Troubleshooting Reese M5 Fifth Wheel Whose Jaw Will Not Close W/Reese Sidewinder 2014 Ford F-250

Question:

I have a new m5 fifth wheel hitch in my 2014 Ford F250 and a reese side winder pin box attached to a 2014 Rockwood32ft. Ultralite.when i try to hook them together the jaws on the hitch won,t latch.Any sugestions? Do I need to use a plastic lube disk?

asked by: Keith W

Expert Reply:

My technical contact at Reese gave me a possible option/solution for your Reese Elite # RP30921 not closing when using a Reese sidewinder pin box.

He suggests the first thing to do is to remove the wedge from your sidewinder and insert your king pin to make sure there is not an issue with your head unit.

If your fifth wheel will still not close he said you may be coming in too high or your bin box should be lower when you are hitching. If you adjust these items and your fifth wheel hitch jaw will still not close you should contact the retailer about your unit.

If your fifth wheel closes fine without your wedge then re-install your wedge (as noted in the attached picture with the shorter side of the wedge going into the fifth wheel). Sometimes the wedge is backwards with the longer side of the wedge trying to go into the fifth wheel which prevents the jaw closure.

A lube disc is not a necessity, but it will simply keep operation smooth after the trailer is hitched. It does not affect the locking of the jaw.

expert reply by: Lori W