BW Hitch comes undone

[GreyGhost]

I have a 18k BW Patriot slider hitch which I purchased new in 2021. I also have a 2020 Montana 3121RL which is pulled by a 2019 F-350 4x4 short bed. Twice now the hitch has released and the 5ver have fell onto the bed of my truck. First time after driving about 30 miles or so on the highway. Second time after driving over 200 miles on the highway.
I’ve pulled pop ups, trailers and 5vers for over 50 years now and have never had this happen before. I visually check to make sure the jaws are clapped tight around the king pin as does my wife. I religiously preform the tug test prior to leaving (anywhere) campground, home, rest stop, food stop or gas stop!!!! I mean every single time, it’s like a thing that I was taught and NEVER forgot!!! It’s like a part of my routine, like tieing your shoe laces!
BW keeps telling me I must be high hitching. Explain how a high hitched 5ver was pulled over 200 miles in Highway 89 out of Flagstaff, AZ on the way to Tuba City? If you have ever pulled that road you know it’s a washboard at best! I mean people have lost fillings on the road!!!! It’s rough!! We left Phoneix, AZ and 200+ miles down the road the trail came un-hitched from truck which to say scared the living S-it out of both of us. Never thinking that after 200 miles this could or would happen.
I’ve taken the hitch back to the dealer and after examined the hitch they could not explain or even fathom how this could happen. I’ve taken the Montana back to the dealer and they cannot find anything wrong with hitch. So far BW continues to profess that I must have high hitched it again. I’m totally out of ideas as to what I have to do. My wife is NOT real excited about our next excursion to say the very least, in fact she suggested that Holiday Inning it might be in the future!
Anyone else out there with a Montana and a BW hitch ever had this problem? Did BW or Montana ever help? I’m getting a bit tired of paying to fix the tailgate and bed rails of my truck, not to mention, it’s not CHEAP. HELP

 

[Daryles]

I would change the hitch.
We have the Curt Q20 for a factory in bed puck mount system.

 

[bsdf200]

Are you inserting the pin to secure the release handle?

 

[mlh]

I have a BW hitch. I was one of the first to buy one, paid $600 for it. So it’s old and have never had a problem especially coming undone.
You should be able to examine it and figure out what the problem is. The way mine is made it would be nearly impossible for it to come loose IF it is probably locked.
Lynwood

 

[Carl n Susan]

I have a B&W with the Moryde pin box. My B&W has unhitched due to my error. I was in a hurry, didn't back in firmly, and failed to check the connection before leaving. The RV came off immediately. Coming unhooked after any distance should not happen.

 

[AZ Traveler]

Buy a new hitch - different brand.

 

[C&P RV]

Are you inserting the pin to secure the release handle?

No safety pin, no guarantee the jaws will remain closed.

 

[RMcNeal]

I have a B&W hitch and have never had it come loose. I visually check that the jaws are seated around the slot in the king pin. I truly don't think the control arm would close if it wasn't in the slot fully (high hitched). There's not a lot of tolerance around the jaws.

 

[daboom11]

If the Jaws are locked and the safety pin is in the handle, I don't see how this could happen unless the Jaws are broken.

The only thing I can think of is someone vandalized it while you weren't looking. I've seen this happen to big rigs in the truck stops when the sandal truckers leave their trucks at the fuel island and go in without pulling forward,

 

[Lcbuddy]

B&Ws are good hitches, but you can high hook, any fifth wheel hitch, visually inspect the the hitch is closed around the neck of the pin. We had that same hitch on our gas 2500 short bed, never had a problem, can’t say the same for the truck…we now have 3500 diesel lond bed with a B&W puck mount.

 

[Cewie]

I have a B&W COMPANION and I have towed nearly 30,000 miles with that hitch and never an issue. I did do one thing as a ‘peace of mind’ component. I place red scotchlight (reflective) tape on the jaws of the pin clamp. When I see red looking into the clamp, I’m golden. Also if you slam the pin into the hitch (as recommended) the clamp closes around the pin automatically and the release arm closes. All that is left is to pin it. If you have to close the arm manually, your not properly seated into the hitch.

 

[jpwhite]

I have the B&W companion hitch for my Montana 3120rl. I have never had an issue. I can't think of a way for that hitch to let loose once securely hooked up. I believe that hitch to be very solid, but something very odd must be happening. Not a bad idea to try a different hitch. Dropping the rig on the bed of the truck has to be expensive. Best of luck.

 

[J.Fish]

Well I was reluctant to post my experience when it happened but since you did I will. I had the same thing happen to me 2 months ago. Companion 20k and Montana HC. Owned both new. Almost 75k towing on this truck and hitch with 2 different 5th wheels. We left Rocky Mountain National Park area heading towards WI. We made it almost 300 miles before the 5th wheel disconnected landing on my box on I80 at 65mph! We went over a bridge that was pretty rough but not crazy. Like the OP I do not think I was hitched high. I visually checked as I do every time. Bottom of pin below jaws. Handle closed and pinned. I have absolutely no explanation. Thank god for tough tailgate because that thing was a taco. Minimal damage to the bed rails and 5th wheel. In fact I straightened the rails myself and replaced the molding. If I was hitched high and somehow had a brain fart there is no way I made it out the mountains and 300 miles before it magically let loose. Still have no clue but 4 trips since then with no issue.

 

[mlh]

Stupid question. Did you check afterwards to see if the latch leaver was still fastened? We had someone pull the emergency brake cable out and it would be easy to take the pin out of the latch leaver.
Lynwood

 

[Lee A Thorson]

If the locking handle does not seat all the way back it is possible to drop the pin in through the handle but still be in front of the plate it locks to. At least that was the case with the BW Companion I purchased in 2104.

 

[GregN]

I have had my B&W for 11 years, in my truck. Never has the trailer come off the hitch. I do have a safety bar the goes across the rear of the hitch, so it does not drop on the bed, if it did come off. They don't make them anymore.
My hitching regiment is:
I open the jaws with the lever, then back into the pin.
I do rise or lower the RV, so that it is just slightly lower than the king pin. This way when I do back into it, it has to push the RV up slightly, so I don't high hitch. The jaws close around the pin.
Then in goes the safety pin and continuing hooking up. Then, I do a safety walk around the RV. If I do, make a stop and the RV goes out of my view, I always do another safety check, before hitting the road.

 

[JJT]

I have a B&W COMPANION and I have towed nearly 30,000 miles with that hitch and never an issue. I did do one thing as a ‘peace of mind’ component. I place red scotchlight (reflective) tape on the jaws of the pin clamp. When I see red looking into the clamp, I’m golden. Also if you slam the pin into the hitch (as recommended) the clamp closes around the pin automatically and the release arm closes. All that is left is to pin it. If you have to close the arm manually, your not properly seated into the hitch.

I am not as experienced with 5th wheel hitches as you are. Can you describe in more detail for me what you mean by "slam the pin into the hitch"? If I understand your comment correctly, aren't you concerned about damaging the 5th wheel trailer?

 

[Mikelff]

I have a B&W slider hitch and have been towing a 41’ High Country for 6 years and never had hitch problems. I always have the king pin in a lower position so that the hitch always lifts the 5er on to the hitch plate and a solid clunk when I connect. My wife hates that part but I tell her thats how you know you made good contact. When I first started using the hitch I did high hitch the king pin but when I did the pull test it slid off the hitch, and learned my lesson when hooking up. I always visually inspect the jaws to make sure that they are properly closed around the pin and I am not high hitch somehow. I then make sure the handle is securely pinned in place. I cannot fathom how that hitch let loose if it was properly hooked up, arm was pinned and you have no damage to the hitch, jaws or the king pin. Did you notice if your handle was still closed and pinned when it came off? I can’t see the rv coming off the hitch without any damage to the hitch or pin, unless you were high hitched. Always make sure your pin is positioned slightly lower than the hitch plate so that when you back into the pin your hitch lifts the pin and rv on to the hitch plate and into the jaws. Hopefully this never happens again.

 

[Spartacus]

I have had three B&W hitches and have one now, I have never ever had any problem.

 

[Theunz]

It is very possible to tow a heavy trailer for many miles with a “high hitch” most of the current Montana’s are putting around 3,000lbs. on the hitch and it takes a pretty good bump or heave to lift that much weight the inch or so it needs to pop out of the hitch. Of course that could happen before you exited the campground as well.