Question about Superglide hitch

[ckels]

quote:Originally posted by sreigle

Chuck, I've only had the superglide for about a month and have unhitched it only six times. Glenn and the others have far more experience with it, but I'd like to add something if I may.

The superglide is a rocker, like most other hitches. You can be offlevel (truck level vs trailer level) the same amount as any other rocker hitch and still be able to unhitch without problem. And, just like with my old Reese rocker, if off level more than the rocker can handle, you just put some blocks under the appropriate truck wheel to bring it within range to be able to unhitch.

Second, I've learned that what Glenn said about backing into the hitch before unhitching is critical. Otherwise, when you pull the handle it does not truly release the pin. Ask me how I know. Also, it states this about backing into the hitch very clearly in the manual and also on the side of the hitch.

Third, with my old Reese I was in the habit of extending the landing gear a bit to take pressure off the hitch and then pulling the handle. You do not want to do this with the superglide. You pull the handle BEFORE you extend the landing gear. To make sure I'm not misleading you, you do have to first drop the landing gear and extend until the pads are touching the ground. You could even go slightly beyond that point and be ok but only slightly.

Fourth, if you look at the capture plate and how it works you'll understand why the 16 degree departure and approach angles are important.

Fifth, with my Reese I would position the pinbox on the trailer to hit the hitch saddle so that hitching would cause the pinbox to rise slightly. I would hit the saddle just a little low, in other words. I'm finding with the superglide that I need to hit it lower than that, preferably hit the saddle with the leading edge of the pinbox hitting where the downward-angled lip of the saddle, just like the manual shows. When I backed up to where the pin was just entering the saddle opening but was a bit higher than noted above, I could see where that guide on the capture plate might not seat properly unless I hit the hitch saddle at a lower point. I am not positive this is really necessary but it appears that way to me and I think that's why the manual says to hit it low. Maybe someone could confirm this.

While this all sounds like a lot of hassle it's no more difficult than hitching with any other hitch. It's just different and required I unlearn old habits.

Good luck. It's nice to not have to look back to make sure I'm not getting the truck and trailer too close together.

Thank you Steve. Some very good info here. I appreciate it. I see you only have 2 or 3 more states to visit. How long before you get to all of them? I'm jealous.

[sreigle]

Well, Chuck, with current fuel prices it may be awhile. We do have plans to visit friends in NJ late this summer so that might take care of one of them. We've been in NJ and Delaware but my map shows only where we have spent at least one night in our Montana. We want to spend time in all three of those states. Plus, even though we've spent time in the other 45, there are large areas in each we've not yet explored. Fuel prices will slow us down, though.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by Glenn and Lorraine

My prior statement above Now you can lower the front jacks and pull the release without effort
was kinda reversed.
When unhitching, I always back into the chock as stated prior and to avoid any movement of the TV and Monty I do set the emergency brake before putting tranny in park. I now am able to pull the hitch release without effort. It's at this point I lower the front jacks.

BTW-You could also do the same thing by applying the trailer brakes only BUT using wheel chocks, to me, is required anyway for set up so why not use it now.

Glenn, I appreciate your comments, especially since you are a long time superglide user. Your comments and those of others help those of us who are learning this new hitch.

If one were to back into the hitch using only the manual trailer brake s (using the handle on the controller) WITHOUT first having chocked the wheels, then when the FW brake control is released wouldn't it probably roll backwards a bit, negating the advantage of backing into the hitch? I would think the pressure on the pin would push the FW backwards when the brake is released.

Superglide owners, what lubrication do you use on the capture plate and hitch saddle surfaces? Pullrite told me to use WD-40 or lubricant of some kind since we cannot use the teflon lube plate. When I tried wd-40 it worked fine but between towing it accumulated dirt. Not good.

I had an old can of that slideout "dry" lubricant Camping World tries, the stuff Keystone told me to avoid because it collects dirt. I found when it dried on the hitch plate and capture plate it was still a bit tacky (even three days after spraying) and it was collecting dirt. So I took it off with wd-40, dried everything good, then used the TFE 101 dry lubricant (it's teflon) that Keystone recommended to me. It's working well. This is on the capture plate and saddle, not the way tubes. I saw a dry teflon lubricant at Lowe's or Home Depot and think that would work, too. Thoughts?

Also, I'm using SlipPlate from Pullrite for the way tubes. It seems to be working well so far. I can't find slipplate at dealers, even superglide dealers, so far. And the pullrite website wants something like $15 per can plus shipping. They told me I can use any dry graphite spray from a hardware store. I don't find that in Lowe's or Home Depot. Haven't checked Ace Hardware yet. Comments?