Hitch Problem

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skirk55

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 15, 2010
Posts
381
Location
Newtown Pa. 18940
I own a REESE 16K hitch that was installed in my 2011 Dodge Ram 2500. Last week I removed the hitch from my truck and I had to use a hammer and pry bar. It was stuck. The pins were easy to remove but to lift it out the hitch would not budge. It took some prying  to get all four tabs out from the rails. I asked the rv shop we use and they told me it is OK! I don't like this. Is it time for a hitch?
 
I don't have the hitch or the trailer, but my hitch did the same.
 
If a reese hitch is not used for towing over a long period of time...  IT WILL RUST SHUT IN THE BOX........
From now on, if the hitch is not being used over a long period of time especially around salt water....REMOVE IT AND SHOOT WHITELUBE IN THE BOX OF THE HITCH AND ALSO ON THE applicator bar of the hitch. 

This worthless info will cost you ten cents if you use it but I stroongly advise you to NEVER TAKE MY ADVISE...  cj..
 
The hitch is stored in my garage when not in use. I has the bed line-x and a folding cover. I grease it and lube everything. Also the rail. When the warm weather returns I will disamble it and reassembled it. I also keep it washed and painted so I can see cracks that appear. Still after all of that I still have problems.
 
Skirk55, I assume your talking about a fifth wheel hitch. Does the hitch slip easily into the rails when you install the hitch? Were the rails removed when the Line-X was installed? It sounds like the rails may not be aligned quite right. Prior to our MH, we pulled a 5er. I had a 20k hitch in my one ton, and I had to loosen the rail bolts to re-align the tabs once. I was loading a 3pt plow into the truck and I hit one of the rails quite hard and it slid out of alignment. Measure the rails to make sure they are parallel. If not, loosen the bolts and realign. I would put new bolts in and torque as required. Also, make sure none of the tabs on the bottom of the hitch are bent. The hitch should lift right out of the rails without binding. They are heavy though!  Good Luck!
 
I never thought the rail would move! I was going to try to adjust the hitch and this would have done nothing. The RV dealer gave us no help just don't remove it. That was no the answer. I told him I would have purchased a new hitch. I new something we wrong!
 
It's not that the rails moved (hopefully).  What happens is that when they do the installation they get everything all measured up then do the final bolt down on the rails without the hitch superstructure mounted to the rails.  Then when they do put the hitch on they have to "tap" it into place to get the thing on.  If they would simply drill the holes and get everything the way they want it then attach the hitch superstructure to the rails before they do the final bolt down all would be fine.

I had this situation happen on my F-250 and when I tried to remove the hitch I needed a pry bar to get the thing out, not to mention a 3lb sledge to get it back in.  What I did when I put it back in was to get it all pinned in, then I broke all the bolts loose, removed and replaced the hitch then re-torqued all the bolts. Problem solved.
 

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