Failed 5th Wheel Hitch Head - Page 3

5er_tom · 08-11-2016, 08:33 AM

There are a lot of Pullrites out there, including mine. I hope your's was an isolated incident. I have perhaps 20,000 miles and countless hitchings on mine without any issues. I have used many cans of WD-40 to keep it well lubricated.
Sorry you had a scary incident. I sure hope everything is good now and you get years of trouble free service from the new unit.

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**Herk7769** · 08-11-2016, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tugboat369

Here is what happened to my hitch.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ad.php?t=96991
Good luck hope it works out for you.

Thank you for that! I went and checked the welds on my capture plate.
I can see how having that come loose (broken weld in your case), it would damage the hitch head.

41ford · 08-11-2016, 08:01 PM

We moved again this afternoon and all went well with the hitch.

I noticed and my wife did too, this replacement hitch acts and sounds completely different than the failed hitch. We're thinking some was wrong with it from the beginning.

I have not looked at the failed hitch too much, but need to box it up and send back to manufacturer. The entire hitch is locked-up, too much tension on the release bar spring to allow removal of the release bar. Can't package it with the release bar sticking out a foot.

Since we will be here at this state park, will look at it again tomorrow and see if I can figure out the issue. Yes, I hope this is a one time incident.

phillyg · 08-12-2016, 07:26 AM

I seem to recall another post about a Pullrite Hitch head problem here or on another RV forum, but I don't recall which model. I had a PR 12k auto slider for my previous FW and I considered ita great hitch from a great company.

bob caldwell · 08-12-2016, 08:57 AM

Have only had one problem with my Pullright.....the thrust plate flange bent back toward cab pulling the thrust adjuster up at a 30 degree angle....found it after stopping for night in Flagstaff....bent it back into position, and added a bolt into each rail, using the head of bolt as a stop.....no problem since

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41ford · 08-12-2016, 10:21 PM

I'm sure Pullrite has a good product and this an isolated incident.

I just moved mine from the back of the pickup to the outside storage compartment of the trailer, looking it over. Nothing wrong is obvious to me, except for it being stuck.

Will send it back to manufacturer soon.

USMC Okie · 08-13-2016, 03:11 PM

I have the experience of a high hitch on my first trip with my new 5th wheel and new truck. I thought I was hitched when I pulled out of a site and had the scary thud of the trailer landing on the truck. No damage to the trailer but the bed of the truck didn't look so good. Anyway I found that a Bed Saver by Blue Ox was very cheap insurance for something like that again. And I found out how it works but that's another story. I just googled Blue Ox and found that they are still around and going strong. Another thing I did for insurance was to paint the jaws on my hitch white. It helps.

Okie

TnP5er · 08-14-2016, 02:05 PM

I'm very Glad that the Lord protected you and your family! I'm also sorry for what happened and what you had to go through to get it resolved, or should I say what you got resolved so far. It was asked earlier in the Posts, but being new and ignorant to some things, I have a clue what HIGH HITCHING might mean, but would love to have it explained. Thanks

USMC Okie · 08-14-2016, 02:31 PM

When hitching up and backing into the trailer hitch you can sometimes hit the top edge of the hitch head and the jaws will clamp shut under the trailer hitch. The trailer hitch then will set on top of the jaws instead of in the jaws. So when you pull out you drop the trailer on the truck bed. Then you say a bunch of bad words either out loud or to yourself and want to cry! Guess how I know?

Okie

tugboat369 · 08-14-2016, 02:35 PM

High hitching is when your king pin on the trailer dose not lock in the jaws of the hitch but sits on top of the locking mechanism and not locked in by the jaws or bar so that when you pull on the trailer the king pin will slide out and trailer will fall.

TnP5er · 08-14-2016, 02:40 PM

Thanks Okie, and Tugboat, Not saying that it will ever happen to me, but I pray that it doesn't!

Once again you Guys are great in helping us rookies!
Tony

davel1971 · 08-14-2016, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B and B

I am a Reese guy as many of these brands are not available in Canada

Reese products are "Made in China", and that stuff can be had anywhere

41ford · 08-16-2016, 10:15 AM

We made it home late lst night, driving nearly 500 miles in one day. We also drove another 150 miles since installing the replacement hitch head, for a total of 650 miles, without any issues.

We will unload today, hopefully correspond with the Pullrite representative and the dealer today. I still cannot get the release bar off the old hitch head to ship it back, maybe I can find some tools in my shop to assist in removal without damaging it. I would prefer to leave it as is and will ask them if I can just cut the release bar.

I re-read the owner's manual, I have done nothing that should void the warranty, I also expect Pullrite should be responsible for reasonable costs associated with the damage done to both the trailer and pickup.

bob caldwell · 08-16-2016, 10:18 AM

I too would cut the handle off....they'll be able to determine why......Or e-mail 'em and tell why ...hacksaw or sawsall should do the surgery....

tugboat369 · 08-16-2016, 11:11 AM

I had to eat my cost like I said like there product but when something goes wrong they won't stand behind the product.

DocGTO · 08-17-2016, 06:53 AM

Glad you figured out the issue and got it handled. Over the years I have heard about 5th wheel hitch mistakes, ect and the outcomes. Due to my old back injury I cannot be lugging around s 80-120lb 5th wheel hitch so I opted for a Reese Goosebox.

tugboat369 · 08-17-2016, 07:50 PM

I use a winch in my garage takes no more then 20 minutes to install or remove.

41ford · 08-18-2016, 07:21 AM

Tugboat, that's one way of removing the hitch from your pickup. I can disassemble the PullRite into several pieces and remove them one at a time. I could also use my engine hoist to remove it in a single piece.

I took the failed hitch to the dealership, they could find no issues with it and it was still stuck. One of the techs did get the tension off the release bar and removed it.

I'll be sending it back to the manufacturer today, still have no idea why it failed. I hope the manufacturer stands behind their product, otherwise it will be removed and replaced with another one. If the problem was due to my negligence, I would man up, admit it, and then move on. The second failure, I had three other people there watching me hook up and double checking my work, it was properly hitched when it failed.

Time to move on. Will post again when manufacturer gives me their findings.

Dogpatch · 08-18-2016, 08:26 AM

I dumped my 5th wheel onto my truck once on the second time hooking up with my PullRite 2900 18k hitch. I attribute it to driver error and inexperience. Luckily enough, the pin came to rest on the cross bar between the rails of the hitch as well as the 5er overhang on the box. It bent the cross bar and only left a mark on the plastic box rails.

I got off lucky but it scared the bejeebers out of me. I'm almost paranoid now and check it a couple of times before I head out to confirm its locked up properly. Have used it dozens of times since without repeat incident.

**Herk7769** · 08-18-2016, 09:16 AM

Even though I am a checklist freak (pilot - remember), I still worry about that ONE time I get distracted. So as cheap insurance I put a "pin catcher" made by "Butch" on my Pullrite Superglide.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...kit-22699.html

LOVE IT.

It still leaves my bed clear unlike the Blue Ox bed saver and pin catcher.

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