Sanity check my 5.0 hitchup checklist?

[BritCanuck]

RV newbie here. Finally getting our 5.0 in October! Yipee.

I’m doing checklists for everything, one of which is hitching up to our 5.0. Watched a couple of videos on how to do it.

We’ll have the Anderson hitch.

Here’s my checklist. Does this look ok, have I missed anything?


1. Drop tailgate
2. Check Anderson hitch secure in bed
3. Back up truck under kingpin
4. Turn off truck
5. Unlock slide on king pin
6. Lower 5.0 onto truck hitch ball.
7. Close lock on king pin. Turn clockwise to lock
8. Connect breakaway cable to truck bed
9. Connect safety chains (backwards?)
10. Hookup 7pin trailer connector.

Tug test

1. Trailer Wheels still chocked
2. Raise rear landing gear
3. Raise front landing gear half inch
4. Turn on truck
5. Engage trailer brakes
6. Attempt pull forward in truck

Assuming test ok

1. Close tailgate
2. Raise front landing gear
3. Drive off levels
4. Remove chocks/levels
5. Check trailer brake/indicator lights
6. Final walk around check

[Grasshog]

You might want to raise your rear landing gear sooner in the equation I’ve heard of people having it down, somehow raising the front and tweaking the rear landing gear as long as you keep your wheels, chauked you should be fine

[occer]

I second Grasshog’s suggestion of closing the tailgate sooner.

I lower my tailgate backup to where I think I’m directly under the ball get out to check that the coupler is over the ball and close my tailgate at that point.

Be careful if you ever need to back in at an angle to the trailer because the corner of the tailgate might contact the trailer.

[BritCanuck]

Originally Posted by Grasshog

You might want to raise your rear landing gear sooner in the equation I’ve heard of people having it down, somehow raising the front and tweaking the rear landing gear as long as you keep your wheels, chauked you should be fine

Good point, so raise the rear landing gear before backing up the truck?

[C&G in FL]

I’m curious as to when ETI started putting landing gear on the rear of the 5.0TA. My 5.0TA has electric landing gear in the front, but in the rear it has manually operated stabilizers, which are only used to reduce motion once set up in a camping location.

[Centex]

The very first time you Very Carefully with the aid of a spotter hitch your trailer will reveal a lot ....

Depends on your specific rig's configuration but I find that my tailgate / trailer clearance is Very Minimal, and in fact there will be Conflict if the truck / trailer are not perfectly straight relative to each other.

As a consequence I choose the habit of backing under the trailer only far enough for the pinbox to clear the raised tailgate, stop and raise the tailgate, then back farther to get the Coupler aligned over the ball. The 'stop' to raise the tailgate also affords an opportunity to eyeball the Coupler Block height relative to the ball and adjust with the front jacks as needed.
____________

Personally, I find it helpful to break the hitching process into three groups of tasks, each with its own with shorter 'checklist'

• trailer prep
• truck prep
• hitching

The first two are done before even approaching the trailer with the truck.

My 'trailer-prep checklist' includes ensuring everything both inside and outside the trailer is stowed and secured, including raising the rear stabilizers ('ready for travel') and locking the Coupler Block locking-pin in the retracted position ('ready for coupling').

My 'truck-prep checklist' includes verifying the various Andersen hitch bolts are properly torqued and laying-out the safety chains on each side near the bed rails so they are in easy-reach for later hookup to the Coupler Block.

Then I'm ready for the actual 'hitching' process, which includes a walk-away 5-minute break when 'all is done' before conducting a final 'walk-around overall inspection' (is that door deadbolt-locked and the step retracted for travel?).

YMMV, Have Fun!

[iamunique127]

When I was starting out with my 5.0TA an experienced 5th-wheeler friend advised me that there are two kinds of 5th wheel owners: those who have bent a tailgate and those who will bend a tailgate.

A little dramatic maybe but I took it as a warning to take my hitching and unhitching routine slow and careful everytime, with several walk-arounds to ensure all is correct.

I think of his saying each time and thank my lucky stars I'm still in the second group.

[davidmurphy02]

I think what you are referring to as the rear landing gear are the rear stabilizer jacks. They are just for stabilizing the trailer when it is set up and are not designed to carry any weight, they should always be raised before moving the front landing gear. If you raised the front end up with the rear stabilizers still down it could either damage the stabilizers or bend the frame.

[HarleyD]

All good points, for me it was doing it enough to be able to list them from memory, but start over every new season. I too visually verify the locking pin that goes behind the ball is retracted. I try and hook up the 7 pin and the e-brake activator with the tail gate down, for access to the open tailgate. Also the handle for this pin is lock to the left and release to the right. counterintuitive. Take your time and if you have a helper, you verify that steps are done and done correctly. It is too important to assume.

HarleyD

[BritCanuck]

Thanks for the reply folks.

So it seems everyone is closing their tailgates pretty early on in the process.

Does that not run the risk of having the trailer come down onto the tailgate if a tug test fails….or are folks just not doing tug tests with the Anderson hitch?

Chris

[Centex]

Originally Posted by BritCanuck

Thanks for the reply folks.

So it seems everyone is closing their tailgates pretty early on in the process.

Does that not run the risk of having the trailer come down onto the tailgate if a tug test fails….or are folks just not doing tug tests with the Anderson hitch?

Chris

After you seat the coupler on the ball (jacks 'clear of the ground') and then secure the pin in the locked position, but before you remove the trailer tire chocks, you can use your trailer jacks to do a 'lift test' to confirm that the coupler is fully secured to the ball.

With that done IMO you can be confident nothing is going to separate and drop on your tailgate.

[BritCanuck]

Originally Posted by Centex

After you seat the coupler on the ball (jacks 'clear of the ground') and then secure the pin in the locked position, but before you remove the trailer tire chocks, you can use your trailer jacks to do a 'lift test' to confirm that the coupler is fully secured to the ball.

With that done IMO you can be confident nothing is going to separate and drop on your tailgate.

Ok thanks Alan. Yep that’s basically the Anderson version of the tug test.

[Jeremy Kessenich]

Originally Posted by Centex

After you seat the coupler on the ball (jacks 'clear of the ground') and then secure the pin in the locked position, but before you remove the trailer tire chocks, you can use your trailer jacks to do a 'lift test' to confirm that the coupler is fully secured to the ball.

Hello Alan, as you know I'm still learning, but I have a question on your "lift test". If the ball was only partially seated would you be able to lock the pin? Said another way, if the pin is locked could you assume the ball is seated properly and skip any lift test?

Stay cool my friend in that TX heat.

Jeremy

[Centex]

Having done a 'lift test' the first couple () of times I used the Andersen, I'm now confident that I can visually confirm when it's properly hitched and just go with that.

IMO / IME it's really very obvious when the eye-level coupler is fully seated and pinned, or not (much more so than some types of shin-level bumper hitches).

YMMV.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by BritCanuck

Thanks for the reply folks.

So it seems everyone is closing their tailgates pretty early on in the process.

Does that not run the risk of having the trailer come down onto the tailgate if a tug test fails….or are folks just not doing tug tests with the Anderson hitch?

Chris

Hi: BritCanuck... The last item on my check list is to make sure my wife got in the truck after closing the tailgate!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Ooshkaboo]

Originally Posted by BritCanuck

RV newbie here. Finally getting our 5.0 in October! Yipee.

I’m doing checklists for everything, one of which is hitching up to our 5.0. Watched a couple of videos on how to do it.

We’ll have the Anderson hitch.

Here’s my checklist. Does this look ok, have I missed anything?


1. Drop tailgate
2. Check Anderson hitch secure in bed
3. Back up truck under kingpin
4. Turn off truck
5. Unlock slide on king pin
6. Lower 5.0 onto truck hitch ball.
7. Close lock on king pin. Turn clockwise to lock
8. Connect breakaway cable to truck bed
9. Connect safety chains (backwards?)
10. Hookup 7pin trailer connector.

Tug test

1. Trailer Wheels still chocked
2. Raise rear landing gear
3. Raise front landing gear half inch
4. Turn on truck
5. Engage trailer brakes
6. Attempt pull forward in truck

Assuming test ok

1. Close tailgate
2. Raise front landing gear
3. Drive off levels
4. Remove chocks/levels
5. Check trailer brake/indicator lights
6. Final walk around check

Make sure you have what’s needed to install the Andersen coupler.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Centex

Having done a 'lift test' the first couple () of times I used the Andersen, I'm now confident that I can visually confirm when it's properly hitched and just go with that.

IMO / IME it's really very obvious when the eye-level coupler is fully seated and pinned, or not (much more so than some types of shin-level bumper hitches).

YMMV.

I second that. After a few hitch up sessions, you will visually come to know when the hitch is settled on the ball and when it is not.

The tailgate thing takes some practice which is why I make every attempt to hitch with the truck in line with the trailer and not coming in at an angle. Like Centex, I bring my gate up as soon as the pinbox clears. I am fortunate to have an excellent spotter in Linda, she pretty much takes care of the tailgate duties and vice versa when she is practicing hitching up. Aside from the advice of bringing up your rear stabilizers earlier, the list looks good.

One other thing, we always travel with a 3 step folding ladder. Makes hooking up chains, brake cable and 7pin easier and more comfortable.

[escape artist]

Hi: BritCanuck... Groucho said it best. "There ain't no Sanity Clause"!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[BritCanuck]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: BritCanuck... The last item on my check list is to make sure my wife got in the truck after closing the tailgate!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

Haha. Believe it or not we have actually left my cousin’s wife behind on a joint camping trip after a shopping trip to a nearby store. We’re never going to be allowed to forget that.

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by BritCanuck

Haha. Believe it or not we have actually left my cousin’s wife behind on a joint camping trip after a shopping trip to a nearby store. We’re never going to be allowed to forget that.

Haha.
We left a buddy behind in the motel room on a hunting trip. Our two trucks left for the day, each thinking the other had the guy with us. We found him fuming in the motel at the end of the day.