B&W Companion Latch Handle Stuck and Wont Unlatch

Question:

I have loosened the bolt from the hitch to the latch. I have sprayed wd40 into the tube. I’ve connected the trailer to the hitch and let the weight of the trailer to try to unbind. I’ve ran out of ideas so after a couple of hours messing with it, I took a crow bar to the latch handle and it moved it out. I’m thinking rust. Any thoughts on how to prevent this from happening? Use some grease?

asked by: Ralph B

Expert Reply:

I am a big advocate of preventative maintenance, a little bit of maintenance can save a lot of time and frustration down the road. So I recommend lubricating the hitch well and making sure that you are in line with the trailer on level ground so unhooking is a little easier.

The B&W Companion Slider Gooseneck-to-5th-Wheel Trailer Hitch Adapter # BWRVK3400 has 4 main points that need to be lubricated.
The polyurethane bushings (that the head sits on) need a thin layer of white lithium grease like # L11354.
The inside of the jaws need a thin layer of automotive grease.
There is a grease zerk at the bottom of the head to grease the saddle and keep the head pivoting properly.
Finally the top surface can get a thin layer of lube, or a lube plate can be used like # 16721.

If you're having trouble removing the fifth wheel hitch from your truck and not disconnecting the trailer I recommend checking the draw down bolt on the slider. In order to remove the safety pin on the turnover ball, the draw bolt has to be loosened or the pin won't move.

If you already tried this, or loosening the draw bolt doesn't work, let me know and I can look further into it.

expert reply by: Robert C

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Jarrod P.

3/23/2024

Robert, What do you suggest when the latch handle is stuck in the locked position, and will not move. I have tried WD-40, crowbar, hammer and even a come-a-long to get the latch to become free so I can remove the hitch from my truck to use the full truck bed. Any help would be great.