Mystery!

RottsNScotts · Jun 26, 2017

How in the world could this have happened???

While at the Goshen Rally, I bought a new Reese hitch, rated for 25K.

Yesterday, I hooked up, verified jaws were closed with a flashlight as I always do, locked them then backed out of my space at the dog show and pulled about 1/2 mile to the exit gate. The exit gate was a small hill that arced to the right then left to the stop sign. As I started up, I heard a horrific noise and stopped immediately.

My trailer had come out of the hitch and fallen on my truck!

The pin box was immediately under the hitch. When I moved the truck and went to rehitch, I found the jaws still closed and locked!

What in the world?????

Thanks in advance for any ideas...

szewczyk_john · Jun 26, 2017

Stupid question but is the kingpin undamaged? All of your statements are about the hitch, so can you tell us about the other half of the equation, which is the kingpin?

jimtoo · Jun 26, 2017

Sounds like you "high pined it". The pin was actually setting on top of the jaws.

Jim M

RottsNScotts · Jun 26, 2017

szewczyk_john said:
Stupid question but is the kingpin undamaged? All of your statements are about the hitch, so can you tell us about the other half of the equation, which is the kingpin?

Appears to be fine...

Hooked back up and made it from Cambridge, MN to Eau Claire, WI with no further incident...well, I did grow many new grey hairs!

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jimtoo said:
Sounds like you "high pined it". The pin was actually setting on top of the jaws.

Jim M

When I look to make sure jaws have engaged, I make sure I can see the fat part of the pin below the jaws and that the jaws are sitting pretty much in the middle of the pin before I lock them.

Should I be looking for something else as well?

Thanks!

Alan_B · Jun 26, 2017

jimtoo said:
Sounds like you "high pined it". The pin was actually setting on top of the jaws.

Jim M

That would be my guess too. The flange on the bottom of the pin may not have been below the jaws.

HOOKERUP · Jun 26, 2017

Are you using the teflon plate.I have the 26.5 hitch when i put on the teflon plate it looked too high.,did not bother with the rest of hooking up,removed plate and just use grease.I let the trailer ride up the hitch plate.Never fails that way,

terribruce · Jun 26, 2017

Don't have any advice for this, but hoping not much, if any damage was done. Best of luck for you.

Terri

Gary521 · Jun 27, 2017

When you normally hook up the trailer to the hitch, what is the relationship of the support plate on the hitch to the support plate on the king pin? Is the king pin plate above or below the hitch plate? In other words- do you slide the trailer on the hitch or is there an air space as you connect the two?

You mentioned something about checking pin height before you locked the jaws. Do you open the jaws to hook up or do you let the king pin push the jaws open?

Roller4tan · Jun 27, 2017

I do a tug test EVERY time I hook up, even if everything looks good at the hitch.

justafordguy · Jun 27, 2017

roller4tan said:
i do a tug test every time i hook up, even if everything looks good at the hitch.

do this!!!!

Gary521 · Jun 27, 2017

I know this is old news but the guy explains what "high Pinning" is in the middle of the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb0Dn_Zkiw4

RottsNScotts · Jun 27, 2017

Alan_B said:
That would be my guess too. The flange on the bottom of the pin may not have been below the jaws.

Flange was below the jaws before and after I locked the jaws...

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Roller4tan said:
I do a tug test EVERY time I hook up, even if everything looks good at the hitch.

Tugged, backed up out of my spot and towed 1/2 mile without issue. Problem occurred as I started up small hill that arced to the right.

Gaffer · Jun 28, 2017

Roller4tan said:
I do a tug test EVERY time I hook up, even if everything looks good at the hitch.

The tug test is never optional.

CoveredWagon · Jun 28, 2017

Gaffer said:
The tug test is never optional.

Unless you are using theAndersen Ultimate hitch.

wdk450 · Jun 29, 2017

There ARE emergency back-up devices out there called 5th wheel hitch bedsavers, They are an additional piece of steel that catches your trailer pin behind the hitch plate if it somehow comes loose. Do your own websearch if you are interested. Unfortunately the easy and inexpensive one I added to my hitch from Butch's services seems to be no longer available.

Best of all worlds is to religiously do the trailer brake test/tug test every time you pull out newly hitched, and to have a bedsaver to prevent vehicle damage.

Mystery!

RottsNScotts

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RottsNScotts

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