Storage of Hitch hooked to R.V. ????

What are the pros and cons of removing the 5th wheel hitch, by hooking up to R.V. and leaving it hanging from Pin on R.V. Not done it yet, looking for advise. Thanks!

I use to do it all the time. Have not done it for years though. Its a way of not having to carry it in the truck when installing it in the box.

Jimmy said:

What are the pros and cons of removing the 5th wheel hitch, by hooking up to R.V. and leaving it hanging from Pin on R.V. Not done it yet, looking for advise. Thanks!

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Now this is interesting, OK
I can think of one real good reason. In my case with my Highjacker slider it would be a real bear going back in to get it lined up to the slots in the truck bed mounts, it has to be right on or they will not drop in. On mine if I was to try and just lower it back into the bed with the trailer lander gear don't know if you could ever get the jaws to open to be able to move it around to drop into the slots.
The more I think about it I might not be able to lift it out, if it cocks just a little it will bind. I have a rope block and tackle in the shop that I use to take it in and out and it works just great.
It's probably not good to have the 5th wheel hitch hanging off of the jaws.
The weight just hanging on the front of the trailer.

I've seen it done. Never tried it. Like rebootsemi said, I would think it would be hard to line up when installing back in the truck and it might bind up when lifting out.
Mine in easy enough to remove but I have to do it in 2 sections. Head and leg/crossmember assembly. Takes about 10 minutes to remove & store out of the elements.

Mine is hanging from the pin now. It is too heavy to remove by myself. I have a 110V winch in the garage that I used with the SuperGlide and GMC, but this truck will never see the inside of the garage

I can hang it from the pin and can then lower the trailer to a cart to remove the hitch. What I haven't been able to do yet is pop the release for the pin. But it is not that important yet. I will worry about at the end of 2011.

I ended up using a old/new tonneau cover I had and made a cover for the hitch.

I did this a couple of times, and like some have said the weight of the hitch and trying to line it back up makes it not worth the effort. I even had a tough time getting the hitch out. It kept wanting to bind. Not worth the effort to me, but does make a good place to store it and it will not hurt the hitch or king pin

Re-hitching has not been an issue - yet, only did it once. I'll know for sure maybe this coming week.
I do have a wireless camera that I can stick on the tool box to help though. If it works it will be good for a simple "get the hitch out of the truck". For the off season I have access to a 50x100 shop with a two ton chain fall and ample storage for the hitch on a dolly.

I too have seen it done but have never tried it. I removed the hitch a few years ago to carry cargo but it was so much trouble to reinstall, I haven't done it again. I have seen folks that removed their hitch and stored it under the front of their trailers, but with the weight of the hitch, that would even be more dificult to make reinstallation possible alone.

I have done it the end of every season for several years. I have had no problem lifting the hitch out of the truck using the landing legs or reinstalling it. It's what, 100+ pounds hanging on the part of the trailer designed to take 2-3000 pounds load while bouncing down the road. I don't have a slider.
Pull four pins, lift free, drive away, lower trailer back to level. It's easy to get to to spray for corrosion protection. Secure the release lock so the release cannot be pulled while the hitch is suspended.
The hardest part is climbing into the truck box with the trailer hitched. My legs seem to get shorter as I get older.

I suppose it's one way to store it, but since my simple Reese 16K comes out in two sections, it's easily removed and stored in a corner of my garage when not needed. It's a bit like the 50A cord. When I can no longer handle it, it'll be time to sell the BH.

I store mine like that all the time, a Husky 16k slider. It's easy to pull the pins and lift off. When replacing, I get it close then drop it on the truck bed, pull away and then get the hitch lined up and installed. I have a padlock for a keeper, don't want anybody messing with it, whether it is hitched up or not.

I store my companion like that during the summer, as a contractor I can't be without a pick-up bed or my turn-over ball. Like others mentioned I use the trailer landing gear to help do the lifting. Although the companion is a little different and isn't as quick as others it's nice. Also prevents the kid from getting close to the greased up pin.

Over winter the 5th wheel sleeps in the shed with the lawn mower...both awaiting a melt 6 months away.