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**ncitro** · 02-16-2022, 04:36 PM

Originally posted by Wildlife Cop View Post

New to towing 5th wheel. Have 2021 Reflection 303RLS, 22K EazLift stationary hitch (made by Camco). Bought the RV March 2021. Towed 3,500 miles in 2021. When parking the RV in November noticed a 1.5” to 2” forward to back movement between the hitch and pin. Service tech and manager have seen the movement and said not correct. Still under warranty and have a new head hitch coming. It’s believed something internally has failed in the head. Everything is tight in the hitch and pin. Using a lube pad and some grease. The jaws are closing and seem tight and locked when closed. A GD representative at a local show seemed to think it might be spring strength on the jaws. Any suggestions?

Welcome to the forum! I do not tow with a conventional fifth wheel hitch (I use a Reese Goosebox), but I have had occasion to see the inner working of my pin box when changing it out to my Goosebox. Short of the bolts being loose (and they would have to be REALLY loose to see that kind of movement) I have to believe any movement you see is in the hitch. I assume you had your dealer install the hitch, if so I would bounce it back to them to get it sorted out. If you purchased it yourself, I would contact your vendor for a warranty replacement (hopefully its still in warranty).

Hopefully someone who has that hitch will be along, but I do not remember seeing anyone with that make.

**Wildlife Cop** · 02-17-2022, 11:09 AM

Find nothing unusual in the pin box. Bolts all tight and no marks indicating movement. I’ve seen other information about weight on the pin or possibly not enough gain on the trailer brakes. Gain is set at 7 and tow with 2020 Ford F-250 with trailer tow package. The hitch is dealer installed and they will get it fixed eventually. EazLift is manufactured by Camco and apparently Camco is new to 5th wheel hitches. EazLift hitches have been around for a long time but have been primarily bumper tow hitches. The hitch was the dealer’s choice.

**ncitro** · 02-17-2022, 11:24 AM

Originally posted by Wildlife Cop View Post

Find nothing unusual in the pin box. Bolts all tight and no marks indicating movement. I’ve seen other information about weight on the pin or possibly not enough gain on the trailer brakes. Gain is set at 7 and tow with 2020 Ford F-250 with trailer tow package. The hitch is dealer installed and they will get it fixed eventually. EazLift is manufactured by Camco and apparently Camco is new to 5th wheel hitches. EazLift hitches have been around for a long time but have been primarily bumper tow hitches. The hitch was the dealer’s choice.

Yeah I would say that sounds like a problem I'm the jaw of the hitch. I can't imagine weight or gain causing the kind of motion you're describing. It can definitely affect handling on the road, but there should not be that kind of motion in the head of any hitch I've seen.

**Cate&Rob** · 02-17-2022, 01:33 PM

I would suggest that you securely block the trailer tires and push/pull the hitch back and forth with the truck to determine where this 1.5" to 2" of relative motion is coming from. This is far more than fasteners being loose. Lift the landing gear off the ground, but only by an inch, in case something lets go in the hitch or pinbox. I would not tow the trailer with this much free play in the connection between the truck and the trailer (just my personal opinion).

Rob

**Jlawles2** · 02-17-2022, 01:38 PM

You might try taking the head off first and seeing if you can determine what may be loose or if something in the head is the issue. After that, if you have 1 sets of chocks, use one set on the truck and one on the trailer. The set used on the truck, set to limit the forward / rearward movement should something come loose along with what Rob is suggesting.

**Wildlife Cop** · 02-17-2022, 07:06 PM

Thanks for advice. I’ll see what I can determine.

**ThePowells** · 02-20-2022, 12:15 PM

Wildlife Cop (is that anything like a squirrel sheriff?

)

Welcome to the family and the forum!

Around here I have never seen a wildlife officer that wasn't impeccable and always, and I mean every single time they had there stuff together. And it just dawned on me that I have never met anyone that left WRC and came to another agency.

Let us know what you find out. I've never seen pin slop in a 5th wheel, even trucks with over a million miles.

**Wildlife Cop** · 02-20-2022, 09:24 PM

I’m going to let the dealer do much of the investigation on the head since it’s under warranty. Everyone I speak with thinks the springs have failed in the jaws. Re: ThePowells, Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife troopers are the game wardens for Oregon. Oregon State Police and Alaska State Troopers are the only 2 agencies that Fish and Wildlife enforcement fall under state police. Good thing about this is we’re all troopers first and can handle all state laws.

**ThePowells** · 02-20-2022, 10:16 PM

I hope that you didn't take it wrong. Our wildlife officers have statewide jurisdiction and total subject matter jurisdiction. As a whole, I have the utmost respect for them and the way they represent their agency and have enjoyed every time that I have worked or trained with them.

**Cate&Rob** · 02-21-2022, 08:59 AM

Originally posted by Wildlife Cop View Post

Everyone I speak with thinks the springs have failed in the jaws.

I can't find a parts diagram for your Eazlift 22K hitch, but the description includes the statement "Automatic locking jaws with secondary handle lock to ensure jaws have been locked closed". The springs would have to do with opening and closing the jaws, but when the hitch jaws are closed and the secondary handle properly positioned, the springs should have no affect.

Rob

**Wildlife Cop** · 02-21-2022, 11:12 AM

Rob, I’ve looked everywhere for a parts diagram but no luck. I’m not sure what they are talking about for a secondary handle? This hitch has one handle that slams forward when the pin engages the jaws. There is small red latch that comes forward that you could put a small lock on to prevent the handle from being unlocked. I haven’t done so just keep an eye on the handle and lock.

ThePowells, I understood your post, thanks for recognizing fish and wildlife officers.

**Wildlife Cop** · 02-21-2022, 01:10 PM

Rob, just checked the hitch. I guess what they call the secondary handle may be a metal rod that inserts into the red lever from the locking arm that comes up to show locked. My error I thought the red lever was to place a small lock on.

**Jlawles2** · 02-21-2022, 04:54 PM

Wildlife Cop Cate&Rob Looking at the manual for the 18k and reading their clever wording. Note: Does not say secondary handle but "secondary handle lock" . Note on page 16 of the manual https://978dd75e-9204-4738-9543-aed2...83e7316617.pdf (number 10) states that the "secondary safety pin should be visible through the red bail."

By the looks from the pictures (would be nice to have a breakdown) there is a rising sleeve that encapsulates the lock jaws (page 15). This is where I would look for some type of issue. either the jaws are not fitted to the sleeve, or the sleeve is not properly formed and allowing the jaws to open slightly.

**Cate&Rob** · 02-21-2022, 06:57 PM

Wildlife Cop

This hitch looks to be similar in operation to my Reese hitch. Once the jaws close around the pin, I can look inside the back of the hitch (usually with a flashlight) to make sure that the jaws are closed. (Something that I do every time before towing).

Rob

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