Reese Hitch (Now Happy)

{Sorry for the long story in advance.}

I bought a 15K Quick slide from Camping World in October 2005. Since then I've had to replace four springs under the head. I always keep my hitch inside on a dolly on concrete. I have called Reese over the years to have new springs sent to me to replace; always keeping a spare. A friend of mine bought a new Ford and had to purchase a new rail kit. Come to find out that Reese sent him a free brand new 18K hitch because his 2002 hitch wouldn't fit the new rail kit. They said they would write it off as an inspection. Not only did they ship it to his house but they also sent him a prepaid shipping label to ship his old one to them. So, with the problems I'd been having I decided to call Reese. I spoke to a guy named(S)and told him my problem and having to continue to replace the srings and felt it was unsafe. (S) said I would need to take it to Camping World where I bought it and pay to have them inspect it; then if it was found to be defective they would replace it. I ask if they could just replace mine as an inspection and have mine shipped back to them since I would have to drive two hours to get it checked out. (S) told me they never ship hitches out to anyone without having it inspected first. So, I called them on it;(The Lie) I told (S) they had just replaced my friends when his was working fine. (S) ask for his name and number to look it up in the system. With my friend concent I gave them the information. Then the guy (J) got on the phone that actually replaced my friends hitch. (J) said they sometimes made inspections and he had decided to do this on his on to check how the hitch had held up. Long story long; (J) said mine was out of warranty after five years. After I called them on it again that my friends was a 2002. (J) became not so friendly and started saying there's nothing they could do for me. I told (J) I was only asking to be treated like anyone else. (J) told me even if I take mine to Camping World now that they won't replace it because breaking springs is normal. I told (J) the first guy (S) I spoke with said it wasn't normal and there was a problem. (J) said it was normal to be breaking springs often (at least one a year). All my friends have Reese Hitches older than mine and they have never had to replace a spring. Question: Should I be upset or is it just me. Please tell me your opinion. By the way I got his Boss's name and I will be calling him on Monday. Edited by: Deputydog

[happycampers]

I guess the only answer is to go out and buy a new truck and rail kit

Anyone else been having springs break on their Fifth Wheel Hitch ? I'd really like to know.

[Stan]

I have had my 16K slider since 2006 and have never had a problem. Mine stays in the truck so it gets wet throughout the year. A bit of rust here and there but it has always worked fine. Not sure of the differences between a 16K and 15K.

[Dayle1]

My Reese 15K quick-slide is almost 9 yrs old and I've never had a spring fail. However the hitch isn't exposed to much weather, at home the truck is always garaged and when traveling, I use a nylon cover over the hitch when unhitched.

[salda01]

I have a 18K Signature Series that is over 4 years old, if I recall correctly it has a few head springs. It has been exposed to the elements during the summer and left in the truck covered by the bed cover. No issue as of yet. The real question is are the springs rusting or just loosing their spring / tention?

No the springs show a little rust but nothing to make them break. I always take my hitch out of the truck and keep it in my building which is dry and has a concrete floor. I set the hitch on a flat dolly to move it around. They seem to break at the long point at the end of the spring before it has the bend.

[beaker]

Had mine since 2002, no problem.



If you're out of warranty, they owe you nothing, regardless of what they did for your friend. They may have had their reasons for that.

[gtoguy1967]

Never an issue with our 18K slider.

Well I spoke to the manager at the Keene plant this morning. He told me that four or five years ago they had a bad batch of springs that had been made and there were springs that were reported to be breaking. He said that the head had nothing to do with the springs breaking. He is sending me four springs to replace mine and told me if I had another one to break to call him direct and they would do something different. Very nice guy and hopefully this will fix the problem. Thanks for the ones that posted to my question.

[Traveling Texans]

I've had a 15K reese since 2006 and have not had any problems. I changed it out for the clamshell capture plate type to cut down on some of the chucking motion I was having with the slide bar type.

[beaker]

Good to hear they did something for you!

Well I went to hook up this morning to take the 5er out of the building for our first trip of the year tomorrow; and wouldn't you know it I had another spring to break. I called Kirk at Reese and told him about it and ask if I could send him some pictures. I took off the head and took pictures of the springs and the new one I had just replaced again. He contacted me back and said he was looking at the pictures and he noticed I had the springs on backwards. The long end is suppose to go to the studs and the short hook goes to the main head of the hitch. #*%@&%!>"*^%* So, for six years I have been putting them on backwards. Live and Learn.

[r2millers]

Originally Posted by Deputydog

Well I went to hook up this morning to take the 5er out of the building for our first trip of the year tomorrow; and wouldn't you know it I had another spring to break. I called Kirk at Reese and told him about it and ask if I could send him some pictures. I took off the head and took pictures of the springs and the new one I had just replaced again. He contacted me back and said he was looking at the pictures and he noticed I had the springs on backwards. The long end is suppose to go to the studs and the short hook goes to the main head of the hitch. #*%@&%!>"*^%* So, for six years I have been putting them on backwards. Live and Learn.

Always appreciate a person who can admit their mistakes and still keep us informed so we don't duplicate the same.

Thx.

I wanted to tell the whole story because if I'm at fault then I'm at fault. Hopefully, it will solve my problems and maybe someone else will learn something too. Been camping for 25 years now and I still learn something new or better all the time. Well I fiqured; go ahead and laugh then cry . So, Kirk still sent me four new springs. I thanked him for everything. So,

[Ruck]

Sounds like some good cusotmer service, there!

Travel Safe ...

[Ruck]

ok, CUSTOMER

Travel Safe ...