Suggestions on pin box? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Suggestions on pin box?

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

cherylbrv wrote:
...After hitching up the truck yesterday, despite the fact that that the king pin was locked securely within the jaws of the hitch, something just didn't seem right, though we couldn't put our fingers on it. We were blessed that Bill & Bev were still around. He was able to determine that there are 2 cracks in the welding on the tri-glide of the pin box and the bottom part wasn't laying straight.
We took a photo and sent it over to Lippert for advice. They said we absolutely should NOT tow with it in this condition....

Just curious, could you elaborate on the "something just didn't seem right..." and how Bill found the cracks. This kind of stuff is good to know, things to monitor if or when we get that "feeling".

Brian

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mitch is still researching things and found a Reese 5TH-airborn. Anyone familiar with that?

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

Post your photo on here.......Just curious.

cheryls-other-half · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mitch eludicates, or (waxes on...endlessly, your choice)

OK (inline)

biggaRView wrote:
cherylbrv wrote:
...After hitching up the truck yesterday, despite the fact that that the king pin was locked securely within the jaws of the hitch, something just didn't seem right, though we couldn't put our fingers on it.
---> normally when we've hitched the beast (truck/Bull & trailer/COW) the plate from the hitch seems to be straight, and pretty close to the pinbox
*** isn't it interesting that until Tuesday, I didn't know that was CALLED a pin box?***
---> Whereas, Tuesday, it was on a definite angle leaning a bit forward.

On our current trail-air tri-glide, (so named for the 3 pins on either side of the lower jaw ) there is a plate that slides a bit.
CURRENTLY, (and thanks again for spotting that Bill!) the passenger FRONT pin, and driver Rear pin have been slightly unwelded (Food for thought---isn't that like being slightly pregnant???), and the LCI support team was absolutely stark in telling me NOT to move/tow the trailer even 3 miles to the dealer.

(cb...) We were blessed that Bill & Bev were still around. He was able to determine that there are 2 cracks in the welding on the tri-glide of the pin box and the bottom part wasn't laying straight.
We took a photo and sent it over to Lippert for advice. They said we absolutely should NOT tow with it in this condition....
Just curious, could you elaborate on the "something just didn't seem right..." and how Bill found the cracks. This kind of stuff is good to know, things to monitor if or when we get that "feeling".
Brian

PIX to follow (or link to pix, I still cant get this board to allow me to actually post pix in message!

link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B67VaA2DcAKCQUc5LUkzeTg2NEhuaGQwT1pSaFNiSXpRaXF3/view?usp=sharing

pic 2: 0B67VaA2DcAKCOElmRkE1dFhsN1FIVnBZSllSNERfV1NhTFpz

link https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B67VaA2DcAKCOElmRkE1dFhsN1FIVnBZSllSNERfV1NhTFpz/view?usp=sharing

pic 3: and this shows the 'unevenness'

link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B67VaA2DcAKCWUZURlpVX2VHdnNBaVBLdnZNNWxHV1B0TUNJ/view?usp=sharing

Glenn West · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry for your problems. I prefer a solid pin box and an air ride hitch. Believe it to be a stronger setup also. Just a side note, You have your emergency cable hooked to hitch head, correct. I have personally seen hitch heads on ground and hitch base still in truck bed in an accident. This was a turned over unit. Brake never worked.

-- Edited by Glenn West on Wednesday 25th of February 2015 04:41:06 PM

TRAILERKING · RV-Dreams Family Member

3 Steel rods act as rollers, letting the bottom jaw glide forward and back during towing

Stops the push-pull movement (or chucking) that commonly occurs when towing with a rigid system

Looks like your (3) rollers are wore out/broken (likely have been for a while). You don't need the "Tri-Glide" set up. Less moving parts like you have.

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Re 5th Airborne I currently have the 5th Airborne (for past 4 years) and would go back to my previous Mor-Ryde in a heartbeat. From what I have experienced the ride quality is not much better than a solid pin box but the maintenance is a hassle. It needs to be aired up every couple of days....not a big deal but a regular pita. I have talked to others with this pin box and most (but not all) have the same problem. Dealers say this is normal.

Cummins12V98 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would stick with the setup you have for sure. The AirBorn in my opinion is a inferior design.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I would stick with the setup you have for sure. The AirBorn in my opinion is a inferior design.

the only problem with replacing the pinbox with the one we have is that it was MD (discontinued) and needs to be custom made, with a delivery time of about another 2 weeks. Is that too risky to order an MD'd part? unfortunately, Mor-Rydes aren't in stock either and have similar wait times. But I'm also not sure that settling for something that's in stock and can be installed in a few days would be settling just so we can move out sooner. It's really a tough decision, although getting what's RIGHT makes the most sense. But what is right?

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

I would wait for the MorRyde myself. We have had them on both of our 5'ers.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm wondering if you might be better to wait for another Trail-Air with Tri Glide, or repairs to the one you have. I'm wondering if part of the problem you experienced might be because the Tri Glide wasn't lubricated properly. That system has the six outside grease zerks (3 on each side) plus 3 more on the inside. The three on the inside might need a grease gun with a flexible hose to reach them right. (That's what I have for mine.)

Instructions for lubing the Tri Glide is every 1000 miles. As for problems, yours is the first I've ever heard of on the Tri Glide in the number of years that we've been on the forums and owning that system ourselves. Even over on SOITC, there has not been any mention of Tri Glide problems that I've heard or read.

Because the bottom plate is at a strange angle, did the cross pins actually break up inside the pin box? Look from the rear and see what you see. You might even post a picture of the inside so we can evaluate what you have. Sadly, we aren't at home and at my computer and external hard drive, or I'd post a picture of what the inside is supposed to look like.

Terry

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry is right about the maintenance on the pin box. Another thing to consider is when the pin became unhooked several weeks ago and dropped onto the bed, the forces it had to withstand during turning were tremendous- nothing to smoothly rotate on- Possibly creating the cracks you have found. If possible see if your insurance will cover this as well.

cheryls-other-half · RV-Dreams Family Member

TRAILERKING wrote:
3 Steel rods act as rollers, letting the bottom jaw glide forward and back during towing
Stops the push-pull movement (or chucking) that commonly occurs when towing with a rigid system

Looks like your (3) rollers are wore out/broken (likely have been for a while). You don't need the "Tri-Glide" set up. Less moving parts like you have.

Mitch Sez:

OK: Here's more info that will shed a bit of light on these problems.

(remember the tri-glide is the 3 rollers at the bottom part of the pin.

The Tri-Glide is no longer sold by LCI (Lippert Components), but is available as such labeled from another supplier (Ultra-Fab), who just has LCI make it. (linky 1)
LCI does sell a replacement part for the tri-glide, essentially a solid lower jaw. Linky2
the Entire (upper/lower) parts of the trail-air hitch are what I'd almost call manufacturer disabled.

what that means is that LCI will sell the both the original (via Ultra-Fab,) and the replacement (linky2) but BOTH are custom orders, with a 10 day turnaround time

Mor-Ryde is also a custom order/assembly, about the same number of days to orderReese (also maker of my 5th wheel) has their unit IN stock, and about 50 out in the warehouses, thus immediate/next day delivery!I did say that LCI is NO LONGER selling the tri-glide lower unit...) it's replaced with the unit on page of link

So...

Do we get the identical (original) trailair (from Ultra-Fab?)? (7-12 day wait till we're on road? Of course this means we now have a MD'd unit, even if it does have a new 3 year warranty.
Do we get the replacement unit from LCI, also 7-12 day wait?
Do we go with WHAT's currently in the channel, the Reese, we've been talking about

ARGUH... the mind boggles at this needless complexity!

Linky 1 here (only complete assembly, 7days in factory, 3 days shipping, custom order)

Linky 2 here (either replacement jaw only, or entire assembly, same 7/3 days custom order