Storing Your Hitch?
Moderator: Mike Clay
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Storing Your Hitch?
When you are not using your Bird do you store your hitch or just leave it in the bed of your truck?
We’ve been just leaving it in the truck, how about you?
We’ve been just leaving it in the truck, how about you?
Jim & Jane
2014 Ford 350 King Ranch, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes
Nights camped in 2012: 142
Nights camped in 2013: 186
Nights camped in 2014: 185
Nights camped in 2015: 232
Nights camped in 2016: 165
2014 Ford 350 King Ranch, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes
Nights camped in 2012: 142
Nights camped in 2013: 186
Nights camped in 2014: 185
Nights camped in 2015: 232
Nights camped in 2016: 165
- campswithcritters
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
My situation is a bit different than most as best I could do would be to store it under the 5ver (no garage or shed) and I have a hitch directly bolted to the truck frame/bed. That being said I do have a hitch cover for when not in use, but only because trailersaver says it will keep the UV off the air bags and make them last longer. On previous trucks I just left my non-air hitches in, spraying the mechanisms with white lithium grease when not in use then pressure washing it to remove the dirt/grease and re-greasing when ready to go again.
Bruce & Sharon Full-time since Nov 06
Boogie, & Jack ("the critters")
Boogie, & Jack ("the critters")
- Mike Clay
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
I leave mine in the truck all year, I have a tanneau cover on the truck so it stays out of the weather for the most part.
Mike, Susanna & Rudy
2016 3850RL Estate "Proto Grigio"
2019 Silverado 3500HD Dually D/A 4x4 LTZ
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
My hitch comes in three parts. I always remove the receiver so I can close my roll up tonneau cover and keep the elements off the hitch. If I am going haul something large or heavy, I will also remove the slider and just leave the bolt down plate in place. This also keeps the curious from playing with the hitch as well.
Big Bird
Big Bird
Big Bird
Marv and Jackie
Marv and Jackie
Re: Storing Your Hitch?
Mine stays on the truck. I have a jack-rabbit roll top cover to protect everything in the bed.
Rob
Rob
- bigbunkhouse
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
We either leave it in the truck or when we leave it at our friends for months we pull the pins out of the bed rails and lift it out with the 5er landing gear letting it hang from the pin. That way we have the bed for our travels without the 5er and it is locked off the ground where I cant forget it.
2007 362bhs Cardinal (The mobile vacation home)
99 f350 4dr dually v-10 Lb 2wd 4.30 locker (Big Dually)
Dogs: Elvis and Priscilla
Me (Matt), Wifey (Jana), (Julia)14 year old daughter and ***SHYANNE*** born 8/12/10
99 f350 4dr dually v-10 Lb 2wd 4.30 locker (Big Dually)
Dogs: Elvis and Priscilla
Me (Matt), Wifey (Jana), (Julia)14 year old daughter and ***SHYANNE*** born 8/12/10
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
Ours is in all summer and out in the winter....Can't wait to leave it in all year!!
Bill
Bill
Bill & Penny
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Nights out in 2013/67 and have put put 8566 miles on the Bucket List Inn
Nights out in 2014 63
Night out in 2015. 88
Nights out so far in 2016. 58
More fun to come!
2010 3150 RL "The Bucket List Inn
Nights out in 2013/67 and have put put 8566 miles on the Bucket List Inn
Nights out in 2014 63
Night out in 2015. 88
Nights out so far in 2016. 58
More fun to come!
- Chief409
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Mojave Desert - Cardinal Owners: 2007 30WBLE
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
I leave it in the truck, unless I need the bed cleared out for something. Pull the head off, open the handles for the locks on the base (I have a Reese/DrawTite Signature 18k) pull the base out and it's a clean bed. Two or three times a year I hit the lube points, no squeaky hitch yet.
Jeff & Terry
U.S.N. Ret
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U.S.N. Ret
2012 F350 Lariat FX4 6.7 Diesel Dually, Crew Cab, LWB, 50 gal Transfer Flow toolbox/tank
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The more I see in my travels, the more I realize there is so much more to see.
- Don Wilson
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
I have the B&W turn over ball for a goose neck with the fifth wheel Companion hitch so mine is easy to take out, so about 50% of the time when not towing I remove the hitch and store it in the garage on some 4x4 blocks. I can then turn the ball down and have the full 8 foot bed flat. When I do leave it in the truck I have a cover on it.
Don
Don
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Don
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
My truck is used for work, so I have to take it out and put back in when towing. When not in use, I leave the hitch hanging from the pin box. Keeps it handy and ready to go.
- Traveler II
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
I would think this would be easy to do, is there any tricks to hanging the hitch? I have a Trail Air pin box would that complicate things?rlhedlund wrote:My truck is used for work, so I have to take it out and put back in when towing. When not in use, I leave the hitch hanging from the pin box. Keeps it handy and ready to go.
Jim & Jane
2014 Ford 350 King Ranch, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes
Nights camped in 2012: 142
Nights camped in 2013: 186
Nights camped in 2014: 185
Nights camped in 2015: 232
Nights camped in 2016: 165
2014 Ford 350 King Ranch, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes
Nights camped in 2012: 142
Nights camped in 2013: 186
Nights camped in 2014: 185
Nights camped in 2015: 232
Nights camped in 2016: 165
Re: Storing Your Hitch?
Unhooking is a one-man operation. Hooking up helps with two. Safety first when hooking up. Make SURE trailer is chocked and do not put hands and arms where they can get pinched off. Leave hitch locked to pin box. I have a Glide Ride so there is plenty of room to move around when aligning the hitch to the bed. I have not tried this since hooking up the bed saver. Looks like it will throw the balance off.Traveler II wrote:I would think this would be easy to do, is there any tricks to hanging the hitch? I have a Trail Air pin box would that complicate things?rlhedlund wrote:My truck is used for work, so I have to take it out and put back in when towing. When not in use, I leave the hitch hanging from the pin box. Keeps it handy and ready to go.
Re: Storing Your Hitch?
My bed is covered so in the summer I'll leave it in unless I need to use the bed. In the winter, I'll store it in the garage.
- teallen
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Re: Storing Your Hitch?
receiver comes off goes inside, hitch is covered with a grill cover, then I have a folding cover on the bed.
Tom and Judy
2012 Cardinal 3030RS ("le Chateau")
2018 RAM 3500
9 grandkids (keeps us busy)
Rallys attended - 17
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Camping Days - 2011 - 90, 2012 - 144, 2013 - 130, 2014 - 130, 2015 - 107
2012 Cardinal 3030RS ("le Chateau")
2018 RAM 3500
9 grandkids (keeps us busy)
Rallys attended - 17
2019 Camping Days- 7
Camping Days - 2011 - 90, 2012 - 144, 2013 - 130, 2014 - 130, 2015 - 107