Reducing 5th Wheel Trailer Movement When Stopping and Starting  

Question:

Expert Reply:

The movement/chucking you're experiencing when stopping and starting could be caused by a number of factors.

The first thing I recommend doing is just making sure the king pin is fully seated in the jaws of the hitch and that you aren't "high hitched".

The type of jaw design on your particular hitch can also contribute to this type of movement. I'm not sure what model Reese hitch you have installed on the truck but if it has an economy slide bar jaw like what is on the Reese PS30094 then most likely the movement is coming from slight gap between the jaws and king pin. This type of jaw is plenty sufficient for safely securing to the trailer but doesn't provide much in terms of comfort.

Dual jaw designs, or better yet a forged single piece jaw like what is on the Reese # RP30075, do a much better job of fully wrapping around the king pin to eliminate this kind of movement and rattle.

Another component that can lead to chucking is the pin box on the trailer. An upgraded cushioned pin box, such as the Trailair Flex Air # LC369535 that uses an internal air bag and pivoting head, will greatly reduce chucking and bounce during travel. These units are designed to replace OEM pin boxes on the trailer so if you can tell me what model pin box you currently have I will be happy to make a specific recommendation.

Just as an example the above Trailair Flex Air is designed to replace the Lippert 1621 pin box. I have attached a short video review that you can check out as well.

expert reply by: Chris R

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