Fifth-wheel hitch care: lubrication, fit and locking
Maintain the exact fifth-wheel hitch and pin box as a matched installation. Verify mounting, lubrication, locking and clearance under their instructions. Hearing a latch or fitting a stronger hitch does not establish a correctly coupled and loaded combination; inspect the jaws and mounting through their own instructions.
Identify the model before applying a bolt procedure
B&W’s Companion product guidance distinguishes the older 3000 from the 3500: the 3000 uses U-bolts at its post, while the 3500 has a different attachment. Its 3000 reinstallation instructions give 40 ft-lb for the draw-down bolt before 80 ft-lb on each U-bolt.
Those values identify one sequence for one design. They are not torque settings for every Companion base, OEM puck hitch, rail mount or pin box. Read the complete instructions applicable to the actual part number before removing or installing hardware.
| Item | Use the applicable instructions for |
|---|---|
| Truck mount and base | Compatibility, attachment and torque sequence |
| Hitch head and kingpin | Condition, jaw engagement and locking checks |
| Top plate | Approved grease or compatible lube plate |
| Pin box | Mounting, pivot design and permitted hitch combination |
| Landing gear | Support, travel securing and coupling procedure |
| Clearance | Cab, bed rails, tailgate and trailer through required movement |
A lube plate does not lubricate every moving part
B&W allows automotive-type chassis grease on the Companion’s top plate or an appropriate lube disc. The top-plate choice is separate from other lubrication points. Follow the installed head’s instructions rather than assuming a disc makes the entire hitch maintenance-free.
Changed pivot points can be incompatible
The Companion guidance warns against pin-box arrangements that prevent kingpin rotation in its jaws with a wedge and move the pivot rearward. An adapter or pin box advertised for fifth wheels is not automatically compatible with this hitch.
For an assumed truck payload allowance of 2,800 lb, subtract a 200-lb hitch, 500 lb of travelers and 200 lb of other cargo: 1,900 lb remains before imposed trailer load. A2,200-lb loaded pin would exceed that allowance by 300 lb even if the hitch’s own rating were higher.
Measure actual loaded axle and vehicle weights and verify all ratings. Resolve abnormal movement, damage or a locking fault before travel. A slider may help maneuvering clearance under its instructions, but it does not cure payload overload or guarantee clearance through every turn.