Maintenance Procedures for Model TSLB & TS3 Air Ride 5th Wheel Hitches

Any quality piece of equipment requires some periodic maintenance to keep it in proper operating condition and the same is true with the Trailer Saver Air Suspension Hitch. While we strived during the design process to make the unit as simple as possible, it is still necessary to do some minor maintenance to keep it operating as we designed it.

The TSLB and TS3 air ride hitch consists of three components; the frame unit which is manufactured by TrailerSaver, Inc (TSI), the head unit which is manufactured by Holland Hitch Company, and the air system which is manufactured by Air Lift Company. These instructions will cover all three components of the hitch.

We made a major change at the first of the year in 2004. Even though the design is the same, there are some different maintenance procedures. For lack of better terminology, we will call the pre 2004 fifth wheel hitches old style versus new style. The biggest difference and the way to discern the styles is the hinge area in the front of the hitch. In the old style, we used 1” bolts with hexagonal heads needing a 1.5” wrench to turn. In the new style, we used a 31/32” pin held in place with a 5/16” socket head cap screw.

The frame unit has 2 grease zerts located on the bushings of the axle bolts at the front end of the hitch (towards the front of the truck). We recommend greasing them at 4,000 mile intervals. We use and recommend Pennzoil Pennlith Ultra EP 2 grease which is a NLGI #2 grade or an equivalent high quality grease. If you have trouble locating the grease, it is available at 270-756-0282. On the old style, it may be necessary to put a wrench on the head of the bolt and turn it while adding the grease. These axle assemblies have a very close tolerance, thus the necessity to rotate the bolt to allow the grease to flow in and around the axle assembly. On the new style hitches, this is not an issue. On the new hitches, it would be good to inspect the socket head cap screw to see that it is still in place holding the pin securely.

There is a 1” bolt holding the Holland/Binkley head assembly in the frame, and while it does not have a grease zert and requires no maintenance, it should be checked periodically to make sure the nut is tight. It is also necessary to remove the bolt once a year to check for wear on the bolt and replace it if needed. Another way to check for wear on the bolt is to try to lift the front part of the Holland Binkley head. If there is “play”, and the head moves more than 1/4”, it is time to replace the bolt. This bolt can be ordered from TSI at 270-756-0282.

The Holland head has several moving components that do require lubrication to extend its life. The jaws that lock around the king pin of the 5th wheel rotate on 1-1/8 “ pins that need to be lubricated with WD-40 or an equivalent lubricant. Spray the lubricant onto the pins that are exposed to the top of the hitch head and it will migrate around the bearing surface of the jaws. The head also articulates front to back on 1 ¼” pins located on either side of the head and they also need lubrication in the same manner.

There is a spring that keeps the head tilted to the rear for ease of hooking up and it is located at the front of and under the head. By standing at the rear of the hitch and looking forward you will be able to see the spring; it is approximately 2” high and 1-1/8” in diameter. From the back of the hitch you can spray WD-40 or white lithium grease on the bottom of the spring. This spring slides on the steel plate, and if you do not apply lubricant, it is possible the spring will “pop” out letting the Holland head fall forward, making it difficult to hook up to your trailer.

The air system does not require any maintenance except to keep the air springs protected from the UV rays of the sun. A vinyl custom fit cover is available for this purpose and it may be purchased from TrailerSaver, Inc. at 270-756-0282 and it sells for $76.00.

If the preceding maintenance practices are followed, you will have many years of trouble free service from your TrailerSaver Air Suspension Hitch.