How To Clean And Lubricate The Wear Plate On A Reese Sidewinder King Pin Part # 5AS16K

Question:

How do I clean and lubricate the wear plate on a Reese 5AS16K sidewinder hitch and what kind of lubricate?

asked by: William H

Expert Reply:

Per the instructions for the Reese 5th Airborne Sidewinder Standard Arm with King Pin part # 5AS16K, in order to clean and lubricate the wear plate, you must first remove the turret. This can be done by removing the 4 5/8" cap bolts from the top of the pivot arm followed by the 2 3/4" convertible bolts located on the bottom side of the king pin. Once done, you will have to use a pry bar to remove the sleeve around the pivot arm, be careful not to scrape or nick the pivot arm upon disassembly. In some cases this can be fairly difficult as it is a very tight fit, therefore you should give yourself adequate time in doing so.

Once removed you will then gain access to the wear plate. For proper cleaning procedures, wipe down the pivot arm and wear plate with a clean cloth. Once the majority of the old grease is removed, you can then apply the LubriMatic White Lithium Grease part # L11354 to both the wear plate and pivot arm bearing of the king pin.

Reese recommends doing this once every season in addition to re-torquing all the fasteners on the king pin.

expert reply by: Conner L