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Old 07-05-2010, 09:59 AM   #1
RCN.Stoker
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Lesson $learned Reese 18k Signature Hitch

Ok I dropped it. Right on the rails and tailgate. $6,000 mistake but how did it happen? I was solidly in the hitch, the tell tail flag was out of the way and I was able to put the locking pin in straight. I pulled against the trailer with wheel chocks in place and legs just up an inch - all okay. Raised legs and checked my trailer brakes and the pull popped the hitch jaw open. After getting the pin box out of the truck box I took off the hitch saddle plate. The locking pin for the jaw that goes through the hole in the handle had gone to the side of hole in the lower fixed locking tab apparently because the handle had not fully retracted. This allowed the handle to move and the jaw to open. Short of laying in the box to check it, it is nearly impossible to see if you have the pin in the lower hole. Not making excuses but this is a real bad design flaw. I am going to change the pin and from now on insert it upwards through the lower plate first. The handle will be marked with a with a contrasting colour so I can see that it is fully retracted. I post this as a caution to all who have or are contemplating buying this hitch in the hopes that it helps someone else avert such an accident. I have now read several accounts from others of exactly the same experience with this hitch. I shudder to think of this happening on the road. BTW the trailer had very minor cosmetic damage but I am going to check out the front framing around the pin box when I figure how to get at it. Any help in this regard would be much appreciated.
 
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Old 07-05-2010, 10:40 AM   #2
7.3Ford
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by RCN.Stoker

Ok I dropped it. Right on the rails and tailgate. $6,000 mistake but how did it happen? I was solidly in the hitch, the tell tail flag was out of the way and I was able to put the locking pin in straight.
I have a Reese 18K hitch, don't know if it is signature or not. Not sure what the tail flag is, but was told everything was good it the safety pin went straight in. Only problem I have had with hitch is if 5er is to high when I hook up, and then the safety pin doesn't go in anyway. Mine has a little switch in the front, which if the 5er pin is in correctly allows the safety pin to be inserted.

Damage to the Monty is probably just the outer sinks. Don't think you will be able to see much of the frame. I would think you would cause more damage the Monty if you removed the sink.
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Old 07-05-2010, 01:00 PM   #3
RCN.Stoker
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The flag is a chromed lever that has one end in the back of the slot for the trailer pin and the other blocking the lock pin hole between the handle hole and the tab welded to the hitch that has the lower hole for the lock pin. There is enough play in the jaw handle that if the handle is not all the way in when the trailer pin is tight in the slot and the jaw closes the flag will move opening the hole for the handle but the lock pin will go in straight just ahead and to the side of the tab hole. The hitch is only a year old and has has very little use as I seasonal camp.
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Old 07-05-2010, 02:57 PM   #4
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RCN, One of the things I always worry about when doing my tug test is if I am tugging hard enough. My Husky hitch only has one groove to lock the handle in so that is a little more fool proof but one still has visions of dropping the 5'er due to high hitching or whatever. Blue Ox is going to be at next weeks Central Region Rally. Might see what they have to offer on the bed saver.
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Old 07-05-2010, 03:08 PM   #5
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jimcol

RCN, One of the things I always worry about when doing my tug test is if I am tugging hard enough. My Husky hitch only has one groove to lock the handle in so that is a little more fool proof but one still has visions of dropping the 5'er due to high hitching or whatever. Blue Ox is going to be at next weeks Central Region Rally. Might see what they have to offer on the bed saver.

It’s a good peace of mind even if you don’t ever use it other than having it on the hitch.
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Old 07-05-2010, 05:53 PM   #6
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by RCN.Stoker

The flag is a chromed lever that has one end in the back of the slot for the trailer pin and the other blocking the lock pin hole between the handle hole and the tab welded to the hitch that has the lower hole for the lock pin. There is enough play in the jaw handle that if the handle is not all the way in when the trailer pin is tight in the slot and the jaw closes the flag will move opening the hole for the handle but the lock pin will go in straight just ahead and to the side of the tab hole. The hitch is only a year old and has has very little use as I seasonal camp.
Since I never got a manual on the hitch or the brake controller, I did Google search and found manuals for both. Took the Head Assembly off, and found nothing was lubed under the Head Assembly.

Thanks for you post, I will have to pay more attention when hooking up. Also now that I know how easy the Head Assembly comes off, I also have better understanding of the flag (didn't know that what it was call).
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Old 07-06-2010, 04:03 AM   #7
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the same type of thing happened to us--blue ox bed saver saved the day and pickup--come to our rally near Omaha next week and Blue ox can install a bedsaver for you
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Old 07-06-2010, 04:26 AM   #8
Tom S.
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I have been there and done that - exact same hitch. We used it for two years, from Maine to Alaska and back without a single problem. Then when we were getting ready to go camping locally, it happened. When I backed up, I felt the hitch engage, and the safety pin went into place as it's supposed to. A friend watching me saw the jaw close. Unlike you, I did not remember seeing the flag, but you aren't supposed to be able to put in the safety pin if the flag isn't not in the proper place. Yet when I drove away, we came unhitched.

It took me and a service tech at the nearby RV center to figure out what happened. It turned out that we were able to get the hitch to latch with the pull release still out about an inch. This inch makes it possible to insert the pin, but the hitch is NOT completely latched and will come unlatched when enough pressure is put on it. And yes the flag can still show, depending on adjustments of it in relationship to the trailer's pin.

The only fix that I can be sure of it to make sure the release arm is all the way back in. The combination of the arm being in place, safety pin going in place and flag showing is the only time you can be sure everything it where it should be. And to be safe, I also recommend a Blue Ox bed saver.

One final thought, Reese will be of no assistance whatsoever. Finding a good customer service number is difficult, and you will not get through to customer service, but get voice mail instead, which they will not respond to. I ended up calling the corporate office and still got the "not our fault, that's impossible" song and dance.

EDIT: I forgot to add,our insurance company for the truck, Allstate, looked upon this as an 'at fault' accident, which caused an rate increase. Our insurance company for the trailer, GMAC didn't see it that way and waived the deductible. I no longer have Allstate insurance.
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Old 07-06-2010, 04:44 AM   #9
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Sounds like a good reason NOT to buy this particular hitch....
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Old 07-06-2010, 04:57 AM   #10
RCN.Stoker
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My truck insurance said this an "at fault" also but I have one forgivable at fault every 6 years. My RV insurance said the truck insurance is the one that must be used as the hitch is part of the truck not the trailer. I also have a deductible waiver policy with the truck dealer's body shop so this accident cost me only my pride. Two minutes after it happened there were 20 guys standing around the truck all giving me suggestions. My DW was most supportive, if a bit shocked I did not take a sledgehammer to the hitch
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Old 07-06-2010, 06:20 AM   #11
Tom S.
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

Sounds like a good reason NOT to buy this particular hitch....
Yes, but that doesn't help after the fact.
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Old 07-06-2010, 06:29 AM   #12
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Tom S.

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by exav8tr

Sounds like a good reason NOT to buy this particular hitch....
Yes, but that doesn't help after the fact.
That's true, Nothing can help AFTER THE FACT, BUT perhaps it will help the newbies decide what hitch to buy.
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Old 07-06-2010, 10:39 AM   #13
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I don't have that particular hitch, but I think if the hitch is defective, someone with the authority to make Reese recall the hitches needs to know of this issue. I suppose this would fall under the NHSTA's jurisdiction.
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Old 07-06-2010, 11:51 AM   #14
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quote:Originally posted by SlickWillie

I don't have that particular hitch, but I think if the hitch is defective, someone with the authority to make Reese recall the hitches needs to know of this issue. I suppose this would fall under the NHSTA's jurisdiction.
I didn't have the manual for the hitch before this post, but it caused me to track it down on the Internet. I would say they are covered by their instruction, and I will have to do better about following the procedure. First step in HITCHING PROCEDURE I think is a bit of over kill (who chocks both side of every wheel):
Quote:
quote:
Place blocks (sometimes called “chocks”) firmly against front and rear of each trailer wheel to prevent any possible forward or rearward motion. DO NOT REMOVE BLOCKS UNTIL EACH OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS AND THE PULL TEST HAVE BEEN COMPLETED
Skip down to the quote for Pull Test.

Quote:
quote:
PULL TEST
1. With all trailer wheels still firmly blocked, and
2. Trailer landing gear still resting on firm ground and supporting trailer weight and,
3. Truck stationary and with emergency brake on:
4. Make sure no one is between truck and trailer, Return to cab of truck and release truck’s emergency brake. Apply trailer brakes. Try to pull trailer slowly forward with the truck. If the trailer is properly hitched, the wheel blocks and trailer brakes should keep the truck from moving forward.
I have done a little pull test in the past, but looks like I will need to check with a little more force. I always worry about damaging the front land gear.

Again thanks to RCN for this tread... I for one will be more aware, and do a more aggressive pull test.
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Old 07-06-2010, 03:33 PM   #15
Mrs. CountryGuy
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Really, it says this??

2. Trailer landing gear still resting on firm ground and supporting trailer weight and,

OKKKKKKK,gotta say tho, that is NOT the way CountryGuy and I do our pull tests.

You guys can burn me to the ground, but, that just does NOT make sense to me. To me, that is a sure fire recipe for a set of bent legs.

I'll go duck into my fireproof jeans and t-shirts, anyone got a fire hat I can borrow??
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Old 07-06-2010, 03:38 PM   #16
exav8tr
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I agree with Carol, I DO NOT do a pull test with my landing gear on the ground (AND NEVER WILL), we raise them about 1/4 inch in case the thing drops. It's obvious the hitch manuf is not thinking of your rig, only their hitch.......
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Old 07-06-2010, 03:43 PM   #17
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If the landing jacks are not fully down and supporting the weight when you do the pull test, and the test "FAILS", the trailer is still supported and won't crash into your truck bed. If the trailer brakes are on and wheel chocks in place the trailer should not move enough to damage the jacks. Just my opinion
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Old 07-06-2010, 03:47 PM   #18
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It's certainly a good idea to raise the legs a little but if the tires are chocked and the trailer brakes are on, how is the trailer going to move and bend a leg?
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Old 07-06-2010, 03:55 PM   #19
William H. Collier
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I do not have the signature, but I do have a new Elite 18K sitting on the floor in the garage waiting for my new 2011 Super Duty. It is my understanding that this is an upgraded version of the Signature and the only one that will fit in the factory installed rail kit in the new Super Dutys. After reading this post I did some fooling around with mine and I do not see how it is possible to put that pin in with it not being locked, maybe mine is a little different but it looks fool proof to me. The fifth wheel pin has to be all the way in for that flag to move.
By the way Carol, I always raise my legs about 2 inches off the ground before I do the pull test, no damage to the legs and if it does fall nothing gets bent.
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Old 07-06-2010, 04:08 PM   #20
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Sheepdog

If the landing jacks are not fully down and supporting the weight when you do the pull test, and the test "FAILS", the trailer is still supported and won't crash into your truck bed. If the trailer brakes are on and wheel chocks in place the trailer should not move enough to damage the jacks. Just my opinion
I agree with your opinion that the truck "Should Not Move", but I am not willing to take that chance. These trucks are so powerfull that they may just drag the whole thing. I can accomplish the same thing with the legs up 1/4 inch and not take any chances on bending the legs. I'm not saying that my way is the best, only that it is my way and we each can do it however we want.
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