hitch

[TerryG]

I have a reese two position hitch,one for towing and the other for manuevering,my question is can I switch positions while stopped and the full weight of the kingpin on the hitch?

 

[Hoefler]

No. You need to unload the hitch to move it. If you try to move it loaded, you will need to use a lot of power to get it to move, and when it does move, it will be all of a sudden and it will be too late to get it stopped. You may wind up with it on the ground.

 

[Jim W]

TerryG

Are you asking about a slider hitch? This is a two position hitch one for towing and the other for maneuvering. If this is the case, you can move the lever from tow position to maneuver with the truck in park and stopped and the trailer attached. You then apply the trailer brakes and pull the truck ahead or slide the hitch back as needed. But do not do this fast, just let the truck idle in. You can also buy an automatic hitch that will do this for you. I believe that this maybe called a pullright hitch.

Hope this is what you where looking for.

 

[TerryG]

Yes,I am referring to a slider hitch. I didnt know if 2000lbs of weight on the rollers or the slider would damage it. I have done it that way before but didnt know if I was damaging something,thanks.

 

[Jim W]

TerryG,

This depends on what your hitch is rated for. A light hitch for a small 5er would be damaged with this pin weight, but a large hitch say an 16K or 18K would handle this with no problem. The individual rollers would see 1/4 to 1/3 of the pin load not the full load. The pin load would be divided up among the 4 rollers by using a simple force diagram, you would be able to show how the load is split among the 4 rollers. The designer should consider straight ahead, 45 degrees, 90 degrees and max angle of the trailer to the hitch jaws, when in the tow position and the maneuver position. This will take into consideration of all force angles that the hitch and rollers will see as the trailer is towed. This should be done all the time when a component is designed by an engineer.

Hope this helps you?

 

[HBarlow]

I learned from the answer and description above. I have never owned or watched a slider hitch being shifted to the manuevering position and always sort of wondered how they work.

 

[JJPage]

Mine slides great, with the weight on it (16k Reese) in low range, using the trailer brakes to hold the trailer in place. My problem is while in the manuevering position, I can manuever very little. If I turn at all, my extended box pin is into my tailgate or side rails at the rear of the box.



I should have saved some $s and purchased a "fixed" unit, the RV salesman talked me into the slider, said I would have clearence problems at my bumper and rear window while turning without it. Not true with my setup, I can turn a full 90* without any contact with my slider all the way forward.



Live and learn, I can barely lift this slider out of my box by myself, I would gladly trade someone for a 16k fixed unit in like condition, staight up.



Jess