5er question

[Berrigan]

I just replaced my old travel trailer with a fifth wheel unit, so Im new to the fifth wheel world.



A question I have is, is it normal to feel a little slippage at the pin when braking or accelerating after a stop?



The fifth wheel is new and the hitch is a new reese 16k double pivot.



Also whats the lube recomendations for the hitch? You know the moving parts springs, catches, ect.





I bought the teflon frizbee. Does it ever wear out?



Thanks for you experiences Bill

 

[RustyJC]

Originally posted by Berrigan

I just replaced my old travel trailer with a fifth wheel unit, so Im new to the fifth wheel world.



A question I have is, is it normal to feel a little slippage at the pin when braking or accelerating after a stop?

The "clunking" in the Reese hitch in my former truck was more related to the hitch frame trying to rock forward in the rails under braking and back under acceleration. If I kept the pins and hitch frame tabs greased as well as all hitch pivot points and the kingpin greased with a good wheel bearing-type grease, any "clunking" was minimized.

Also whats the lube recomendations for the hitch? You know the moving parts springs, catches, ect.

I used a spray lithium grease and it worked well. I'd check the Reese owner's manual to see what they recommend.

I bought the teflon frizbee. Does it ever wear out?

It will probably eventually break. Mine just did on our last trip out after about 3-1/2 years of service. It's a good idea to carry a spare. If you're caught without one, just grease up the hitch's loadplate with wheel bearing grease and everything will be fine (although messy) - that's what we did before the teflon load disks came along.



Rusty

(towing 36' 13,500 lb Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS triple slide 5ver)

 

[Berrigan]

Rusty,



Thanks for the advice. Bill

 

[Jack in Alaska]

Hitch sloppyness

If you get your trailer brake controller set correctly so that your trailer brakes and truck brakes work exactly together most of the movement in the hitch will disappear or at least be minimized.

 

[HEYBOSS]

Welcome to the Fifth wheel world as you probably know already they're very nice towing ect. Word of caution when backing your truck to hitch it up leave the landing gears down until you're sure it's locked in. What I usually do after I back up to hitch it, I put the trans. in Drive and give it a little tug, to my surprise one time the truck just pulled from under the trailer, lucky for me the landing gears were still down.



Also make sure your tail gate doesn't hit the trailer when open and also on turns, good luck and have fun.

 

[Underdog]

I figure that grease attracts dirt,silicone doesn't. I too have a disk

on the 5th wheel. I spray silicone in the working parts of the hitch

and on top the hitch plate. It isn't messy and seems to work.

I do grease the hitch pin with white grease.

 

[CajunDieselMan]

I have a 2500 auto 3. 54 (until the end of this week when my 3500 comes in) and tow a 30 foot Sunnybrook with a 15 K Reese. It's unnerving when you hear that banging as you take off or slow down, but I've been told by several people that this is normal. I find that by playing with the setting on the trailer brakes I can minimize this problem. There's just a little needed play there so the pin doesn't bind. I just spread axle grease on my Reese and clean it every so often so I don't know about those grease frisbees.

 

[Murietaman]

Hitch Clang

Glad to hear this subject discussed. Mine did the same. Adjusted tlr brakes, clang gone. 29 Alpenlite 10,300 empty.