Pull-rite super glide hard to disconnect

[tomJerram]

I have a pull-rite super glide and I love the way it pulls but, it is a real pain to disconnect. It require several iterations of pull forward, pull back, extend the legs, retract the legs, and repeat with all the various combinations until it finally releases and you can pull the handle. Hitching doesn't seam to be a problem.

I must be doing something wrong or should I expect that level of difficulty with this hitch.

[twindman]

I think that is just the way it is. I also have one. I have learned that if it is hard to pull the handle, I have to move the truck slightly. And if I run up on the ramps to level forward, then the trailer is pulling backward a bit. So if the legs are down and wheels blocked, I would just back up a bit to relieve the pressure of the rig pulling backwards.

This usually works, but even then sometimes I have to move slightly again.
Good luck.

[rohrmann]

Unless I have to back in slightly up hill, I always have to back up slightly after dropping the front landing jacks to be able to release the jaw. It is likely because the jaw of the hitch wraps around the pin. It's nice knowing that the pin won't easily come out on it's own.

[BB_TX]

I didn’t have the super glide, but on my Pullrite with the wrap around jaw I always had to lower my jacks and then put the truck in reverse and let it roll back into the hitch. That took the pressure off the wrap around jaw and let it release easily. Just like Bob.

[Reset19]

As others have indicated. I chock the wheels. Using front jacks, I relieve most of the trailer weight from the truck. I try to pull the release. If it does not move, I put the truck in reverse and let it move back just a pinch to remove the tension on the jaws holding the pin. I put the truck back in park with brake set and then pull the release. It works easily for me almost every time.

[Camp CA]

Ditto rohrmann.......I will raise the king pin a little to see if it comes off the hitch without staying attached to it. If it does, then I release the hitch. If it does not, I back up slightly to seat the king pin as far forward on the hitch as possible, then release the hitch.

[DQDick]

I always just let the truck roll back an inch or two and then put the parking brake on and then release the hitch.

[AZMont]

I also back up about an inch or so once the landing gear is down to unload the hitch's king pin clasp from the king pin. I also make sure that I've lifted the king pin box very slightly off of the hitch (1/16" or so) by gently using the landing gear to unload most of the king pin weight off of the hitch/truck.

[Jamesb]

I feel your pain. I cussed mine for months, because I have always had B&W hitches and they are really smooth releasing. But now, after a year, I have it down pat. Drop front legs, raise FW up until all weight is off hitch, roll truck back, set parking break, and handle pulls every time now. And heaven forbid releasing and hitching at any very small angle, ugh! But I love the sliding part for sure. The hitch is a little clunky but nice. You will slowly get it to release like clockwork and enjoy it better. Just a note for the protection of your front jacks, when hitching and unhitching, hold your trailer brake control so there is no movement of the camper. After unhitching is complete, then unplug the cable for the brakes. Good luck.

[tomJerram]

Originally Posted by tomJerram

I have a pull-rite super glide and I love the way it pulls but, it is a real pain to disconnect. It require several iterations of pull forward, pull back, extend the legs, retract the legs, and repeat with all the various combinations until it finally releases and you can pull the handle. Hitching doesn't seam to be a problem.

I must be doing something wrong or should I expect that level of difficulty with this hitch.

Thanks to all who responded. It sounds like this is just the nature of the beast. I love the hitch except for the unhitching part. And hitching is a little more fussy than most hitches but surely worth the effort for the smooth auto sliding.

[laverdur]

I have the OEM Reese hitch in my TV. It is similar to the pull-rite you mention. If I don't keep the jaws and the turntable lubricated, it can be a challenge to disconnect. When I try to pull the handle, if it doesn't come without much force, I simply back up an inch or so to take the pressure off the jaws. Then the handle pulls easily. If I have not kept the lubrication up as i should, as the Monte starts to come out of the jaws, the jaws will lock again. If you have a copilot they can hold the handle out while you disconnect and then you can pull the turntable and lube it up with white lithium grease. When I first had this problem I called Reese and they clued me in on the lubrication.

[Ttman]

I have found that after I find my parking spot and get level left to right (I have an older camper, no auto level here!). I chalk the trailer tires, put down the landing legs so they lift the trailer to a point just before you can see daylight between the 5th wheel releasing pressure on the truck. I go back to the truck and put it in neutral, and let the truck settle into less tension on the king pin. I put the truck into park, then I exit pull on the release handle with a purpose. 9 times out of ten, it releases. I run the landing legs down the rest of the way and pull out.

The only times I’ve had issues is if the parking spot is up or down hill, which I can feel the truck move during my neutral step. The truck moves different releasing tension verses when its got a slope, and you get used to that feeling and know when you might actually need to idle back or forwards to release the tension. When that happens, I idle appropriately forward or backwards to apply known tension. I shift to neutral, pump the brake while in neutral to release the tension, then I set the parking brake, then shift into park which prevents any roll applying tension again. Then I get out and it pulls free. Hopefully I’m making sense with what works for me.

My headache is hooking up. The narrow angle of the pull-rite sucks, but my 5th wheel always tilts back and does not like to level out and accept the king pin even when I have returned to hitch height with a sliver of daylight showing. I’m not willing to ram through it so I make light contact, get out then I put a small landing pad on the release handle with enough weight to hold the 5th wheel head level, then once I get 3/4 of the way over the head and it can no longer tilt, i get out and remove the landing pad as it prevents the release handle from moving into the lock position if not removed. Then I back up to lock and then visually check the finger is around the king pin. Then back in the truck for a tug test.

[Cbrandt79]

I was having the same problem. We have had our rig for almost 2 years now. I have found that if you raise the trailer to much that it’s hard to get to disconnect. I just lift the king pin enough to get most of the weight off the hitch. I thought I needed to see a gap between the kingpin and the plate. You don’t!
Also the truck and trailer need to be almost straight to hitch and unhitch. They say a 10% angle is okay but I don’t it’s better straight on. It’s difficult to do sometimes! Best of luck!

[jimc100]

I agree with most of the responses, drop the front landing gear, slide the truck back to the contact point and place in park and set the brake, raise the landing gear to where there is just light between the hitch and pin box, try the release, if no luck lower the landing gear to where there is just contact between the hitch and the pin. The above now seems to work for me. Took me a while to figure out that I had the pin too high, the manufacturer, when I talked to them, actually recommended that hitch slightly lift the pin on hookup. Took me a couple of years to figure it out but I’m a slow learner .

[BobM]

You also have to have the truck fairly straight inline with the trailer. I was off a few degrees once and could not disconnect. The wedge plate prevents it when not fairly straight.

[Zbones]

My process with mine is, chock the wheels, this is a must. Lower the front legs follow the direction for your unit. After it thinks the legs are down, I continue to manually lower them more watching how much the truck is rising. you want as much weight off the truck hitch as you can. I then go back into the cab and release the emergence break and put the truck into neutral then back to park. If that does not free it I then put the truck into reverse with no gas and then into drive with no gas, then back to park. This has worked for me. You do need to pull hard to release. Also I use WD40 each time I get ready to hookup, this is the recommended lube for these hitches. Follow the direction on the locations to spray.

[jimc100]

I can be off straight to disconnect just not on the connect.

[jimc100]

I think the WD40 is for the rails use a light lube on the catch mechanism