Setting up my Volvo 610 for a 5th wheel hitch

[VegasFlyer]

1 hour ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

When you unhitch from a trailersaver hitch, if you don't lower the air pressure before pulling out from under the pin, the hitch head and swing arm plate moves upward very rapidly.... air pressure on the bags pushing up, and smacks the kingpin plate or the front of the camper.  Having the air control in cab, means you hit the switch and dump the air, pull out from the rv,  put 5lbs back in so the bags aren't completely deflated, and step out of the truck.

If you install a leveling valve on the hitch, won't dumping the rear suspension on the truck, after you lower the trailer landing gear, do the same as you described?

[HERO Maker]

John, you can dump the rear suspension like you mentioned, but there will still be lots of air pressure in the hitch bag, and pop it up quickly upon unhitching.  So you either let it go to the full height by raising the trailer until you hit the stop on the lift (not recommended), or shut your air off to the hitch and let it bleed down.  Then simply pull out from under the trailer.

[VegasFlyer]

51 minutes ago, HERO Maker said:

John, you can dump the rear suspension like you mentioned, but there will still be lots of air pressure in the hitch bag, and pop it up quickly upon unhitching.  So you either let it go to the full height by raising the trailer until you hit the stop on the lift (not recommended), or shut your air off to the hitch and let it bleed down.  Then simply pull out from under the trailer.

Rocky,

Are you talking about a hitch with a leveling air valve installed on the hitch?

[HERO Maker]

John, I would have to defer to those who use the leveling valve on their hitch.  But I would imagine if you have 40-70 lbs of pressure in those bags, then you will need to lift your trailer and wait until you have no weight on the pin in order to unhitch.  Otherwise those bags will push your hitch up to the stop limit of the hitch.

[rickeieio]

Here's my solution, but I've since lengthened the arm to double the length shown, for smoother action.

 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

2 Different thoughts going here.

Rocky and I, as well as others, can dump our rear air suspension on the truck.  This lowers the truck 5+ inches and we can roll out from under the King Pin.

But, the Trailersaver hitch does not have a factory leveling valve.  They offer the Fill/Dump switch where you can maintain the air pressure from inside the truck.  This valve isn't automated.   It's a manual valve.

With 80psi in the air bags.  If I forget to release the air pressure in the bags before I roll out from under the pin, the hitch head raises quickly- fast- loudly- and connects with the front of the king pin plate.  It's like dropping a steel beam in sound.  I don't believe it does damage though.

With a leveling valve like Rick has, when he lowers his landing gear and takes the RV weight, in theory, he should be able to drive out from under with no adverse reaction from the hitch.  The valve keeping the hitch head height at a determined point.  (The white line).  Being able to "Squat" the truck, and have the leveling valve is the best of both.  

Many of the newer trucks that Gregg converts and that Larry Herrin build with the ET hitch have this combination of suspension dump and hitch head leveling.

[Av8r3400]

Has anyone ever set up a cab mounted dump valve for the hitch as well as the rear suspension?

1. position the trailer
2. dump the suspension and hitch
3. lower landing gear 
4. disconnect and pull ahead
5. level rv
6. reinflate suspension and hitch for Bob tail use

Something like this. 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

That' what I do. With the in cab controls for the Trailersaver.  

I have an OLD Trailersaver.  Ancient, 2000 year model. (Make ya feel old doesn't it).  My unhooking steps-

Park truck and trailer on site-

Dump air from hitch

Lower landing gear until I see hitch move "Up"

Unlock hitch

Get back in truck

Dump truck air suspension

Move truck forward slowly while watching on the camera that the truck and trailer have separated.

Park truck.

I have 5" of travel height in the truck suspension.  I also have about 5" of hitch head travel height from bottom out to the high limit bar.  

This method fro me works so far.

Hooking up, If I have leveled the RV higher or lower than the dumped air truck deck height, then I raise/lower RV to the height needed so that I back under the pin with the truck air dumped, hook up, raise truck suspension, fill air bags, Plug trailer in, Pull Test- GENTLY.... Truck can easiely move the RV with all RV brakes locked and chocks in place...(askmehowIknow ), raise landing gear, away we go.

 

[BlueLghtning]

Man, I'm learning a lot just from all the chatter in this thread. Thanks guys. I knew it hand the shrader valve for manual operation and was kind of thinking the in cab air would be nice, but not needed. However you guys have offered some good arugments on why it's helpful and how you use it. I finally figured out how actually operate the air bag dump switch in my truck although I haven't got to try it yet. The first time I went to try it, I couldn't figure out the safety catch the switch had as I was sitting in the seat. 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Safety switch...2 handed operations, or find a 3yr old... Push top of switch forward while rocking the switch down.... OK  says the arthritic fingers.. not today your not.

[VegasFlyer]

7 hours ago, HERO Maker said:

John, I would have to defer to those who use the leveling valve on their hitch.  But I would imagine if you have 40-70 lbs of pressure in those bags, then you will need to lift your trailer and wait until you have no weight on the pin in order to unhitch.  Otherwise those bags will push your hitch up to the stop limit of the hitch.

 

7 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Here's my solution, but I've since lengthened the arm to double the length shown, for smoother action.

 

This is what I was talking about.  If you dump the truck suspension, the leveling valve on hitch will dump the excess air in the hitch to bring the hitch back to the preset height.

[HERO Maker]

John, I guess I've been talking to too many Ins. people trying to finalize stuff on our rig.

But I'm going to try to figure out what you are saying.

If you dump air on the suspension, then the truck rear end will drop 4-5 inches (give or take).  Your hitch with leveling valve will also ride down with the truck.  The level that the hitch is set at won't change if it still has separate air line to it.  The leveling bar on the pic above is attached to the upper part of the hitch (the moving part) and the sled, which is fixed and attached to your truck bed/frame, that just dropped the same amount as the rear of the truck.  Your trailer, being that it is still attached to the hitch, has also dropped.

If you were to try and unhitch now, because of air still in the hitch bag, you will pop up that hitch head faster than the valve can vent air.

If you have your hitch valve connected to your suspension air, and dump your suspension, then you will still have air in the hitch bag and produce same affect (or is that effect?).  I don't have the level valve, but I would imagine that you must lift up the front of the trailer until there is no longer need to have any pressure in the hitch bag.  THIS is the part that I think you are saying.

If at first, you lower your front jacks and then release your truck suspension, then the hitch air bag will no longer need pressure and you might be ok to unhitch at that time.  But remember, you don't want to hang your hitch, or your truck, off that hitch pin having the front jacks being the pivot point of your teeter totter. 

Am I close to what you are saying?

What was given as the way most of us unhitch is pretty much it.

Sometimes I don't bleed the suspension down.  I just lower the front legs of the trailer, release the air in the hitch and this will take off the bag pressure, and since this takes a little time, the suspension now without the pin weight on it, will slowly rise.  But it is not much with our little pin weights on the bed.

Then just slide out.

 

 

[VegasFlyer]

On 4/29/2017 at 6:19 AM, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

That' what I do. With the in cab controls for the Trailersaver.  

I have an OLD Trailersaver.  Ancient, 2000 year model. (Make ya feel old doesn't it).  My unhooking steps-

Park truck and trailer on site-

Dump air from hitch

Lower landing gear until I see hitch move "Up"

Unlock hitch

Get back in truck

Dump truck air suspension

Move truck forward slowly while watching on the camera that the truck and trailer have separated.

Park truck.

I have 5" of travel height in the truck suspension.  I also have about 5" of hitch head travel height from bottom out to the high limit bar.  

This method fro me works so far.

Hooking up, If I have leveled the RV higher or lower than the dumped air truck deck height, then I raise/lower RV to the height needed so that I back under the pin with the truck air dumped, hook up, raise truck suspension, fill air bags, Plug trailer in, Pull Test- GENTLY.... Truck can easiely move the RV with all RV brakes locked and chocks in place...(askmehowIknow ), raise landing gear, away we go.

 

Rocky,

You basically got it.  The procedure that Jim described would work the same way with a TS that had a leveling valve installed on it.

It would all be good, except for the moving the trailer with the brakes locked and chocked part....lol

Jim, anyone who has towed trailers for a while has done something similar, or they are gonna lie that they haven't....lol.   I hooked up to our Toy Hauler once and started to pull away with the trailer and spent 20 minutes trying to figure why the brakes wouldn't release.  Then realized that the breakaway cable for brakes was missing.  We later found it in my German Shepherd's bed.   One persons breakaway cable is another dog's dangling Toy I reckon.

[Pete Kildow]

On 4/27/2017 at 7:46 PM, BlueLghtning said:

Sure, if you can get pics next week, that would be great. I might be interested in that factory gauge kit. I'm still working on getting my hitch mounted. 

Was going to get pics of the compressor today. But somehow the wires had been pulled out of the pump. Not sure how that happened. AS its been in the shed the last 2 years on the hitch. So did not think there was any reason to take pics. As not sure its any good that way.

Pete

[BlueLghtning]

1 hour ago, wild wolf products said:

Was going to get pics of the compressor today. But somehow the wires had been pulled out of the pump. Not sure how that happened. AS its been in the shed the last 2 years on the hitch. So did not think there was any reason to take pics. As not sure its any good that way.

Pete

okay, no problem. Thanks for the update.