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07-09-2017, 05:43 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Verona, KY
Posts: 320
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5th Wheel Lube Plates
Just completed my third trip with the 5th wheel since taking possession back in May. I crunched my 3rd or 4th nylon lube plate today. This one was a 12" which I thought would help versus the other 10". The first few would fold and get crushed between the skid plate and the pin box. This one got caught around the pin itself in the jaws. Hitch is the Ford factory Reese which I believe is the Elite RE25. None of these seem to stay tight against the bottom of the pin box prior to hitching. They droop a bit.
Assume most people are using a lube plate. If so, how long do they normally last and what am I doing wrong?
__________________
New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
Old: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
Tow: 2017 F-350 DRW diesel
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07-09-2017, 05:51 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,356
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I'm still using the one I bought so long ago I can't remember. Mine will slip down the king pin when I unhook, but I've never had one get crushed. I push it up with the front edge touching pin box and just watch it as I set the pin down.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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07-09-2017, 06:29 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Las Cruces
Posts: 4,665
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I've had my current lube plate for 4 years now. I just bring the truck back and make sure the lube plate is riding up the top of the hitch plate. Have never had a problem other than a few tabs broke off my last one which allowed it to fall off the pin
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Brent
2013 Alpine 3500RE
2019 Silverado 2500HD Duramax
U.S. Air Force Retired (25 yrs)
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07-09-2017, 06:39 PM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 28
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I just got our 5er at the end of last year, and I am still using the same lube plate. The edges are curved down a bit. I make sure it's on top of the fifth wheel plate before I hook up.
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Doug & Tracy
2016 Ford F-350 Diesel
2017 Avalanche 370RD
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07-09-2017, 06:42 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,356
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If the bottom of the pin box is set just a bit lower than the hitch plate and the lube plate is either flush up against the pin box or as is my case the front edge is up against the pin box, then when you back under the pin there shouldn't be any way to crush the lube plate IMO.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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07-09-2017, 08:27 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Oregon
Posts: 783
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Yup my first one lasted four years... until I broke it!
As far as it slipping off, I have some 1/4 inch nylon tape, that after doing a coupe of turns around the top of the king-pin the plate fits snug and has yet to fall off when un-hooking!
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Jeff & Jan - Retired & Full-timing since 2013
2019 Ram Big Horn 3500 Aisin 4x4
2012 Alpine 3450-RL
Double Coin 235/75R-17.5/16 J rated 125lb
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07-09-2017, 11:42 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Napa
Posts: 34
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I had one on the trailer we retired in March for almost 10 years with no problems. The new trailer has a new plate and over the course of five trips it is still sitting tight at the top of the pin. We use the same Ford Reese hitch.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
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07-10-2017, 04:56 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Arvada, CO
Posts: 709
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I put one on our 2010 when new ... removed it in 2014 when I switched to the Andersen Ultimate hitch. It was still in good shape when I removed it.
__________________
2010 Laredo 245RL
2007 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD 4x4
Andersen Ultimate Gooseneck mount
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07-10-2017, 05:14 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,334
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I might be able to help in a small way. When the disk is slid over the pin, look to see if part of the disk hangs over the front of the smooth part of the pin box. If it does hang just an inch or two simply cut off the excess so that the disk lays flat. That way when you back up to make contact the disk will continue to lay flat on the trailer surface. I might add that we are still on the original disk from 2013.
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Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
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07-10-2017, 04:58 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Verona, KY
Posts: 320
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Thanks everyone. I have another new one in stock, so will use it Wednesday. I had thought about electrical tape just to keep it up and flush, knowing it will pull away when turning which is fine. Will also back up slower and watch how it slides onto the plate. I was shocked that this last one went around the jaws.
__________________
New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
Old: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
Tow: 2017 F-350 DRW diesel
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07-10-2017, 05:30 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: radium hot springs bc
Posts: 2,007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by captcolour
Thanks everyone. I have another new one in stock, so will use it Wednesday. I had thought about electrical tape just to keep it up and flush, knowing it will pull away when turning which is fine. Will also back up slower and watch how it slides onto the plate. I was shocked that this last one went around the jaws.
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Are you using the grey (graphite impregnated) ones?
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 6.4 Harvest Edition
2018 Cougar 27RESWE
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07-10-2017, 05:40 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Verona, KY
Posts: 320
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No, the first ones were black from the RV dealer. The rest were natural nylon.
__________________
New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
Old: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
Tow: 2017 F-350 DRW diesel
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07-10-2017, 06:03 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: radium hot springs bc
Posts: 2,007
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Have used the black/grey ones when we had our 5er. They worked fine.
__________________
2018 Ram 3500 6.4 Harvest Edition
2018 Cougar 27RESWE
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07-10-2017, 06:09 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Frederick, Md
Posts: 202
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I have used same one for 4 years. How did it get down around the jaws for the pin?
Mine is pretty solid and would take a lot to get down inside the receiver.
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07-10-2017, 06:21 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Verona, KY
Posts: 320
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ram189
I have used same one for 4 years. How did it get down around the jaws for the pin?
Mine is pretty solid and would take a lot to get down inside the receiver.
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All I can do is guess that the front edge was on the skid plate, but the back slipped off the king pin. That dropped the inner part of the hole low enough to get pulled into the jaws by the king pin.
__________________
New: 2021 Solitude 380FL
Old: 2016 Alpine 3600RS
Tow: 2017 F-350 DRW diesel
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