Howard, have you heard of using a mirror to hitch up a 5th wheel? I have read about this somewhere, just not sure if it was in this forum. I showed my dh the info. about using a mirror but of course neither one of us can remember the site.
Speedhitch said
06:38 AM May 27, 2008
Soonto, I saw a 5th wheel the other day that has a mirror built in over the hitch. I heard that it works great. Still have to turn around to see it...can't have everything. I think it was a Montana??
Joe and Sherri
thebearII said
04:23 PM May 27, 2008
I've seen and heard of all kinds of gadgets to help line up a tow vehicle and a 5th wheel to hitch up, including mirrors and a stick with a magnetic base that you set on the hitch to show where the center is.
With the new wireless cameras and receivers, it would be easy to setup a camera on the tow vehicle pointed at the hitch and a video screen on the dash to receive the image. This would make hitching up a snap.
The least expensive, quick and easy device I've seen is to use brightly colored vinyl tape or paint and place a vertical line at the center of the front cap of the 5th wheel visible when looking in your center rearview mirror. Next step is to make a brightly colored stick with a magnetic base to set at the front center of the hitch saddle in your tow vehicle. The goal is to get the stick to match up exactly with the line on the front cap of the 5th wheel. Kind of like when the space shuttle is docking with the space station.
I'm able to just barely see the top of the hitch in the bed of my new truck (also in my old truck) and I just line it up with the king pin on the 5th wheel and slowly manuever until the king pin locks into the hitch. Set the parking brake & then get out and go to the back of the truck to make sure the hitch is fully closed around the king pin. By the 10th time you do this it becomes second nature. I usually have the 5th wheel hitch just 1/2 to 1 inch higher than the truck hitch. That way I know I won't be able to pass the hitch when I'm backing up.
It takes practice, If you've ever watched a trucker hitch up, most of the time they can't see either hitch, trailer or truck, they hitch up by the feel gained through experience.
phyllen said
04:52 PM May 27, 2008
Speedy - you are right. Montana's do have the mirror over the hitch.
Luvglass said
06:16 PM May 27, 2008
Maybe my truck setup is unusual, but when I look out my back window I see the hitch in the truck and the ball on the coach.
Do you all not see both parts?
Fred
We hitch as a team. I'm in charge of getting lined up by looking out the back window. We have a sticker on the front of the hitch I can see that says "Center" (was already on the hitch when we got it). I line that up with the pin and wait for Linda's OK to come on back. Linda adjusts the rig up or down as necessary with the front landing gear (jacks) control. When ready, she signals me back.
The pin goes in, the hitch bar clicks across, she releases the spring on the hitch lever to lock it, and I put in the safety pin and hook on the break-away brake lanyard.
The human eyeball is still better than any mirror, level, or camera I know of. In my opinion, only a solo needs to hitch by themselves.
It takes about a minute. A minute and a half if I don't get lined up right the first time.
But do whatever works for you!
Racerguy said
07:24 PM May 28, 2008
Luvglass wrote:
Maybe my truck setup is unusual, but when I look out my back window I see the hitch in the truck and the ball on the coach. Do you all not see both parts?
Fred
Fred, With my first rig I had a crossover toolbox on my Pickup and could not see hitch at all. Got rid of toolbox and like you could see everything and was able to hitchup by myself. Maybe thats why some are having trouble. Just a thought.
Hmmm, I might have to think about this. Could make for a good Christmas present for dh. We've got gooseneck instead of the regular 5th wheel hitch, so lining it up is a little harder when you can't see the bed of the truck because of the toolbox.
-- Edited by Footsiebear on Thursday 5th of November 2009 06:07:53 AM
-- Edited by Footsiebear on Thursday 5th of November 2009 06:08:21 AM
53 Merc said
08:48 AM Nov 5, 2009
Like others, I can see the hitch and kingpin in the mirror. That does nothing for the elevation of the kingpin though. Early on I bought an adjustable level as an aid in hitchup. There is an adjustable slide that you place on the scale when you disconnect. Then, no matter how much you have to adjust the front of the 5er, on reconnect, just adjust the landing gear to put the bubble under the adjustable slide. Then, the 5er is set to latch in with no mistakes.
Each to his own, but Fran does not come outside to the "guy things" and I stay out of the 5er "girl things". Fran would just leave the "stinky slinky" rather than disconnect it and put it in the bag.
Howard and Linda have worked out their best way, as have each of us.
I cannot imagine my confusion if I attempted to hitch up using a mirror. My mind does not reverse well.
-- Edited by RVDude at 21:33, 2008-05-27
We hitch as a team. I'm in charge of getting lined up by looking out the back window. We have a sticker on the front of the hitch I can see that says "Center" (was already on the hitch when we got it). I line that up with the pin and wait for Linda's OK to come on back. Linda adjusts the rig up or down as necessary with the front landing gear (jacks) control. When ready, she signals me back.
The pin goes in, the hitch bar clicks across, she releases the spring on the hitch lever to lock it, and I put in the safety pin and hook on the break-away brake lanyard.
The human eyeball is still better than any mirror, level, or camera I know of. In my opinion, only a solo needs to hitch by themselves.
It takes about a minute. A minute and a half if I don't get lined up right the first time.
But do whatever works for you!
Hmmm, I might have to think about this. Could make for a good Christmas present for dh. We've got gooseneck instead of the regular 5th wheel hitch, so lining it up is a little harder when you can't see the bed of the truck because of the toolbox.
-- Edited by Footsiebear on Thursday 5th of November 2009 06:07:53 AM
-- Edited by Footsiebear on Thursday 5th of November 2009 06:08:21 AM