Fifth wheel hitching

[howson]

I have learned to have patience , although DW will tell you otherwise , so I just wait outside and when the slides are pulled in I do the rest of my job.YMMV

Brian

I could have written your post, Brian.

To the OP, accidents happen when something is "dumb, different, or dangerous" (to quote an old boss). I try to stick to my routine (which includes patiently? waiting for my DW to finish the interior) and double/triple check before moving anything.

[traveldawg]

I can't believe no one suggest to maybe go inside and help the DW get things prepped? Really? Mine comes out to help me when I'm the one 'dragging my heels'.

Actually, when we're ready to hitch she is the one that does the final backing and connecting while I watch for a good connection.

hmmmmm.. still an analog guy in a digital world......

[DaveMatthewsBand]

I can't believe no one suggest to maybe go inside and help the DW get things prepped? Really? Mine comes out to help me when I'm the one 'dragging my heels'.

Actually, when we're ready to hitch she is the one that does the final backing and connecting while I watch for a good connection.

hmmmmm.. still an analog guy in a digital world......

I guess analog means you don’t read all the posts because D2reid (5th post) suggested exactly that, so did dawgfever on post 14.


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[D2Reid]

Don’t allow people to interrupt your procedure.

3 weeks into our grand adventure I had signed us up for a rally, yea! We pull into the rally park and are immediately surrounded by fellow rally attendees before we start set up. Hi, hello, etc. for a few minutes, then the rally master made an announcement, "All right folks, let's let them set up then we can chat!" Amazingly everyone disappeared. I spoke with the rally master afterwards about it. He was a 15 year veteran fulltimer. he told me that sometimes helping hands are not very helpful and there are some critical things that need to occur while setting up and hooking up, to many chefs tend to spoil the stew so when he is being the rally master he encourages folks to leave other folks alone while doing there chores. If folks need a hand they need only talk with a neighbor, during rallies you will tend to have mega-help, but you need to ask for it, otherwise people think they are being forward and rude getting into your business.

So after doing this for 8 years I have a thing, when I see newbies struggling I offer to lend a hand, I don't point out the problem, I don't offer a solution, I let them do their thing, but, if they say yes to the offer of help I do my very best to help them resolve the problem, recognizing that they are in charge, my solutions are only suggestions that they may or may not follow. I always start out; "If it were me I would....", never, "You should ….".

If it's me I try to have the coach level and stationary before opening the slides. I never move it with slides open. I will open the kitchen slide a little on uneven terrain (it's a 376th thing), never while moving the 5th wheel. Frame torsion, torque, and flex. Mostly you will get away with it, but eventually you will find a cog jumped.

[D2Reid]

Actually, when we're ready to hitch she is the one that does the final backing and connecting while I watch for a good connection.
...

Like most things in married life it's about teamwork. I admire the ladies that hitch and do most of the driving. I don't think poorly of my wife because she does not want to back up and hitch and is reticent to drive the truck/5th wheel in tight places. Respect, not only for what we can do, but also for what we can't do.

[traveldawg]

Yea.... see that what happens when an analog guy watches football and tries to reply..... must be time for my nap.....

[Rapid1]

I always try to be level before I move the slides but there are many times I run the slides in or out while connected to the truck. I have at times connected the truck the night before if I plan on leaving the site really early in the morning. I have also stopped many times at rest stops for lunch and have put some of the slides out so we can get to the fridge and get the table out so we have a place to sit. I really don't think it makes any difference if you are connected or not as long as you are pretty level when you move the slides.

I do believe the slides should be either all the way in or all the way out. I don't believe it is a good idea to use the slides or move the trailer if the slides are not up tight either in or out.

I believe the key part here is having the frame of the RV supported by the jacks when doing any slide stuff. I have also camped with the coach hooked to the truck when the spot is relatively level. I still ground the jacks to support the frame of the RV before operating the slides and would do so no matter if I am hooked to the TV or not. I have also operated the slides when not perfectly level as long as I have the jacks grounded and supporting the frame of the coach. I didn't engineer my coach but with all the slide components that go thru the frame, it makes sense to me that the key part is making sure the frame is supported before any kind of slide operation. Maybe it works just fine otherwise but that is what looks like the best practice in my opinion and is how I do it. The order of operation has never been an issue for us anyway. We are never in that much of a hurry.

[orbiker]

I guess someone should hitch up their 5'er and with the slides in measure to the ground on both sides. Then slide out 1 slide, 2 slides and then all slides and see if the measurements change.

[AZCM98]

Chip, first of all welcome to the GD forum. As you can tell, if it isn't carved in stone in a manual, there will be lots of differing opinions. You have to make your own call. You asked for options so here is mine.... Slides are pretty delicate pieces of equipment. When in use (extended) there is quite a bit of weight hanging out on some less than robust rack and gear setups. Notice when you run the slides out how they wiggle and shake till in place. And, they should only be run in and out with the RV level. Hitching up is seldom done level and sometimes with a pretty good lick. Be patient, help spousal unit with the tidying up, secure everything, run slides in, lock doors, hookup and enjoy the ride home reflecting on the good times and planning the next.

Thanks for the advice. I usually help my wife, but in this case I saw rain approaching and wondered if I could hitch with slides out. I helped her, pulled the slides in, hitched and beat the rain. I knew in the back of my mind that hitching with slides out was probably not good for them. I’m fairly new to camper life so I’m learning as I go. Thanks again

[danny d]

always good to keep it level to avoid any troubels with slide so wait like the rest of us ha ha