5th wheel hitch selection

wbdvt · 05-28-2016, 10:48 AM

Hello,
DW and I are looking a 5th wheels and I am looking for information on hitches and pin boxes. Is there a primer out there for newbies? What needs to be considered? What about the height?

I am considering a B&W Companion hitch as I like the concept of removing and having a flat bed.

jtstromsburg · 05-28-2016, 10:52 AM

Not sure of a great place to read other than a search on this forum but I will say I live our companion hitch by B&W and it saved our truck in a potential roll over accident two years back. Wouldn't own a different one after that. Easy to trust the latch mechanism and, like you said, easy to remove for an clean bed with no rails sticking up.

Jerry01 · 05-28-2016, 11:03 AM

We have a B&W as well and love it. Very well built. I have never owned another but I helped a buddy hitch his up and he has a Reese. The jaws are 1/2 as thick and I didn't care for the locking mechanism. We will stick with our B&W. Jerry

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TXCPL · 05-28-2016, 11:34 AM

Have had a superglide, a curt and now have B&W. Like the B& W best.

spock123 · 05-28-2016, 12:55 PM

I have a B&W and love it, I didn't have it hooked up quite right, it's got a pin under the body that you can pull and I left it loose for over 2,000 miles and never had a problem. It's got a bolt on the hitch that has to be tightened up and I didn't. It's got bolts on the hitch and they all have be tight, well the idiot that installed it told me wrong. But the hitch work great and it works great now hitched up right. I also have a bed saver on the hitch. In my opinion you can't go wrong with a B&W Companion

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Torch · 05-28-2016, 01:06 PM

I have a 2013 Ram 2500 crew SB, I had a B&W Companion slider which I liked but it was just a pain to get it out of the truck so I went with an Andersen Ultimate goose neck , it weighs 70 lbs, it's offset a tad so I don't need the slider. I used it for the first time last week and found it shuddered less than the B&W. It was easy to hitch up and so far so good. It uses the same base as the B&W Companion used(B&W).

spock123 · 05-28-2016, 01:59 PM

To get the hitch out of the truck bed, this is what I do. I lock the lock with a lock so that no one can pull the pin on the hitch. With hitch locked up to pin I unfasten the hitch from the truck and then I pick up landing jacks on camper and I drive off. The pin box will hold that hitch. My camper weighs 13,000lbs I figure it can hold a hitchj

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Kenny kustom · 05-28-2016, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spock123

To get the hitch out of the truck bed, this is what I do. I lock the lock with a lock so that no one can pull the pin on the hitch. With hitch locked up to pin I unfasten the hitch from the truck and then I pick up landing jacks on camper and I drive off. The pin box will hold that hitch. My camper weighs 13,000lbs I figure it can hold a hitchj

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Did the same thing last weekend.
Needed the empty bed of the truck.
Works slick as....

2016 Sabre 36QBOK
2015 Ram 3500 CUMMINS

BandJCarm · 05-28-2016, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spock123

To get the hitch out of the truck bed, this is what I do. I lock the lock with a lock so that no one can pull the pin on the hitch. With hitch locked up to pin I unfasten the hitch from the truck and then I pick up landing jacks on camper and I drive off. The pin box will hold that hitch. My camper weighs 13,000lbs I figure it can hold a hitchj

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Well I never.........

I'd have been 200 years old before it hit me to do that.

Jim34RL · 05-28-2016, 03:19 PM

I use a hoist that I hang from the garage support beam. I raise the hitch in the air and pull the truck out, I reverse the procedure when I want to reinstall the hitch. The hitch is stored on a roll around support when not need, in the garage. Takes about ten minutes to uninstall and reinstall, this way the bed is empty when I am not pulling the 5er.

florabama · 05-28-2016, 03:58 PM

With my back I avoid lifting anything over 50 pounds and that is why I'll be getting an Andersen Ultimate fifth wheel hitch weighing only 35 pounds.

If anyone has any legit negative experiences with this hitch I would like to hear it.

mekkerlc · 05-28-2016, 04:31 PM

We are new to fifth-wheel this year...went with the Andersen Ultimate on a B&W Gooseneck...have only towed 4-5 times...really nice so far!

florabama · 05-28-2016, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekkerlc

We are new to fifth-wheel this year...went with the Andersen Ultimate on a B&W Gooseneck...have only towed 4-5 times...really nice so far!

Glad to hear it. I'm hearing mixed story on using chains with the Ultimate, do you? Thanks.

florabama · 05-28-2016, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekkerlc

We are new to fifth-wheel this year...went with the Andersen Ultimate on a B&W Gooseneck...have only towed 4-5 times...really nice so far!

Glad to hear you like it. I'm hearing mixed stories on using chains with the Ultimate, do you? Thanks.

Torch · 05-28-2016, 06:36 PM

No chains, it's not a typical gooseneck. I have the aluminum one which is 70lbs, been a bit smoother with it compared to the B&W.

mekkerlc · 05-28-2016, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by florabama

Glad to hear you like it. I'm hearing mixed stories on using chains with the Ultimate, do you? Thanks.

I use chains for piece of mind. Not required in most states, but not a huge expense and only adds about ten seconds of work to my hookup.
Seeing that this is our first 5er, it was an easy decision.

mekkerlc · 05-28-2016, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torch

No chains, it's not a typical gooseneck. I have the aluminum one which is 70lbs, been a bit smoother with it compared to the B&W.

I have the newer Aluminum one, which is more like 35-40lbs.

**Mr. Dan** · 05-28-2016, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekkerlc

I have the newer Aluminum one, which is more like 35-40lbs.

Rats!! I bought mine before the aluminum was produced/marketed. My steel unit weighs 70 lbs. The connection block weighs another 5 lbs.

I use $60.87 worth of chains 1.) for safety and 2.) to keep from having the required/not required discussion with a trooper beside the highway. As I understand it, chains are required in some states with these hitches.

Torch · 05-28-2016, 09:37 PM

I misquoted the aluminum one is the one I got which is 35lbish, Where do you mount the chains?

**Mr. Dan** · 05-28-2016, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torch

I misquoted the aluminum one is the one I got which is 35lbish, Where do you mount the chains?

The Andersen chains came with bolts with big round eye loops onto which the chains are attached. These two bolts replace the original bolts which connect the connection block to the kingpin. One bolt goes in left to right, the other right to left so there's a chain connection on each side of the kingpin block. The chain hooks go through the bed loops on my B&W Turnover Ball Hitch.

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