Reese fith wheel hitch clanking

[kellypayne7]

Hello I have a 20 k reese fith wheel hitch that makes a lot of clanking and groaning sounds. It's done it for quite some time but with the heavier trailer 385th it makes me a little more paranoid. Dose anyone else's do this or is it time for a new hitch? Mostly it dose it when I take off and step on the brakes but also on turns ect. My husband and I are on the road 6 months a year and I realize there's a lot of pivot points on these hitches and that of corse there going to make noise. It just seems exsesive and I wanted other peoples input. Thanks Kelly

 

[Steve and Cill]

Kelly, do you have an owners manual that came with your hitch? The reason I ask is we have a Pullrite hitch and in the owners manual it tells you how to adjust the hitch to take the "clunking" noise out when braking and starting.

Steve

 

[kellypayne7]

Don't believe I ever had an owners manual for it. Thanks. Kelly

 

[G&Jcamping]

Kelly
I have the Reese on my Ford Dulley. Here is my disclaimer LOL—I am a a long time TT tower but a new 5ther so take my word as a rookie at this. this was my experience. 1st trip out I got the clanks as well and very unsettling. Once disconnected I went in the back and tugged here and there and notice a little “play” where the hitch goes into the pucks. It took some playing around but I finally got those big adjustment nuts set so now when I tug on it there was NO play at all. That made a huge difference. Also, you mentioned a groaning sound—yup—me too, but that trip I had not lubed the plate on the way to the camp site. Lubed it up then groan gone too. Now Im looking to use one of those Teflon plates
With that said—as Steve mentioned—refer to the manual. I had mine in the bed of the truck with me to insure I was adjusting it correctly