What type of grease do you use?

[byrdr1]

Originally Posted by hoffbrew

maybe you have it upside down!! Just kidding, mine is so old it wont even stay up anymore... kinda kidding, the disk just falls in the back of truck when I disconnect.

Mine too.. I taped it on last hookup with orange electric tape(taped around the pin to hold it in place) its was still hanging in there this weekend while I was waxing the front cap again.
randy

[hnhmac]

Ok I am confused, maybe we are doing this all the wrong way. A dealer told us not to take the pin out till we seen light and then pull the release handle. Is this all the wrong way?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Festus2]

Maybe others unhitch differently, but I don't raise the 5th wheel so that I can "see light". I assume you mean light between the top plate of the hitch and the bottom of the pin box plate - or the underside of the disc. If you can see light, I would think that the 5th wheel has been raised too much and in the process the truck is also being lifted too far.

After inserting chalks and lowering the jacks, I pull the release handle and then raise the 5th wheel so as to take weight off the truck. I check to make sure that the jacks are fully supporting the 5th wheel and then pull the truck slowly forward until the pin is released from the hitch. Once it is just released, I usually raise the 5th wheel slightly so that the pin box isn't dragging on top of the hitch.

This system works for me and I've never had any problems unhitching. Others may have a slightly different process but as along as it is safe and it results in a successful unhitching without damage to anything then it is good for you.

It seems to me that you are raising the 5th wheel too high and causing the pin and the hitch to bind and not able to release smoothly. All that is required is for the weight of the chalked 5th wheel to be supported by the jacks and raised to a point to allow the two to separate. There is no need to lift the truck and its hitch so much so that the two are inseparable.

[fred1609]

I think you've got a bad disk.....never heard of a disk melting. Take the time to figure out why its happening, because its likely an easy fix. The alternative is grease on your clothes and truck. No thanks

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by hnhmac

Ok I am confused, maybe we are doing this all the wrong way. A dealer told us not to take the pin out till we seen light and then pull the release handle. Is this all the wrong way?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I put the legs down so they can support the trailer, not lift it (just making sure it won't drop on the bed of the truck if it were to disconnect when I pull the release). Then I pull the release and raise the trailer until I see pressure is off of the pin. Hard to describe what this looks like, but it's basically just before you see light. If you look at the pin and the locking jaws you'll notice you don't have a lot of play, maybe a 1/2" if you raise the trailer too high the bottom of the pin will make contact and start to lift the TV. Some hitches have less play than others especially if the jaws are still engaged. There have been times when I see a bit of light when raising, but that's not a problem.

It sounds to me like you are raising the truck with the pin not the disc, pull the release handle before you try lifting the trailer that much.

[hnhmac]

Thanks all for the advice, the new disk is coming thanks to camco for sending me a new one.the problem we had the most is it was twisting the left leg in camp site, not in drive way. It would slide the camper like no tomorrow even though it was clearly where it needed to be. It did major damage to the disk from it glueing it's self. I have a new companion hitch from b&w


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by hnhmac

Thanks all for the advice, the new disk is coming thanks to camco for sending me a new one.the problem we had the most is it was twisting the left leg in camp site, not in drive way. It would slide the camper like no tomorrow even though it was clearly where it needed to be. It did major damage to the disk from it glueing it's self. I have a new companion hitch from b&w


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you have any pictures, I would love to see that. I have never heard of anything like that before.

[fivesubs]

We just bought a Companion hitch this spring. I know and understand what you are talking about. I have experienced too. I haven't really gotten a feel for when the pin is free enough from the jaws to release. I suppose it will take a few more unhitching to finally figure it out. The last trip I tried to unhitch only to have the camper roll forward enough to damage the feet on the landing gear. I will be replacing them shortly. If anyone has any real experience with the B&W Companion hitch, I would love to hear about it.

Side note, the Companion hitch is by far the best I have ever used. No noise whatsoever from the bed of the truck. Nice and smooth.

[Ayotte]

I lift the camper and keep checking how much weight is on the truck by pushing down on the end gate. When I lean down and I get the slightest space between the camper and fifth wheel then I drive slowly ahead. No light showing, very slight weight on truck. Works every time.

[jsmith948]

To the OP: Could it be that your hitch jaws are not releasing?
The next time you unhitch, lower your landing legs enough to see some weight come off the truck's springs. Then, pull the release lever. Then look at the back of your hitch and visually verify that the jaws have opened before you move the truck. If the hitch is that hard to separate, hold the brake actuator until you move forward a few inches (provided you cord is long enough)

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by fivesubs

... The last trip I tried to unhitch only to have the camper roll forward enough to damage the feet on the landing gear. I will be replacing them shortly. ..

.

Always ALWAYS chock the trailer before unhitching. It doesn't matter if it's a travel trailer, fifth wheel, goose neck, utility trailer, snowmobile trailer or just a flatbed with a few leaves stuck in the cracks.... ALWAYS chock the trailer before unhitching !!!

Trailers can move/roll even on what appears to be a flat level surface !!!

The best way, I think, to unhitch is to park where you intend the trailer to remain, CHOCK the wheels on both sides of the trailer, unplug the electrical connection and the brake disconnect cable,

on travel trailers, lower the tongue jack slightly, unlock the hitch then raise the trailer enough for the hitch to clear the ball,

or for fifth wheels, lower the landing gear just until the truck starts to rise, unlock the hitch (you may have to pull forward or back slightly to release pressure on the jaws/bar),

then, for both types, get in the tow vehicle, pull forward slowly until the coupler or pinbox clears the hitch, once clear, verify (again) there is nothing obstructing the pinbox path, pull forward until you're clear of the trailer, close the tailgate and continue setting up the trailer.

What happened to fivesubs is unfortunate and happens far too often when chocking the trailer doesn't occur. The chocks are your only means to prevent the trailer from rolling.

(for those who use X-chocks, read the operating instructions. The manufacturer states that X-chocks are NOT a substitute for proper wheel chocks)

Hopefully, fivesubs incident will remind us all of the importance of always chocking the trailer before uncoupling.

[hoffbrew]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Always ALWAYS chock the trailer before unhitching. It doesn't matter if it's a travel trailer, fifth wheel, goose neck, utility trailer, snowmobile trailer or just a flatbed with a few leaves stuck in the cracks.... ALWAYS chock the trailer before unhitching !!!

Trailers can move/roll even on what appears to be a flat level surface !!!

The best way, I think, to unhitch is to park where you intend the trailer to remain, CHOCK the wheels on both sides of the trailer, unplug the electrical connection and the brake disconnect cable,

on travel trailers, lower the tongue jack slightly, unlock the hitch then raise the trailer enough for the hitch to clear the ball,

or for fifth wheels, lower the landing gear just until the truck starts to rise, unlock the hitch (you may have to pull forward or back slightly to release pressure on the jaws/bar),

then, for both types, get in the tow vehicle, pull forward slowly until the coupler or pinbox clears the hitch, once clear, verify (again) there is nothing obstructing the pinbox path, pull forward until you're clear of the trailer, close the tailgate and continue setting up the trailer.

What happened to fivesubs is unfortunate and happens far too often when chocking the trailer doesn't occur. The chocks are your only means to prevent the trailer from rolling.

(for those who use X-chocks, read the operating instructions. The manufacturer states that X-chocks are NOT a substitute for proper wheel chocks)

Hopefully, fivesubs incident will remind us all of the importance of always chocking the trailer before uncoupling.

Bam!! I agree 100%. The only thing I add to unhooking is I put truck in N neutural so 5ver rests against chocks then put gear down, unhook.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Always ALWAYS chock the trailer before unhitching. It doesn't matter if it's a travel trailer, fifth wheel, goose neck, utility trailer, snowmobile trailer or just a flatbed with a few leaves stuck in the cracks.... ALWAYS chock the trailer before unhitching !!!

Trailers can move/roll even on what appears to be a flat level surface !!!

The best way, I think, to unhitch is to park where you intend the trailer to remain, CHOCK the wheels on both sides of the trailer, unplug the electrical connection and the brake disconnect cable,

on travel trailers, lower the tongue jack slightly, unlock the hitch then raise the trailer enough for the hitch to clear the ball,

or for fifth wheels, lower the landing gear just until the truck starts to rise, unlock the hitch (you may have to pull forward or back slightly to release pressure on the jaws/bar),

then, for both types, get in the tow vehicle, pull forward slowly until the coupler or pinbox clears the hitch, once clear, verify (again) there is nothing obstructing the pinbox path, pull forward until you're clear of the trailer, close the tailgate and continue setting up the trailer.

What happened to fivesubs is unfortunate and happens far too often when chocking the trailer doesn't occur. The chocks are your only means to prevent the trailer from rolling.

(for those who use X-chocks, read the operating instructions. The manufacturer states that X-chocks are NOT a substitute for proper wheel chocks)

Hopefully, fivesubs incident will remind us all of the importance of always chocking the trailer before uncoupling.

Originally Posted by hoffbrew

Bam!! I agree 100%. The only thing I add to unhooking is I put truck in N neutural so 5ver rests against chocks then put gear down, unhook.

Now the TV rolls away!!

Chock the trailer, and set the parking brake on the TV, I state that as I drive a manual, so it is in neutral, but I also set the parking brake.

[hoffbrew]

One of my first times out, I watched a guy unhooking a nice 5ver, backed in, placed chocks, unhooked, pulled forward then about 20 seconds later 5ver moved forward against chocks and landing gear slid off of blocks. Just one of many things that are on my caution plate when I camp. Once you see this happen.....

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by hoffbrew

One of my first times out, I watched a guy unhooking a nice 5ver, backed in, placed chocks, unhooked, pulled forward then about 20 seconds later 5ver moved forward against chocks and landing gear slid off of blocks. Just one of many things that are on my caution plate when I camp. Once you see this happen.....

Your account of that guy's issue brings to mind a "I never" rule of mine. I never use blocks under my front landing gear. I do use a 2" pad to keep the footpads from sinking into the ground, but I won't use a 6x6 or a bunch of 2x8's to lift the front landing gear. It's really REALLY easy to get ready to hitch, hit the pin a tad too hard and knock the fifth wheel landing gear off the blocks. When that happens, it's sure to be truck bed damage or trailer underpinning damage. It's so much easier to just avoid the potential than it is to try to prevent anything from happening (once you create the potential)...

So far, I haven't found a "hillside" where I'd trust the chocks to hold the trailer that I've had a need to use blocks to get the landing gear high enough. I think, if I did, I'd rather find a different campsite rather than risk the need to use blocks under the gear.

[Pmedic4]

Good hearing this information on unhooking the 5th Wheel, as we've only been using ours a little over a year - really never had the issue of the plate sticking. When we bought it, the person doing the walk-thru said we should use the plate, since it was a lot nicer than greasing and cleaning the hitch surfaces, and he gave us one.

The only comment I would make was we found when un-hitching, that you couldn't pull the handle to release the latch from the pin. I'm a fairly large guy and felt like I would almost have to pull the TV over before it would release! So, after realizing it was simply the pressure on the latch mechanism, I would chock the RV, raise the 5ver until the plate was just free of the hitch, then get into the truck while it was still hitched, and put it into neutral for a second with my foot off the brake, and then put the truck back into park. Found that by simply removing the pressure on the latch made the release handle easy to pull. I never felt the truck really move or anything, but it did let me easily pull the release handle.
No need to chock or set the parking brake, since I was either in the truck or it was in park.

[hnhmac]

Oh don't worry about chocking we have it covered, we sent the disk back to camco, wish I took a pic of it! It was worped like no other! I all ways make sure it's level and chocked! It Burt the disk, they told us to use grease in a can for the jaws and the springs, not liking that any thing you can let me know works better let me know!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hnhmac]

Oh , and it works good in our drive not and a angle in the camp, any ideas? We are at a angle there?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jje1960]

Originally Posted by hoffbrew

One of my first times out, I watched a guy unhooking a nice 5ver, backed in, placed chocks, unhooked, pulled forward then about 20 seconds later 5ver moved forward against chocks and landing gear slid off of blocks. Just one of many things that are on my caution plate when I camp. Once you see this happen.....

Never had this happen with our unit. We do use the between tires chocks.

[sptddog]

I have a B&W companion too - and when the dealer showed me how to unhood from it, they told me to raise the landing gear until the hitch pressure releases from the truck, or when you see a tiny bit of daylight between the white disk and the hitch plate. Once you see light, they said to drop the trailer down just a touch until you don't see the light anymore. and then release the hitch pin and pull away....In doing this, I've always had good luck with the hitch releasing.

I've read that others use a 'dry' silicone lube on the king pin itself and the jaws? I haven't used anything yet....