Dropped my 5th Wheel

[bakken]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

My Reese also has a positive lock that must be seated to flip the lock bar over the handle, but I also added my version of Butch's catch just in case something breaks. Everything is mechanical and mechanical things break.

The way my hitch is constructed, it simply cannot break. It simply ain't gonna happen. It is built very, very well.
But I guess the whole assembly could rip out of the truck box, but then a "hitch-catcher" wouldn't do much good anyway!

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

In you theory you should have a hitch catcher behind the hitch catcher then ?

Hopeless.

[Beausdog]

Originally Posted by ependydad

I'd be willing to be that far more dropped fivers are user error than mechanical failure. Someone missed a step somewhere...

For my B&W hitch, you can't close the handle if you're not hitched properly. It just can't be done- it is impossible. But, over on RV.net, someone with a B&W hitch dropped his fiver because he forgot to close the handle (worse, he followed instructions and previously pinned the handle in the open position).

Things happen.

The Butch's catcher gives you an element of protection against that. I just personally think while it's 5-times the cost that the Blue Ox product gives you more.

I agree, I'm willing to bet it was my mistake but gonna have the hitch checked to verify. I know it closed and I put the lock on, but for the life of me I swear it was correct, however, based on post incident observations, I'm doubting myself as the bar was half slid open caught on the lock. With that, I am leaning towards my fault but not ruling out mechanical til an expert looks at it. Besides now I will be taking pictures of it hooked before I tow each time to confirm proper hook up and have visual proof one way or the other. :roflback:

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Beausdog

I agree, I'm willing to bet it was my mistake but gonna have the hitch checked to verify. I know it closed and I put the lock on, but for the life of me I swear it was correct, however, based on post incident observations, I'm doubting myself as the bar was half slid open caught on the lock. With that, I am leaning towards my fault but not ruling out mechanical til an expert looks at it. Besides now I will be taking pictures of it hooked before I tow each time to confirm proper hook up and have visual proof one way or the other. :roflback:

I'm not sure which I'd prefer to hear - mechanical failure or user error. Hopefully if it was mechanical, it left evidence behind of what broke and allowed it to come unhitched.

The real question - will you be able to trust that hitch after this?

[Herk7769]

I looked at the Blue Ox for my Pullrite Superglide (they make one); but I would lose my entire bed for storage.

Since the Blue Ox attached to the rotating part of the hitch head, the Blue Ox turns with the hitch head. That means greater than 180 degrees around the hitch must be kept free.

The safety pin made like the one Butch sells takes up NO room in the bed and does not interfere with bed storage.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by bakken

The way my hitch is constructed, it simply cannot break. It simply ain't gonna happen. It is built very, very well.
But I guess the whole assembly could rip out of the truck box, but then a "hitch-catcher" wouldn't do much good anyway!

All I can say after 45 yrs in industry is, "If it is mechanical, it can break" just a matter of when.

[EdJunior]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

All I can say after 45 yrs in industry is, "If it is mechanical, it can break" just a matter of when.

Yep. Just like in the computer security world when they try to push off "unbreakable" encryption. If it was made, it can be unmade! It's just a matter of time and resources. In this case, the resources could be weather, abuse, neglect, etc.

[recon33alpha]

I just threw up in my mouth, and I don't even own a 5er

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by EdJunior

Yep. Just like in the computer security world when they try to push off "unbreakable" encryption. If it was made, it can be unmade! It's just a matter of time and resources. In this case, the resources could be weather, abuse, neglect, etc.

At all the places I worked, it was a basic rule to "Test to failure" Never had anything not fail at some point. 1,000,000 cycles was assumed to be a never fail number, but nothing ever made 2 million cycles. So nothing is fail-proof if it is man-made.

[LKicklight]

Painting the handle a bright yellow and of course using a check list, no matter how old or how many times you have done it...kind of like flying, ever landed with your landing gear still in there holes..does not take but one time..CHECK LIST....better than a screaming DW....use mine every time...so far not accidents..
and for only $46.00 bucks vs a couple of hundred, still a good bargin...money is tight for a lot of us these days..

Originally Posted by ependydad

I'm sorry, but unless you can leave the Butch's catcher always engaged (hitching and unhitching over top of it), it's only marginally better than the hitch and is still prone to user error.

It's much more expensive (like 5x more expensive than Butch's) and heavier but the only pin catcher that doesn't require user intervention is the Blue Ox one. For these things to be 100%- it has to always be passively engaged (ie- always enabled and the user doesn't have to do anything).

[LKicklight]

Wish Dealers would make this one simple item installation at the the time of installing the hitch...for 46 bucks, give me a break....If I owned the dealership, I would make it a gift to my customers....such a simple piece of engineering....lets buy a few for door prizes at the FROG in August?????????

Originally Posted by herk7769

I looked at the Blue Ox for my Pullrite Superglide (they make one); but I would lose my entire bed for storage.

Since the Blue Ox attached to the rotating part of the hitch head, the Blue Ox turns with the hitch head. That means greater than 180 degrees around the hitch must be kept free.

The safety pin made like the one Butch sells takes up NO room in the bed and does not interfere with bed storage.

[bakken]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

All I can say after 45 yrs in industry is, "If it is mechanical, it can break" just a matter of when.

You are commenting on something with no knowledge of the facts.
I have a 16,000 lb hitch pulling a 9,000 lb fifth, a hitch that I modified and strengthened to the point of indestructibility.
End of discussion.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by LKicklight

Wish Dealers would make this one simple item installation at the the time of installing the hitch...for 46 bucks, give me a break....If I owned the dealership, I would make it a gift to my customers....such a simple piece of engineering....lets buy a few for door prizes at the FROG in August?????????

Heck of an idea. BOB?

[Herk7769]

I agree. End of discussion.

Two cats in a bag.