Purchased a B&W turnover ball and Companion 5th wheel hitch in 2014. Installed it as per directions, and never removed the base (had the head off a few times to lube the bushings.) Went to remove the base this past weekend and (a) couldn’t get the lock down bolt out (it was torqued to 60 ft-lbs as per instruction, without antiseize,) (b) the pin didn’t want to release once the bolt was loosened, and (c) once the pin was out, the hitch shank didn’t want to come out of the turnover tube. It had to come out with a forklift! All three issues were due to rusting.
I love B&W products, and their customer service is second to none. This is mostly on me for leaving it in for five years in a climate where the roads are heavily salted in the winter. Recommendation to anyone who owns one of these would be to remove it once a year and lubricate the snot out of everything. Including the lock down bolt— that thing is getting antiseized when it goes back in, regardless of what the directions say!
That is all.
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2015 XLR Hyperlite 30HFS5 (mods being performed regularly)
2009 Salem LA 292fkds (gone)
Nights- ('12)23 ('13)23 ('14)15 ('15)31 ('16)27 ('17) 20 (‘18)21 (‘19)23
2019 Honda CRV (camping support vehicle)
2014 Harley Davidson FLHX (XLR cargo)
2011 Ram 2500 CC 4X4 CTD, B&W Companion (toy hauler hauler)
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