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Old 02-03-2017, 02:40 AM   #1
Tail Lights
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Help with my hitch please

I have a Reese 30051 16k hitch with slider in my short bed 2005 2500 Dodge Ram. I have been using it without issues for 8 years.

Yesterday, I started loaded the hitch into my truck and the rear driver's side pull pin that secures the hitch to the bed rails would not slip through.

After an hour of manipulating the hitch with no success, I called Reese tech support. They said its unlikely the bedrail has bent. Also check for excess weld material on the bottom of the hitch. Finally take the top of the hitch off to reduce the weight and see if the was just a kink that is preventing the hitch from laying flat for installation.

I tried all the above with no success. I also disassembled the hitch top to bottom and side to side so I just have a single piece on the driver's side to set on the bedrails and attach.

Looking through the hole in the bedrail with the hitch setting on top, it seems the pull pin is getting stuck on at the top. The pull pin slides easily through each piece separately but gets stuck when they are paired for install.

All the other pull pins slip right in as normal.

Anyone ever had an issue like this? Any suggestions on what I should try next?

I'm thinking my next step is to take it to Camping world where it was originally installed 8 years ago and have them fix it. I suspect it would require new bedrail and bolts (not a bad idea anyway - for the bolts at least)

Thanks very much in advance
 
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Old 02-03-2017, 03:38 AM   #2
DQDick
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I had a Reese slider and when it got 6 years old I figured it had had enough abuse and bought a Pullrite. So glad I did. No I don't worry or check just make the turn no matter how sharp, including as tight a u turn as the truck will make. Expensive, but worth the money.
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Old 02-03-2017, 03:59 AM   #3
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Sounds like you installed the hitch and never took it out. I would suspect it's simply rusted in place. I would soak it down with a good penetrating oil for a day or two and use a good hammer and drive it out. If it's not rusted then I'm at a loss as to what it could be.
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Old 02-03-2017, 07:08 AM   #4
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You might have a piece of gravel, or some other sort of debris under the rail, in the way of the pin. Another possibility is something stuck to the bottom of the hitch where the tab is , keeping the hitch from fully being inserted into the rail.
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Old 02-03-2017, 07:40 AM   #5
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There have been a few times that I had to take a small hammer and tap the pins on mine in or out. Didn't take much effort.
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Old 02-03-2017, 08:09 AM   #6
kayakfisher
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I had same problem after changing trucks and new rails and took head off and loosened the back insert with the star screw. It slipped in and was able to insert pin and then tightened back up and put head back on.
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Old 02-05-2017, 04:25 PM   #7
Art-n-Marge
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I have a 16K Husky/Valley hitch with a similar problem but different cause. I full-time and spend no more than 3 weeks at any one location. Part of my setup routine is that I remove my hitch from its bed rails so I can free up my truck bed for other hauling and just to save a few pounds of weight when not under tow.

I only see a problem when I try and reinstall the hitch onto the bed rails. It seems that the 4 legs that sit in the notches of the bed rails warp ever so slightly that I have jump onto the base to sit flush onto the bed rails so I can install the pins into their slots at each on the 4 legs. Otherwise the one leg of the hitch base sits too high preventing the locking pin from being inserted.

It's mostly a nuisance and I only bear with it since that's easier and cheaper than replacing it. It's worth whatever you can bear or live with. I bear and live with mine.

In my case it took a few years to "warp", but not enough for me to take action. I also do maintenance on my 11 year old hitch. Make sure you keep all the moving parts clean and lubed. I'm hoping that has helped.

You might also want to check if there is an adjustment needed.
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Old 02-13-2017, 05:52 AM   #8
Tail Lights
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Bent rail

Thanks for your thoughts on my hitch problem. Took my truck and hitch into camping world. They checked & measured my setup and concluded I have a bent rail. May try to live with it unless it gets worse.
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