Community Forums

Snap-On Man · 05-10-2018, 05:11 AM

My 5th wheel hitch is now 14 years old with about 35k miles on it. Do they wear out? What do I look for? Where do I measure to check? What about the part on the 5th wheel? Anyone with knowledge care to share? Thanks in advance

08Carriage · 05-10-2018, 05:47 AM

Make and model
Most hitches don't wear out the truck wear out or rust out
My 2009 GMC frame rusted so bad I didn't trust it or the under mounts for the 5th wheel

jimcumminsw · 05-10-2018, 04:05 PM

My hitch is 10 years old and is in perfect working order. I inspect the hitch a couple of times during the year. Mainly looking for weld fatigue and or cracking of the parent material. I do lube the hitch wear points and store the hitch in the garage during the winter months since we do not tow the trailer in the winter.

rarebear.nm · 05-10-2018, 10:36 PM

I'm not sure what is going to wear out on my B&W hitch. I do lube the grease fitting twice a year, spray lube on the locking jaws. I recheck the torque setting of all bolts and general inspection like others above for damage.

Have fun and be safe...

AKFlyboy · 05-11-2018, 12:16 AM

They should last a long time. Welds are the most likely places for stress cracking. Corrosion is the next likely culprit, but as long as you upkeep the paint and grease, that should never be an issue.

The aircraft mechanic side of me says if you want to go gung-ho, you can always strip the paint down and send it out for NDT every few years. Don't ask me the cost offhand as I don't see the accounting side.

weredoingit · 05-11-2018, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snap-On Man

My 5th wheel hitch is now 14 years old with about 35k miles on it. Do they wear out? What do I look for? Where do I measure to check? What about the part on the 5th wheel? Anyone with knowledge care to share? Thanks in advance

Answer is Yes! I just had a thread here titled "I only needed another year"
My Reese Lil-rocker hitch broke, It wasn't a weld are anything structural. It was the springs and the locking-unlocking mechanism under the "HEAD" Last February I had it act up when we were ready to leave Quartzite. I was able to turn the head over and put worn spring and other parts back the way the should be and it worked again. Went to hook up again last week and had the same problem. I didn't want to buy another hitch because we're buying another truck next year. But I didn't feel safe with this hitch. (Although I don't think it would have ever broke loose while towing) so I ordered a replacement from E-trailer. It dropped right into my exciting rails, and works nice. Bottom line is I don't think the welds are likely to be a problem for you, but turn your head over and take a look at the locking mechanism.

wa8yxm · 05-11-2018, 04:54 PM

Do they wear out.. Well. yes. Will you live that long? Likely no.. I mean these are built along the same lines as a Semi Truck, but smaller.
How long does the 5th Wheel on a Semi last?

What DOES werer out is the pin on the trailer.

Moral inspect, in teh case of the pin use a Micrometer

Fact: not a hitch but ye old binders (Brakes) On one car I had the dealer tried 3 times to figure out why I had excessive brake pedal travel (about a half inch from the floor) Finally I decided to see if I could figure it out, I'm older than the Dealer's mechanic and it took me less than 30 mihutes of down time at work to figure it out. next AM I went to my Tire Guy (Who also does brakes, exhaust and oil change) and gave a specific instruction.

A micrometer found the problem.. Just like that.

quartlow · 05-15-2018, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

How long does the 5th Wheel on a Semi last?

What DOES werer out is the pin on the trailer.

Actually, the pin and the jaws will wear. I've rebuilt several semi fifth wheels over the years.

I've only ever replaced one pin and it only got replaced because we replaced the whole plate