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Old 10-17-2019, 06:56 AM   #1
Hhaywoodjr
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Angry King Pin pulled out of Hitch!!

While backing my Montana 325 down a slopping driveway I ventured too far off the drive with the trailer. The truck was level but the RV was over a slope causing the front of the 5th wheel to sit on the tail gate and as I backed it pryed the king pin out of the Reese 22 k hitch. Anyone out there ever have a 5th wheel be pryed up out of the hitch? Did 2400.00 damage to the tail gate and bed. The tail gate was the only thing keeping the trailer from a trip into the woods.
 
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Old 10-17-2019, 07:12 AM   #2
BB_TX
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Never heard of that before unless it was "high hitched". Which model Reese hitch is it? Clam shell type latch or the wrap around jaw type?
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Old 10-17-2019, 07:14 AM   #3
1retired06
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First I have heard of something like that happening. I would get your hitch inspected as well, suspect the jaw mechanism must be damaged in addition to your truck. And had to be a lot of stress on the Montana frame.
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Old 10-17-2019, 07:18 AM   #4
Hhaywoodjr
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wrap around jaw type.
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Old 10-17-2019, 07:31 AM   #5
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I suspect that a call to Reese is in order. I have never heard of this happening. I had the last 5er at such an off set angle one time it damaged the bed rail and tail gate plastic caps but nary a problem with the hitch which I'm still using 11 years later
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Old 10-17-2019, 07:38 AM   #6
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Does your Hitch have 4-way movement or just 2-way??
I could see it if only 2-way as the hitch plate wouldn't be able to tilt to the side.
If it's 4-way, I think I would be looking for a new hitch.
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Old 10-17-2019, 08:15 AM   #7
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I would definately call Reese, but I would also never use that hitch again. If it did it once it will do it again and maybe a lot easier next time.
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Old 10-17-2019, 09:38 AM   #8
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I’m like most here, I’ve never heard of such a thing.
What broke about it? The pin, or did the welds pull loose?
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Old 10-17-2019, 10:04 AM   #9
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Nothing broke that I could see. . I'd had just completed a 530 mile trip from Greenbrier campground in Tn. Everything was intact on the hitch. the locking piece and pin were stile in the hitch just like the king pin was stile there. I reconnected everything and completed the 200 ft down hill back and forth decent to my trailer parking pad with no problem.
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Old 10-17-2019, 10:46 AM   #10
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I’m like others I would have your hitch check out before towing again. Better safe then sorry in case it would happen again.
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Old 10-17-2019, 10:53 AM   #11
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I don't know the history/background or the circumstances of your incident but I do know I would be replacing that hitch asap. Something had to bend, break or come loose. I would never trust it again after that much stress being put on it.
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Old 10-17-2019, 11:00 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hhaywoodjr View Post
Nothing broke that I could see. . I'd had just completed a 530 mile trip from Greenbrier campground in Tn. Everything was intact on the hitch. the locking piece and pin were stile in the hitch just like the king pin was stile there. I reconnected everything and completed the 200 ft down hill back and forth decent to my trailer parking pad with no problem.
I know a trucker who once drove a big rig from Chattanooga, TN to Boston, MA and when he started to drop the trailer he realized it had been high-hitched the entire way. We all make mistakes. I suspect high-hitch and BTW I am also a retired trucker with 3 million logged miles.
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Old 10-17-2019, 11:05 AM   #13
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I am in the high hitch or defective hitch group. What pre-checks did you do after you hooked up?
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Old 10-17-2019, 06:18 PM   #14
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I high hitched last year on level ground and did $600 to bed when I pulled forward and dropped trailer on bed. Now I always look for the jaws to be locked around pin.
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Old 10-17-2019, 06:32 PM   #15
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That’s why I always position the pin box plate about an inch lower than the top of the hitch plate. That way the pin box has to ride up the hitch slightly making it virtually impossible to high hitch.
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Old 10-18-2019, 09:25 AM   #16
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Never heard of that happening. In fact I have seen a few roll over fifth wheel accidents and the trailers were still hitched to the trucks.
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Old 10-18-2019, 07:16 PM   #17
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Dont know if its carma or whatever (to my previous post), but on our way home today from the beach there was a travel trailer over turned with the truck still attached to it.
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Old 10-18-2019, 08:01 PM   #18
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I always check the jaws and then do a pull test. Not saying you high-hitched, could be a problem with the hitch.
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Old 10-18-2019, 11:26 PM   #19
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The lever that opens the jaws before you hookup has a way to lock that lever after you hookup. If that lever is not locked would that allow the pin to just slip out when a lot of lifting pressure is applied? Probably so, I guess that is why they put a locking device (pin) on that lever. I'm just thinking out loud. I did drop my trailer onto the bedrails once!
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Old 10-19-2019, 07:30 AM   #20
Hhaywoodjr
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I called Reese yesterday and explained my situation. They said if the king pin pulled out of the hitch it would cause major damage to the hitch and my trailer. I had neither. I took the truck and hitch to a local hitch doctor and he could find no problem with the hitch. He's believes it was high hitched. I did the pull test after hooking up in Tennessee. I don't understand how I could drive over 500 miles high hitched and only have a problem on my property. That could have ended very badly!!! Are there any illustrations out there of a high hitch situation? Very puzzling to me!!!
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