Trailair Tri-Glide hitch failure

AZ

azdryheat-DUTCH

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Anyone else have issues with their Tri-glide hitch going south? We just got back from a month long, 5000 mile trip, and the lower portion of the hitch, the part that slides back and forth, has apparent broken welds; it's not supposed to hang down in the back like that. It's rated for 21,000 pounds but my 17,000 pound Voltage and terrible roads caused its demise. I'm working through Camping World to get it replaced.
 

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Ouch!

First one I've seen like that. Sorry you had the trouble, and hope CW takes care of it.
 
My father-in-law had similar issue on this Elite Suites last year. I believe he ended up getting a new lower jaw. His was 10 years old though.
 
17k & bad roads didn't cause that. Poor workmanship is to blame!! Less than two years old & failed. :eek: So I wonder where those are made China maybe. :roll:
 
I kept all 9 fittings greased. It was fine at first, real smooth operation, but then the chucking would begin and gain in intensity. It got to where I was greasing the hitch every day that we were on the road; couldn't keep grease in it once the welds failed. No issues with the air bag, that part of the hitch works great. I think that the Tri-Glide can't take the strain of that heavy trailer banging back and forth.
 
Hmmm....

I have a Tri-Glide and a 2014 Voltage Epic 3800.

I installed a gauge at the Schrader valve for pressurizing the air bag. As someone posted that led me to install the gauge. They commented they start at 100psi when they leave home. I did that...back in May. It has lost a bit of air through 5 weeks of travel thus far and is down to 75 psi. The arrow on the Tri-Glide dampener show I'm just about at the right pressure.

But I don't have any "chucking" as we go down the road.

Can't tell you why.

I inspect the welds on mine each time I grease it and prepare to hook up.

I do have a 30K Reese hitch.

Suppose any of these make any difference?

Pirate
 
Pirate said:
Hmmm....

I have a Tri-Glide and a 2014 Voltage Epic 3800.

I installed a gauge at the Schrader valve for pressurizing the air bag. As someone posted that led me to install the gauge. They commented they start at 100psi when they leave home. I did that...back in May. It has lost a bit of air through 5 weeks of travel thus far and is down to 75 psi. The arrow on the Tri-Glide dampener show I'm just about at the right pressure.

But I don't have any "chucking" as we go down the road.

Can't tell you why.

I inspect the welds on mine each time I grease it and prepare to hook up.

I do have a 30K Reese hitch.

Suppose any of these make any difference?

Pirate
Click to expand...

I have the Tri-Glide also with a 26 K Reese Elite on my 3950. I am towing with a 2013 F350 DRW LB 4x4.

I don't have the gauge on mine. I usually start at about 100 psi and air down to 75 or 80.

I tripled up my shocks and was going to brag that I never have any chucking. I was south of Las Vegas on 515 heading to 95. Nasty section of road. I had chucking for the first time. So I'm glad I did not claim I never had chucking.:)

Rig tows nice. It's just (and I say it again) to darn big.
 
To each his own Arlan. We like the big ol' 3800 for the layout inside. Pulls very well with the 2011 Silverado crew cab, DRW, and Highway Products bed.

We have learned to ask a lot of questions when making reservations in RV parks, and before boon docking, unload the RZR and go look at possible sites...then move the truck and trailer there. Learned that the hard way with our first toyhauler, a bumper pull.

Heading to San Diego on the 13th. Doesn't look like there is a route that doesn't go through the hot country...so it goes!!!

Pirate
 
azdryheat said:
I think that the Tri-Glide can't take the strain of that heavy trailer banging back and forth.
Click to expand...

That banging back and forth was something I noticed as soon as I left the dealer.

Funny thing though. After a couple hundred mile of learning how to drive it I seldom feel it change positions on the sliding aspect of the hitch. Just doesn't happen unless I am forced to brake hard.

I keep my brake controller set on Max (10).

Got to think about greasing it again. I haven't greased it 4000 miles. :rolleyes:
 
***UPDATE*** Got a new hitch installed. Spoke with the tech that was doing the install and he said there was only one roller with good welds, the other two rollers totally failed. He said I was lucky to even get it into the shop. The new hitch is the Trailair minus the Tri-glide, I'm good with that. The tow home was outstanding. Happy camper.
 
Just curious, have you spoken to Lippert about this failure? Was the replacement covered under warranty? There could be more units that are just waiting to fail like yours. Imagine if the trailer had come unhitched while you were travelling, someone could have been hurt or worse. You may want to report this to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.nhtsa.gov.
 
My father-in-law's that failed the same way was the non-triglide model. Same issue at welds but his lasted about 10 years. He replaced it with a tri-glide lower jaw.
 
qu70315_800.jpg
This is the Trailaire Tri-Glide. The lower section is the Tri-Glide and is supposed to dampen the back-and-forth jerking (chucking) motion with greased rollers (behind the 3 zerks). 2 of my 3 rollers failed. One more failure and my trailer would have departed the truck. I haven't seen a Voltage that didn't have this hitch.

Here is my new hitch minus the Tri-Glide, which is no longer in production.
UF35-946209_4_500.jpg
 
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Interesting. Just visited their site and sure enough, the tri-glide is no longer there. I wonder if LCI will do any replacements ahead of pending failures?
 
azdryheat "I haven't seen a Voltage that didn't have this hitch."

As I bought a "cheap" Voltage :LOL: mine only has a stock 5th wheel pin.
IMAG0003.jpg

So now you have seen one, well at least a picture of one. :LOL:
 
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