Causes for 5th Wheel Hitch Rattle and Play with Reese Hitch RP30047

Question:

I seem to have a lot of play between the hitchpins and the tabs that go in to the rails on my Reese 16K hitch, model 30047. I get a lot of movement, about 1/8inch between the rails and the legs of my hitch. I feel a lot of movement when I start and stop and I thought this could be part of it.

asked by: AL B

Expert Reply:

5th wheel hitch pins like # 6014 that secure the hitch feet in the truck's base rails are sized to be usable in many brands of hitches and rails. Since the base rail positions in any given truck can vary small amounts if the pins were sized larger so that they did not allow any play at all this would make base rail and hitch installation more challenging. The tighter fit might be nice but it would come at the cost of requiring a much more exact rail installation.

Some of the play you feel using your Reese hitch # RP30047 can also come from the jaws that grip the trailer king pin. Your hitch uses a dual jaw system, which is generally going to have more rattle than a single jaw type like Reese # RP30921.

expert reply by: Adam R