For those of us that ordered the 5th wheel prep package you can only get the 18K Elite hitch by Reese, the problem with this hitch is it will not latch in the unhook position. I complained to Reese so they sent me a new hitch head, put the hitch head on this morning and the same problem, will not unhitch unless you hold the handle in the open position or as I have done cut a 2x4 to wedge in between the handle and the trailer king pin..

Reese sent the hitch to the RV dealer and we tryied it on a trailer with the lube plate and one without the lube plate,, same problem!!! If I had known this I would not have ordered the prep package... Just a heads up on the 5th wheel prep package....

 

I have the prep package but I also have the 25K Ford (Reese) hitch, I do not have any problem with my hitch staying open.

 

I have Reese 18K Elite in mine.I have to be sure there is no push against latch but it is not a problem.

 

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the latch.. To unhook I back up to wheel chocks which puts the king pin to the front of the hitch and releives the pressure on the king pin, then pull the handle outward which opens the jaw. but when I drive out the handle goes back into the lock position. I can not pull the handle out far enough to latch in the open postition to unhook. The handle will latch open to hook up..

At the RV center we tyried two different 5th wheels, one with the lube plate and one without the lube plate and it would not stay in the unlock postition... Any help would be appreciated..

 

I had this issue as well except I am using the 25K Ford hitch. Very frustrating at first and the lube plate made no difference. To resolve it, I stopped backing up against the wheel chocks like I've done with every other hitch I've owned. Instead I simply put the truck in neutral and let it settle. This keeps enough pressure on the jaws to keep them open after the handle is pulled to the open position. If I back up to the chocks, the handle will always snap back closed before I am able to pull the truck forward. Hope this helps.

 

I am new to a fiver and have only hitched and unhitched 1 time each and did not have any issue of it hot staying open. I have the 18K elite purchased through Tweetys.

 

I have a reese signature series 18K. Very similar. Dont back up against the chocks so much.

 

Thank you srosa, I will give it try.. Every hitch I have had I had to back into the wheel chocks to releive the pressure on the jaws to be able to pull the handle in the open position..

I have been pulling 5th wheels for twenty years and drove semi for three years and have never had this problem. I called Reese and they said to lube the hitch with white lithium grease as per instruction pamphlet, still would not stay open,, called them back and then they said to spray the hitch with WD40 over the white lithium grease, still would not stay open,, so they sent me a new hitch, put it on this morning and the new hitch would not stay open to disconnect. I cut a 2x4 drilled a 1" cut the hole in half and from the inside end of the hole cut the 2x4 15", put the hole end on the handle and the other end on the king pin to hold the handle in the open position and am able to pull out... $1000.00 for hitch and I got to use a 2x4 to disconnect.. I am highly p%^$#!! Oh well,, so it goes...

 

Deleted,, double post!!

 

Thank you senix,, I will give it a try!!

 

Sorry did not explain better.I latch mine in open position by pulling handle out pushing to rear .When backing under trailer need to be taking weight on hitch I try and have pin box about 1/2 down angle of hitch.When I unhook I have leave some weight on hitch or it will not stay unlatched.Hope this explains it better.It is different that what I have used in past all ways tried to have little or no weight on hitch before.

 

My old Reese 16K hitch latch has a indentation on the latch handle that will just barely engage on the edge of the hitch when in the open (unhook) position.

You just tap it and it will slam back into the closed position when you want to hook up.

If I don't relieve pressure on the locking mechanism I can't pull the handle to open the locking mechanism, which is a great safety feature.

Did they get rid of the indentation on the handle of the heavier duty hitches?

 

I have had my 5th wheel for 5 years. I have a Reese 16K slider hitch and have no problems keeping the jaws open when either hitching or unhitching my 5th wheel. I just pull the handle back, back up hit the pin , get out and pop the handle in.

Have never had a chock anything.....

 

You don't have to have the latch open to hook up. Go ahead and close the latch and back into the pin. Works great and locks the trailer in on contact.

 

the conversation is really about getting OUT of the hitch, not in..

I don't have one, but I always thought you could just back in and the jaws would open, and close when you got in far enough.. least my friends with them never seemed to spend any time advance setting up when they connected..

Sam