FLSTS03 · 04-02-2008, 04:05 PM

Sounds as if everyone does about the same thing, I will add for me I push the man bar on my brake controller to hard lock before hitching, helps to hold everything in place and being new to the 5th wheel experiance,I ck myself about a dozen times before I go bump...Steve

Waynem · 04-02-2008, 04:36 PM

One twist I use is I purchased a small 1 inch level and attached a magnetic piece to the back side. when I unhitch, I raise the 5er until I just see daylight. Now I'm ready to do all the things necessary to unhitch and the slowly pull away. I take the magnetic level and place it on the king pin box so that it shows level. Then I level the trailer.

When I'm ready to hitch up, I lower or raise the trailer until the level on the king pin box reads level.

When I hitch I pull the jaw handle release so that they are open. I back in very slowly and the jaws release (most of the time) I get out, make sure the release is closed and the release lock is placed on the release. I then physically walk behind the TV and look to see if the jaw is closed completely around the king pin. With chocks still in place and front leveler jacks raised about 1/4 inch, I do the tug test.

So far it has worked for me but I am going to buy the bed saver or pin lock.

**Rondo** · 04-02-2008, 04:42 PM

I'm with Steve! I use manbars on the trailer brake on my dash of the TV to make sure my fiver is locked or as close to being locked as possible besides the use of the ground chocks. As with all others, I do a lot of checking before I pull away. Since I have a slider on the shortbed, I sometimes will even slide it back into the maneuver position and make sure I have it locked and will have plenty of space to pull out of the spot and up to the dump station (if needed) or out of the park. If it slides back into that back position it's going to be locked especially if I make sure the pins are all in position and secured. Haven't dumped the fiver from the yoke and keeping my fingers crossed on it. Still thinking of adding a bedsaver since they are made here in Nebraska and only about an hours drive away!

capn chris · 04-03-2008, 05:21 AM

Low tech - hi tech. I know that 52 1/2" height for pin plate matches closely w/the hitch, so I or DW raise the rig to that height. Pull release, and back slowly. I have remote control (key fob) for the landing gear and can raise or lower the rig from the TV cab to match hitch height exactly, before connecting. Works slick. After the jaws close and the handle snaps in, lock the TV brakes, and take care of the hitch lock, power cable, and breakaway, etc.

waldo238 · 04-03-2008, 05:29 AM

Tell me more about the remote landing gear.

rldriver · 04-03-2008, 06:17 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by waldo238

Tell me more about the remote landing gear.

I purchased one and put it on our 2980RL and then sold the RV. Wish I had taken it off and put it on the big sky. Works great and not to hard to install. It now cost $150.00 including shipping and can be found at http://www.westhaverassociates.com/zaxis/ It's called Zaxis Landing gear remote control. Could be others on the market but this is the one that I used.

You install it next to the existing controls so you can turn it off and use the old system if needed.

Well worth the money.

Dick

racerjoe · 04-03-2008, 10:32 AM

That is one of the nicest products I have seen. When unit is out of storage it is being ordered.
Nice thing about this forum, GOOD PEOPLE,GOOD IDEAS...

MacDR50 · 04-03-2008, 05:17 PM

I assume the remote that comes with the 10th Anniversary Edition will be as useful.

waldo238 · 04-04-2008, 01:01 AM

Why yes it does, of course they waited to add all those goodies untill I bought mine.

Delaine and Lindy · 04-04-2008, 02:59 AM

Well we all hook-up about the same way, I have the TrailAir pin box and its a little different. Before I back into the king pin I lower the Trailer just to were it rest on the lip of the 5th wheel hitch, and when I back under the Trailer it will slightly raise the front and when the 5th wheel hitch bar closes and I drop the Safety pin in I know its a secure hook-up, thats a plus with the B&W system. Then I slightly raise the Hydraulic landing gear and do the pull test, I also know the 5th wheel will not move because I use Roto Chocks, they are first on and last off. The B&W Companion 5th wheel hitch is safest hitch I have owned to insure a proper hook-up. I have owned the Bed-Saver in the past and think if your not using the B&W system its a good system. However if you have a B&W system there is no need for the Bed Saver. GBY.

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