Troubleshooting the 5th Wheel Hitch King Pin Vertical Movement
Question:
My 3/4 ton Chev truck tows the Super Lite 5th wheel easily. BUT, when going over bumps in the road the pintle jigges UP and Down. Not the forward and back chucking mentioned earlier. Any thoughts on how to fix this problem. Would adding extra weight near the 5th wheel hitch help ? I do carry two 43 lb kayaks on a rear rack of the 5th wheel. How do I stop up and down 5th wheel attachment, not chucking forward and back.
asked by: Arthur G
Helpful Expert Reply:
You used terms that are not compatible. You have a 5th wheel hitch which will have pin box with a king pin which is very different from a pintle hitch and lunette ring which would be a bumper pull industrial style trailer.
For your pin box, it is likely that there is not enough weight on the pin box which is likely partially due to the kayaks on the back even though they are light but your entire trailer is light so it does make an impact. You can move more weight toward the front of your trailer to put more weight over the pin box which may help, but there likely are other issues. If your trailer is slightly raised at the front where you connect to your 5th wheel hitch, you may either need to adjust the pin box to lower the connection or you may need to raise the trailer at the axles to allow the trailer to travel more level and you could upgrade the trailer suspension as well if desired. Depending on your pin box, there may be an alternative option to add suspension enhancement for a smoother ride.
If the king pin to hitch connection has too much room then I recommend an upgraded hitch to the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs # BWRVK3255 which is a customer favorite. The jaws of this hitch are a little thicker than most other hitches for that specific fit.
Products Referenced in This Question
B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs
- Fifth Wheel Hitch
- Fixed Fifth Wheel
- Above Bed Rails
- 4500 lbs Vertical Load
- 18000 lbs GTW
- Double Pivot
- Standard - Double Jaw
- 16 - 19 Inch Tall
- B and W
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