Locked hitch head on 5er while towing?

[nps]

I've got a Lil Rocker that has a 4 way pivot head. The side-to-side pivot can be locked out. The manual doesn't say to run it one way or the other when towing - they say you may choose your preference.



Any thoughts or opinions on whether to lock it while on the road, or leaving it unlocked and pivoting. Haven't had the 5er on the hiway yet - 45 mph is the top speed thus far - and with it unlocked there were no real ill effects noticed.

 

[PatrickCampbell]

Lock... there is no reason to have it unlocked on the road. My 5th wheel does not pivot side to side at all.

 

[Bertram65]

Unlocked, that way sway from the wind or passing trucks will mostly be taken up by the side to side pivot. I have watched my trailer in the rear view mirror move slightly side to side when a 18 wheeler blows by and not felt it tranfered to the truck at all.

 

[klenger]

My hitch does not even have a feature to lock it. I think the reason that some hitches have a lock feature is to keep them from banging around when not towing.

 

[richardcoxid]

I have had a Lil Rocker (one of the first) in two differant TV's since 1994 It has NEVER been locked yet!



Richard

 

[klaybus]

Leave it unlocked... . My HiJacker-16k is a 4-way & it tracks awesome. No sway at all. Not too sure it makes a difference however all I have owned is my HiJacker...



Clay

 

[Stranger]

When we towed our 36 ft. Wilderness we locked the hitch once.





For about 3 miles.







Spookiest 3 miles in the history of, um,











EVER!!!



The wind tossed the trailer and shook the truck so bad we thought something was broken.





Leave it unlocked, you'll be happy.

 

[YFZBOB]

Unlock, I ran with a Non Pivoting head for two years. I Hated it.

 

[klaybus]

My hitch does not even have a feature to lock it. I think the reason that some hitches have a lock feature is to keep them from banging around when not towing.

When we bought our 1st 5vr the hitch installed was included. My brother told me to definately get the 4 way pivot. Of course the RV dealership tried to pull a fast one & give us a single pivot only. After they had the hitch installed & the coach was ready for delivery I said "No go" with the hitch you have installed. I ultimately got what I asked for as it was a deal breaker. No complaints in the 6 years we've had it.



Clay

 

[PatrickCampbell]

I must be the only one! While I've never had a pivoting hitch so I don't know, I will just throw out there that big truck tractor 5th wheels do not pivot from side to side.

 

[klenger]

The key word in the above post is "BIG" trucks.

 

[nps]

Well, sounds like I don't need to worry about locking up the head. Thanks for the info.

 

[RustyJC]

Theoretically, by having the head locked the 5th wheel will benefit from the roll resistance provided by the truck's anti-roll bars, etc. The downside is that the trailer can toss the truck around in sidewinds, curves, passing trucks, etc.



My first dually had a non-side-pivoting Reese hitch. The current truck has a 4-way-pivoting hitch. So, I've done it both ways. My preference is to run with the hitch free to pivot side-to-side.



Rusty

 

[Grunt]

I had a non pivot in my 98, when I got my new '03 I had the pivoting hitch installed. I had a few unsettling moments as I started out..... could see the 5th wheel move from side to side without the pickup doing the same. I actually stopped, then realized (duh) I had a different type hitch. Tows with much less rock n roll. Love it especially when hooking up/unhooking on uneven surfaces. Guess what I'm trying to say is "leave it unlocked".

 

[rweis]

I had a Dutchman 5er I bought used to see if we would like a 5er vs PBH.



Turns out the Dutchman was pulled with a 2 way pivot and the 5er steel front frame that the pin box mounts to was actually cracked because of the longitudional roll stress over time. I suspect the tow vehicle might have been a Class 8 and severly contributed to the frame crack problem.



Class 8 did not flex, 5er did.



I realize you are not pulling with a Class 8, but my . 02 is when you need the 4 way and do not have it, something HAS to take the stress.



I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.



Bob Weis

 

[nps]

Put the thing to bed for the first time - I have to back it into a 10'x40' space with a 5er on one side and a boat on the other. There is a 40' wide aisle down the middle, then another line of RVs opposite.



This rig is 5' longer than my 29'TT+3' tongue, but with the overhang the total vehicle length is only +1'. But it is WAY HARDER to back into the space - it takes sooooo much more movement on my truck to produce the corresponding 5er turning as compared to the TT.



I had the TT down to one shot and no spotter, with one jump out of the cab for checkout. Think it took at least 10 attempts with 40+ checkouts to get it into place.



Hummmm... do they make front 5er hitches for spotting trailers? :-laf



Maybe I should put a super slide into my longbed to move the hitch point farther away from the steering wheels when backing.

 

[RustyJC]

Yep, backing a 5th wheel is different than backing a TT. Not better or worse - just different. Like me, you'll eventually get used to it.



Rusty

 

[Foil Freak 1211]

I had a Dutchman 5er I bought used to see if we would like a 5er vs PBH.



Turns out the Dutchman was pulled with a 2 way pivot and the 5er steel front frame that the pin box mounts to was actually cracked because of the longitudional roll stress over time. I suspect the tow vehicle might have been a Class 8 and severly contributed to the frame crack problem.



Class 8 did not flex, 5er did.



I realize you are not pulling with a Class 8, but my . 02 is when you need the 4 way and do not have it, something HAS to take the stress.



I would rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.



Bob Weis

Bob, I would attribute your problem with the 5er as much to being a Dutchman, as anything else. I had one, and it was a ROYAL POS.



As far as locked vs. unlocked, I have towed with both. I think it is a little smoother towing unlocked. I agree that the main advantage is when you want to hook up or unhitch. I could tell some nightmare stories of trying to unhitch on unlevel ground with my old hitch. I think that's what happened to my hair! :{

 

[george]

double rocker

I have a Putnam double rocker and I have always towed with the side to side rocker locked. After reading these posts on the subject I decided to write a few companies and see what they recommend. I got one response so far and here it is.



The best highway operation would be with the base locked in flat position with the head 90 degrees to the base.

 

[SnoKing]

I must be the only one! While I've never had a pivoting hitch so I don't know, I will just throw out there that big truck tractor 5th wheels do not pivot from side to side.

Not completely true. I had a hitch on my tanker truck that had angled slide plates on each side that allowed side to side movement. It removed twisting stress on the all Aluminium trailer. SNOKING