Releasing a fifthwheel

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Tom

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Jan 13, 2005
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This is probably old hat to 5th wheel owners, but a couple of days ago I learned a new trick. My neighbors turned up with their new fifthwheel, towed by their factory-ordered truck. I answered a knock on the door; My neighbor couldn't get the trailer to disconnect from the in-bed (sliding) hitch. Having never owned or towed a fifthwheel, I was at a loss, and my neighbor called his dealer. The answer: "back the truck up a hair, and it will release". That did the trick.
 
That trick not only worked with our 5th wheel but also works with our TT. Sometimes I have to pull forward a bit. Whatever it takes to release the pressure on the hitch. I have also noticed when hitching up sometimes the hitch won't lock onto the ball. I find if I pull forward a bit it will complete the hitch process.
 
You have to either ease forward or backwards to release the pressure on the kingpin.
 
I found that just putting the truck into reverse, without actually moving the trailer, was enough to release pressure on the hitch.

It just became an automatic action every time we parked.
 
Most times when on a level spot I just hold the manual trailer brake lever on the brake controller and back into the brakes. It gets a little trickier when I have to use Lynx blocks.
 
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