2014 Dodge Ram Fifth Wheel Prep Option?

NC Hauler wrote:

Gunship Guy wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:
last time I checked, the Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch DID NOT require safety chains but the hooks up can be incorporated to the drop in ball to where the safety chains, if one thinks they are needed, can be attached to ....but again, the Anderser Ultimate 5er hitch IS NOT considered a GN hitch, and from last check DID NOT require safety chains, but maybe it varies from state to state

the Ram factory GN hitch center hook up doesn't have any place to hook chains, but depending on the drop in ball you get, again, they come with attachable shackles where safety chains can be hooked to.

I'm just going to get the chains as a CYA in case I ever get pulled over. Better safe than sorry. Don't want to waist time debating the issue with LEOs, if it ever came down to that. Tweety's offers the chain kit for $64. Cheap insurance.

I got the Reese goose ball kit that came with the pucks for attaching chains to the factory holes.

I thought The Reese Elite drop in ball, as well as the Mopar drop ball both came with the safety chain hook ups....I know around here, with the configuration of the Andersen, one doesn't need the chains...but understand your reasoning.

Hauler, you are correct. The Reese Elite ball did come with the chain pucks for the Ram factory holes. Just not the chains or a way to hook the chains to the Andersen hitch.

Gunship Guy wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:
last time I checked, the Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch DID NOT require safety chains but the hooks up can be incorporated to the drop in ball to where the safety chains, if one thinks they are needed, can be attached to ....but again, the Anderser Ultimate 5er hitch IS NOT considered a GN hitch, and from last check DID NOT require safety chains, but maybe it varies from state to state

the Ram factory GN hitch center hook up doesn't have any place to hook chains, but depending on the drop in ball you get, again, they come with attachable shackles where safety chains can be hooked to.

I'm just going to get the chains as a CYA in case I ever get pulled over. Better safe than sorry. Don't want to waist time debating the issue with LEOs, if it ever came down to that. Tweety's offers the chain kit for $64. Cheap insurance.

I got the Reese goose ball kit that came with the pucks for attaching chains to the factory holes.

I thought The Reese Elite drop in ball, as well as the Mopar drop ball both came with the safety chain hook ups....I know around here, with the configuration of the Andersen, one doesn't need the chains...but understand your reasoning.

NC Hauler wrote:
last time I checked, the Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch DID NOT require safety chains but the hooks up can be incorporated to the drop in ball to where the safety chains, if one thinks they are needed, can be attached to ....but again, the Anderser Ultimate 5er hitch IS NOT considered a GN hitch, and from last check DID NOT require safety chains, but maybe it varies from state to state

the Ram factory GN hitch center hook up doesn't have any place to hook chains, but depending on the drop in ball you get, again, they come with attachable shackles where safety chains can be hooked to.

I'm just going to get the chains as a CYA in case I ever get pulled over. Better safe than sorry. Don't want to waist time debating the issue with LEOs, if it ever came down to that. Tweety's offers the chain kit for $64. Cheap insurance.

I got the Reese goose ball kit that came with the pucks for attaching chains to the factory holes.

last time I checked, the Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch DID NOT require safety chains but the hooks up can be incorporated to the drop in ball to where the safety chains, if one thinks they are needed, can be attached to ....but again, the Anderser Ultimate 5er hitch IS NOT considered a GN hitch, and from last check DID NOT require safety chains, but maybe it varies from state to state

the Ram factory GN hitch center hook up doesn't have any place to hook chains, but depending on the drop in ball you get, again, they come with attachable shackles where safety chains can be hooked to.

Gunship Guy wrote:

Me Again wrote:

Gunship Guy wrote:
The Andersen hitch causes absolutely no damage to the bed floor. I've checked and there's not so much as a mark left behind in the Rhino Liner. One wouldn't even know anything has been in the bed. That was a concern of mine as well.

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's a new style hitch and there will be many who find it hard to believe. I was one of those people. I did plenty of research before I trusted it to pull our heavy and expensive 5th wheel. But I am thoroughly sold on this hitch now having towed with it.

As for hook-up concerns...My Ram has a bed camera so lining up/hooking up is very easy. But, yes, without a clear visual, hooking up would be more challenging.

If you love your conventional hitch and can't envision anything better....great. The Andersen hitch is an alternative that works extremely well.

Do you use safety chains? Chris

Not yet. I see Andersen now offers a chain kit, which I'll be ordering.

Does your truck have the pull up hooks in the bed of the truck to attach them to? Does the RAM factory goose neck have them? The see them in the bed of over trucks with goose necks. People say it is a pain in the a$$ crawling into the bed to attached them with the 5th wheel over hang above you.
Chris

Me Again wrote:

Gunship Guy wrote:
The Andersen hitch causes absolutely no damage to the bed floor. I've checked and there's not so much as a mark left behind in the Rhino Liner. One wouldn't even know anything has been in the bed. That was a concern of mine as well.

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's a new style hitch and there will be many who find it hard to believe. I was one of those people. I did plenty of research before I trusted it to pull our heavy and expensive 5th wheel. But I am thoroughly sold on this hitch now having towed with it.

As for hook-up concerns...My Ram has a bed camera so lining up/hooking up is very easy. But, yes, without a clear visual, hooking up would be more challenging.

If you love your conventional hitch and can't envision anything better....great. The Andersen hitch is an alternative that works extremely well.

Do you use safety chains? Chris

Not yet. I see Andersen now offers a chain kit, which I'll be ordering.

Gunship Guy wrote:
The Andersen hitch causes absolutely no damage to the bed floor. I've checked and there's not so much as a mark left behind in the Rhino Liner. One wouldn't even know anything has been in the bed. That was a concern of mine as well.

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's a new style hitch and there will be many who find it hard to believe. I was one of those people. I did plenty of research before I trusted it to pull our heavy and expensive 5th wheel. But I am thoroughly sold on this hitch now having towed with it.

As for hook-up concerns...My Ram has a bed camera so lining up/hooking up is very easy. But, yes, without a clear visual, hooking up would be more challenging.

If you love your conventional hitch and can't envision anything better....great. The Andersen hitch is an alternative that works extremely well.

Do you use safety chains? Chris

The Andersen hitch causes absolutely no damage to the bed floor. I've checked and there's not so much as a mark left behind in the Rhino Liner. One wouldn't even know anything has been in the bed. That was a concern of mine as well.

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's a new style hitch and there will be many who find it hard to believe. I was one of those people. I did plenty of research before I trusted it to pull our heavy and expensive 5th wheel. But I am thoroughly sold on this hitch now having towed with it.

As for hook-up concerns...My Ram has a bed camera so lining up/hooking up is very easy. But, yes, without a clear visual, hooking up would be more challenging.

If you love your conventional hitch and can't envision anything better....great. The Andersen hitch is an alternative that works extremely well.

Me Again wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:


I'm not sure if weight is put on the "bed of the truck, center ball is integrated into center hole, affixed to the frame, two of the three legs are over the frame, but the 3rd one would be on the bed.

The goose neck ball attachment is used to pull/hold the Anderson frame down onto the bed floor, and is just the opposite of holding up weight. In fact it counts on the goose ball lock that hold it into the bed to prevent it from being pulled up. In a normal goose neck tow the weight of the trailers hitch weight pushes down on the ball and hardly ever relies on the lock to keep it in the receiver. If you look back on the Companion hitch, the early ones were damaging the bed floor. The Anderson has wide plates on the bottom to spread out the weight, but that weight does in fact all go on the bed floor.

I believe the factory hitch setup is the way to go! I looked at the plates that RAM installed on the frame for the factory prep and it is very robust!

Chris

Agree:)

NC Hauler wrote:


I'm not sure if weight is put on the "bed of the truck, center ball is integrated into center hole, affixed to the frame, two of the three legs are over the frame, but the 3rd one would be on the bed.

The goose neck ball attachment is used to pull/hold the Anderson frame down onto the bed floor, and is just the opposite of holding up weight. In fact it counts on the goose ball lock that hold it into the bed to prevent it from being pulled up. In a normal goose neck tow the weight of the trailers hitch weight pushes down on the ball and hardly ever relies on the lock to keep it in the receiver. If you look back on the Companion hitch, the early ones were damaging the bed floor. The Anderson has wide plates on the bottom to spread out the weight, but that weight does in fact all go on the bed floor.

I believe the factory hitch setup is the way to go! I looked at the plates that RAM installed on the frame for the factory prep and it is very robust!

Chris