Troubleshooting Hard Connect and Disconnect of Sidewinder on 2004 Montana 5th Wheel Trailer

Question

Question:

We have a reese hitch,just bought a 2004 montana with a king pin on the trailer,it is very hard to connect and disconnect,seems the front of the king pin tilts up a little could this be our problem?

asked by: LeeRoy J

0

Expert Reply:

There are several reasons why the trailer might be hard to connect and disconnect from the 5th wheel hitch. First, check the pin weight of your trailer. If the trailer has the truck suspension compressed a great deal then the pressure between the hitch and pin box can cause disconnect to be hard. Hooking up and unhooking on level ground is also a big factor in ease of hook up.

Next, check the lubrication of the fifth-wheel hitch. Make sure all of the recommended locations are lubed correctly (see instructions) and that the skid plate is lubed. If you are using a lube plate, item # RP83001, on the hitch the skid plate will not need to be lubed. The lube plate should be no more than 5/16 inch thick. You can also lube the recessed 2 inch part of the king pin to aid in hooking and unhooking the trailer, this will also extend the life of the jaw in the fifth-wheel head.

Next, check the position of the Universal King Pin Locking Wedge on the Sidewinder, see instructions. If this wedge is positioned too closely to the king pin it may be causing the issue you are having, readjust as needed.

Another thing that may help is cleaning and lubing the head. Take the head off and turn it over. Use some spray lubricant like WD40 and spray the moving parts especially the linkage for the handle and then re-lube with lithium grease, item # L11354.

Be sure that the king pin jaw is fully released from the head when attempting to hook up and unhook and that the trailer wheels are securely chocked so the trailer is not trying to move with the truck when hooking and unhooking.

Finally, if none of the above suggestions works you should have the trailer and fifth-wheel hitch inspected, at a local RV dealer that carries these products, to be sure the Sidewinder and fifth-Wheel hitch are installed properly and in safe working order. The tilt of the Sidewinder may indicate that it has moved on the pin box and needs to be adjusted and tightened.

expert reply by: Robert G

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Answer 1

Difficulty hooking/unhooking a 5th wheel trailer when using a Sidewinder pin box is usually related to the positioning of the wedge. Basically what happens is when the wedge is installed some people install it too tight to the hitch funnel. When you…

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Answer 2

For your Draw Tite fifth wheel hitch you'd need to use the universal wedge part #201100 that you referenced.

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Answer 3

Depending on the exact model number of the Draw-Tite fifth wheel hitch there may not be a custom wedge available. If this is the case you can use the universal wedge #201100 which should come with the Revolution on the trailer. If you can let me know…

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Answer 4

The Lippert 5th Wheel Pin Box #LC1191201 referenced in your question is a direct replacement for a factory Lippert model 1716 pin box. Different pin box models have varying mounting hole dimensions so when looking for a replacement you first need to…

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Answer 5

I spoke with Lippert and confirmed the bolt pattern of your pin box is a 1716, thanks to the chassis tag picture you sent in. Since we know the bolt pattern now we just need to match the weight capacity. You'll need to check the Gross Vehicle…

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Answer 6

Repair kit #RP94316 is designed for 5th Airborne Sidewinders whereas #RP86005 is for 16k and 19k Sidewinders only, not the air ride models. The kits are very similar though because a lot of the parts are the same or similar. But I advise using the…

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Answer 7

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

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Answer 8

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

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Answer 9

Choosing the right height setting for your 5th wheel hitch is a combination of a few different variables. First of all you want your towing setup to be as level as possible. With your Montana High Country 340BH level you will want to measure from the…

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Answer 10

I spoke with my contact at Trailair and from your serial number we were able to determine that your trailer came with a 1621 HD pin box which is a long pin box style. I was unable to obtain the exact part number for your Trailair pin box but from the…

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Answer 11

Hey Jay. It sounds like you are on the right track here because a sidewinder pin box will be your only option for pulling your 5th wheel since you have a short bed truck with the Rambox. That said, you are right that the Reese Sidewinder cannot be…

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Answer 12

So for your set up, a 2021 Ram 2500 short bed with the RamBoxes, you will need to use a Sidewinder in order to have the clearance to tow a 5th wheel. The Goose Box doesn't move the pivot point and an offset ball just won't be enough for…

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