leisure_tour
Whereever we want to be
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Joined: 05/22/2007
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My husband has been outside for about 30 minutes now trying to unhook us, and for some reason the hitch just won't release. We've had this problem before, but never for this long. We're in a site with a slight downward slope to the front, but nothing major. We've tried putting the truck in reverse, putting more & less load on the hitch, lubricating with WD-40... Any other ideas?
Thanks.
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leisure_tour
Whereever we want to be
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Okay... all it took was me posting this for it to release! Finally! But any suggestions to help stop this occuring again would be appreciated. FYI, we're towing a 2008 Cameo 36ft with 99 Dodge 2500 Cummins longbed. Hitch is a Reese.
Thanks!
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RoyF
Fayetteville Arkansas
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Joined: 12/20/2009
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I have never had that much of a problem, so there may be something else wrong, but I have always been able to unhitch by backing the truck (very slowly) until I am hard against the trailer, then apply the parking brake to prevent truck from rolling forward. You've probably already done that.
Edited: I see I was too late to be of help. Glad you got it fixed.
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bldrbuck
one or the other
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Joined: 02/11/2001
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While you are unhitched take a good look at the hitch. There is an interlock that must be activated that makes the release immovable. Find that and you will understand how it works. Ours is a bar at the front of the hitch that must be pushed forward. Good luck.
93 Ford F350 Turbo Diesel, DRW, Crew Cab. PullRite Hitch. 35' King of the Road 5er, 192 Watts Solar, 2800 Watt Yamaha Generator, 1750 Watt Inverter, 2 Trogan T105 Batteries, Me, my wife and 2 maltize furkids.
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rick83864
North Idaho
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Joined: 09/04/2009
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You might try a lube plate if you don't have one. I also use some lube on the king pin every few days. Backing the truck as suggested will ease the jaws off the pin. And hope your not extending the landing gear to high.
06 Dodge 3500 CC LB Laramie 4x4 Dually 5.9 Cummins 325/610 48RE Jacobs brake Smarty Jr 
GVWR 12,200 Payload 4580
06 Grand Junction 34' High profile 15500 GVWR 3200 pin Mor/ryde 5500 Onan genny Dual A/C
27' Hallett 502, 500HP
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big bird 2
La Crescenta, CA
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I had the same problem. The arm would not properly open or close the mechanism that holds the pin in place. I tried rocking the truck, same as you did and it helped, but it was still a task every time I connected or disconnected. What I finally did was take the receiver assembly off the truck turned it upside down and lubed every moving part of the receiver with silicone grease spray paying attention to the arm assembly. I pushed and pulled the arm until it operated smoothly. Put it back in the truck and worked the arm again to verify it still worked smoothly. It did and it works well.
The people at Reese were very helpful on the phone and gave me great advice. I stopped connecting with the arm closed as the dealer had advised me to do. I clean the hitch after every trip now and lube every trip.
Big Bird 2
Big Bird 2
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pando2
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
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Ive had troubles getting mine to release, and Ive found that the solution is that I must have it at the exact right height, too high or too low and it binds and sticks.
2008 Ford F350 crew cab short box PSD, 2005 28 foot Gulfstream Innsbruck 5th wheel
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TubaPete
Comstock Park, MI
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I think RoyF's suggestion to use the parking brake is the best solution. If you back up and then use the transmission park, the truck can roll a little forward until the parking pawl engages. If you use the parking brake, the truck is held in place, keeping pressure off of the hitch jaws.
Tuba Pete
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Mile High
Denver, CO
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Joined: 02/05/2008
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Not sure what Reese you have. Mine is the cheaper jaw type 16K and it hangs me up every once in a great while. I let the DW drive and I run the hitch and we work the truck back and forth a little till it lets go.
Lube- lube- lube! Every problem I have had with that hitch sticking, including the slider, has been lack of lubricant.
2006 Ford F350 4X4 SB CC SRW Powerstroke 6.0
2007 Montana 3400RL 5th Wheel - high gloss, electric awning, remote system, Onan 5500, G614, JT Stabs, wet bolts, Sat Dome, Ariston W/D, 5th Airborne.
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Oakman
MO
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If the trailer is level, but the truck is leaning toward one side or another, it can cause the hitch to bind. I've had an occasion on uneven ground where I had to put one of my leveling 2 X 4's under a back wheel of the truck to unhitch. The hitch I had installed in my new truck will pivot side to side so that I shouldn't have to deal with problem I just mentioned.
I don't know if this was your problem or not but I thought I'd pass on this information.
2010 Ford F250 XL Crew Cab, 4X4, Shortbed, 6.4 Diesel
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2008 Wildcat 28RKBS
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