Troubleshooting Jaws of B&W Patriot Hitch Not Operating Smooth
Updated 01/28/2026 | Published 09/08/2024
Question:
I have the Patriot by BW 18K 5th wheel hitch for my 2022 Ram 2500. Yesterday I was trying to unhitch my 5th wheel from my truck and I raised the camper up like I normally do until I could see daylight between the fifth wheel and the hitch. When I went to pull the lever to open the teeth of the hitch there was no pressure on the handle like I am used to and the jaws did not open. I was able to get the truck separated from the camper but it made allot of noise and was not smooth at all. Felt kinda like the hitch was catching. The hitch opens and closes when it is not hooked up to the camper. Any ideas what may be going on? This has never happened before and I have used this hitch since January. Thanks for your help.
asked by: Brad R
Expert Reply:
Thanks for purchasing the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider # BWRVK3270, Brad!
The first thing I like to check on is maintenance when it comes to things like this. At the bottom of your instructions there is a "Helpful Tips" section that goes through some maintenance so if you can confirm if you've done this or not it will help me when I reach out to the kind folks at B&W.
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Product Page this Question was Asked From
B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs
- 5th Wheel Hitch
- Sliding Fifth Wheel
- Above Bed Rails
- 4500 lbs Vertical Load
- 18000 lbs GTW
- Double Pivot
- Standard - Double Jaw
- 17 - 19 Inch Tall
- 12 Inch Fore/Aft Travel
- B and W
more information >
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Robin H.
1/5/2026
Hey Brad, were you able to go through the maintenance steps in the Helpful Tips section for your Patriot hitch? Knowing if that made any difference could point others toward an easy fix for similar issues. Your update could make it easier for the next person with the same hitch.