Fifth Wheel Hitching Question

mo11

Member
Hello all, I just bought my first 5er and am doubting the un-hitching process. 1st you let the front leggs down to the ground right? Then you extend them until you see a small gap between the hitch plate and pin box? Then you release the locking handle right? Just seems like my landing gear motor is struggeling awfully hard to raise up to see the gap before releasing the locking handle? Maybe I'm doing soething wrong. I have a 29 ft Elkridge.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks Mo
 

dewwood

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

Mo,
You are right your landing gear motor is struggling very hard because it is trying to lift the truck also. There will be other responses but I just lower the gear until it starts to take the weight off the pickup, then I release the fifth wheel and ease out from under the pin. The truck will rise up a bit as it tops out on the springs so don't just floor it when you pull out, take it real easy.

Good luck and happy camping!
 

Gaffer

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

I raise it up to just before there is any gap so as to not pull the truck up, then release. Be careful not to raise your 5er up too high. The jacks will only extend so far before it will break or bend the shear pin or blow the fuse. A good idea to find where the max extension is and mark it with a bright stripe of paint. If you ever park where the nose is low, it is easy to extend too far while watching the bubble on the level. Been there, done that. Same is true for retraction.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

Ok everyone is right almost!!!! The FIRST thing you do is to chock the wheels !! I saved my buddy this weekend when he pulled out and the trailer slid off the blocks. I stopped him 2 inches before the pin dropped. Would have cost him both rear quarters on a 09 chebby. Use them roto-choks they'll save you $$$$$$$$$$$$$
 

gasman

Camp Socializer
Re: Hitching

I always chock the wheels then extend the landing gear to the ground. Then I put just a little pressure on the legs before I release the fifth wheel lock. Then I raise the trailer until the instant the weight is off the TV. Then pull out slowly.
 

Wharton

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

How can I determine how far I can extend the legs? I have marked them for retraction but would like to mark them for extension also.

Thanks
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

How can I determine how far I can extend the legs? I have marked them for retraction but would like to mark them for extension also.

Thanks
That will depend on the terrain where you set up. Just watch the pin as you take weight off the truck, Make sure you are backed into the pin as to releive any bind on the release and leave some weight on the truck. Pull out slowly
 

hoefler

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

You should raise high enough to get some weight off the TV, release the pin, then raise far enough to see an air gap between the pin box and the hitch. If you don't, when you pull out, the truck can lurch upwards as you drive out from under the load. 2 things can happen if you don't raise it enough; depending on you clearence between the TV and 5th wheel, the TV can crash into the 5vr, not good. Or, and I can speak from expereince, you can max your jacks out and not be able to get back under the pin when you are ready to leave.
 

mo11

Member
Re: Hitching

Thanks for all the quick responses. I guess I'm doing all the right steps in the correct sequence. Thanks again all.

Now I'm going to post another question.
 

westxsrt10

Perfict Senior Member
Re: Hitching

How can I determine how far I can extend the legs? I have marked them for retraction but would like to mark them for extension also.

Thanks
Retract and pin the internal section of the legs 100% while your RV is connected to the truck. Then extend the leg with the switch only and take your measurement. (park in dirt, you may have to dig a small under the leg)
 

Jimmy

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

I raise the 5ver until I can shake, wiggle the TV from side to side just a little at the hitch. Works every time with no shock on either vehicle.
 

Wharton

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

I know how to unhitch and have marked the legs so I don't raise them too far but I would like to mark the legs so I don't extend them too far also(I doubt I would ever do this but I like to be prepared). We have had 5th wheels for 20 years and never have had the type of problems that seem inherent in the Heartlands landing gears and don't want to make a stupid mistake because something isn't marked.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

I know how to unhitch and have marked the legs so I don't raise them too far but I would like to mark the legs so I don't extend them too far also(I doubt I would ever do this but I like to be prepared). We have had 5th wheels for 20 years and never have had the type of problems that seem inherent in the Heartlands landing gears and don't want to make a stupid mistake because something isn't marked.

Sue and Tom,

With your Bighorn being a 2011 model year, do you have hydraulic front landing gear? If so, I don't think you will have an issue as those with electric front landing gear sometimes have with over-extension etc.

Jim
 

Wharton

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

Yes, we have hydraulic. Our concern is the hydraulic move so fast and quietly(vs electric) that we were concerned about the extension. Why don't you think hydraulic will have the problem?
 

porthole

Retired
Re: Hitching

Super Glide response here - I lower the landing gear until all the weight is off the hitch and the saddle just starts to come off the "U" shaped catch blocks.
Hitching up I lower the trailer to the point where the front of the pin box will hit the saddle about midway up, raising the trailer as I back under.

As Jon mentioned above, chock the wheels. I put chocks behind the tires and back into the chocks, loading them up, then set the parking brake, chock in front of the tires. Release the parking brake and all the tension should be off my hitch lock.

Because the Super Glide saddle wraps the pin when latching you can't have any pressure on the pin while trying to unhitch.

I use 6 chocks, always 2 behind and 2 in front of the tires, the extra 2 go which ever way the slope is on the pad.
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
Re: Hitching

Yes, we have hydraulic. Our concern is the hydraulic move so fast and quietly(vs electric) that we were concerned about the extension. Why don't you think hydraulic will have the problem?

The leg is only going to travel the full extended distance of the hydraulic cylinder.
 
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