Trail-air Hitch Hitting Side of Truck Box

The RV-Ramblers

BigHorn Owners
We have a BigHorn 3500 with the Trail-air pin box and a B&W 3000 fifth wheel hitch. In addition, we have a ReTrax sliding cover for the truck box (long box). The problem that is being experenced is that in backing into our driveway, the trail-air hits the side of the ReTrax cover. This occurs at approximate 60 degrees turning angle. The B&W is adjusted to its maximum heigth yet it appears that it is not high enough for the Trail-air to clear the sides of the truck. It believe that that I have a medium pin box. In looks like the long style pin box may provide more clearance. Any ideas?
 
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Ken Washington

Guest
Ken,
By the way, I like your name! I have the same problem with my pin box hitting the ReTrax cover. The rails extend into the bed and if I had it to do over again, I would buy something different to cover the bed. It helps to make sure that the Trail-Air has as much air as possible in it to the top of the arrows. I also turn off my trailer brakes when backing or turning sharp so that I don't get as much up and down movement. Short of buying another cover, I know of nothing else that I can do but be as careful as possible. Hope this helps you in some way!
Ken
 

ct0218

Well-known member
I have the same problem with it hitting my Retrax. I tried airing up the Trailair, that gives more clearance, but it also makes the front end of my coach even higher. I just let some air back out of the Trailair and try to be careful. However, in just a few pulls I have managed to gouge both side rails. I wish Heartland offered both the regular and extended Trailair, the standard is all I need. I wish now I had ordered it without a Trailair, then added a standard myself.
 

The RV-Ramblers

BigHorn Owners
I talked to Trail-air yesterday. He says that he doesn't think the Trail-air is hitting but that it is the bracket which the Trail-Air is attached. He say that if that is the case, one can have part (the interfering portion) cut off so long as it isn't near bolts used to attach to the frame. I think he may be right but I need to check futher with Heartland/Lippert.
 

driver311

Well-known member
i have the same problem. it isn't the trailair that hits it is the frame that it bolted to. it could be cut off and u wont hit any more.

driver311
 
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Ken Washington

Guest
driver311,
It may not solve the problem to cut a chuck out of the frame. As long as you are on level ground, it will be ok. Has anyone cut the frame or are we going to just be carefull backing and turning? Right now, that's my plan!
Ken
 

The RV-Ramblers

BigHorn Owners
I am think about some type of sensor to warm me before the bracket hits the ReTrax rail. Maybe optical or mechanical. Still researching.
 

timk

Well-known member
hitch mod

Ken and Jane,

I had the same problem, this is what I did. Its not a 100% cure but it does help a bunch. Haven't had enough seat time yet to see if I could consider it a final solution.

The trail-air folks are right (at least in my case) its not the hitch, but rather the frame where the hitch bolts on, thats making contact.

I think this would be a non issue if the hitch was about 6" shorter, but then my hindsite is better than my planing.

A word of advice; if you are doing this on the road with a hacksaw and hole saw, send your significant other to town first. I hear its somewhat like Chinese water torture.

TimK
 

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The RV-Ramblers

BigHorn Owners
Thanks, TimK. This looks like it may solve my problem as I agree that it's the mounting bracket and not the Trailair that is hitting my ReTrax rail. Costing nearly one hundred dollars to replace the rail.
 

BluegrassMan

Well-known member
Hi TimK and all:

Just read your post and looked at your picture. A QUICK and painless way to do that would be with a "Plasma Cutter". It is a electric box (like a mig-welder) with high pressure air blown along with the ARC of electric. A car(nut) guy or a welding shop would have one probably. 5 minutes or less DONE.

If you know any car restorers or streetrodders, they can steer you to one. Just my .02 cents worth.
 
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Ken Washington

Guest
TimK,
I was glad to see that someone had done this before I tried to cut the frame. Now I am ready to see if I can get mine cut. Did it take long with a hacksaw?
Ken
 

timk

Well-known member
Ken Washington said:
TimK,
I was glad to see that someone had done this before I tried to cut the frame. Now I am ready to see if I can get mine cut. Did it take long with a hacksaw?
Ken

Ya, it was ugly. We were in an upscale RV park, so I was trying to be quiet. The hole saw was noisy, so I did a little at a time, and then the hacksaw was raising the blood pressure of the better half. In reality it only took about an hour, but I made it take 3 days, by pushing my luck as far as I dared each day.

TimK
 

timk

Well-known member
The RV-Ramblers said:
Thanks, TimK. This looks like it may solve my problem as I agree that it's the mounting bracket and not the Trailair that is hitting my ReTrax rail. Costing nearly one hundred dollars to replace the rail.

Was it a hundred bucks for one side? Cant decide if mine is bad enough to replace.
TimK
 
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Ken Washington

Guest
Both of my rails got scrape marks but still work fine. Someday I will put some paint on them.
Ken
 

dieselengineer

Charter Member
Looks like a nice fix for a real problem we are all having with Retrac covers. However one word of caution for anyone who might try this fix, make sure that you drill the hole at the corner. If you skip this step and just saw only into the corner, this will make a stess riser at the corner. As an engineer, this will start a bad fatigue crack. Not a good thing!
 

ct0218

Well-known member
Very true and very important Dieselengineer...whether a Trailair hitch, Corian and Granite countertop, airplane window or whatever, a radius spreads out the stress, an inside corner concentrates it.
 

timk

Well-known member
Mod update; Retrax/Trailair

Just to let everybody know;

The mod I posted earlier, did not solve the problem completely. While it did improve things about 89%, I still couldn't make a full lock u-turn.

So, not being able (mentally) to leave things alone, I made another modification to the hitch that did solve the problem 100%. To make a long story short, so to speak, I shortened the Trail-air hitch 4". It took the better part of a day, but it wasn't to complicated. I'll try to get some pictures and post them.

TimK
 
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Ken Washington

Guest
TimK,
Please tell us how you did this and post some pictures. I was going to cut mine but chickened out!
Ken
 

timk

Well-known member
Cutting off Trailair hitch

Here's the pics.

Basically all I did was move the bolt holes forward 4". Had to add a lil bit of steel for the forward top hole. Then took a little off the back of the hitch, so it would fit up in the frame without taking the cross brace out.

Took it out to test everything, felt like a kid with a new toy. Now I can make a turn looking out the windshield and not the mirror. It will go straight sideways, although the tires wish I wouldn't. Have to watch the tailgate now when hitching on an angle, as its a little bit tighter.

TimK
 

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