B & W Hitch

ricatic wrote:
I maintain that high hitching the B&W is impossible...missing the hitch completely with the kingpin is possible if you have the trailer 3 or 4 inches above the locking jaws...or the hitching person did not look at or attempt to place the safety pin in the locking lever...

This is fact...the locking lever is self closing on the B&W. It is impossible for the kingpin to enter the locking mechanism at any height other than optimal without completely closing the locking/release lever. The handle automatically and visually rotates about 90 degrees to the closed position...if the handle does not close to a point where a little push to adjust for the locking pin is all that may be required to insert this pin, the hitch is not closed...by a large margin...use the hitch one time, correctly, and it becomes obvious that an unbroken hitch, can not be slightly mis-hitched...

Regards

AGREED X2!!!!

I always wondered what all the hype was about the B&W system until I seen one in action. I now own one, and there is no way to high hitch it. If you are even slightly high the locking handle will not close. and when it does close it is locked. The safety pin is just a safety pin. I can drive off forgetting to put the pin in and feel comfortable that it will not come lose.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

kennethwooster wrote:
I bought a B&W setup for the Ford kit. The installer was very good about telling me how to use the hitch. Said he explained the to one couple and they did a very high hitch, and dropped the trailer. I always start with the trailer just low enough to catch the lower lip of the hitch. It picks the trailer up some, but guarantees correct connection. I noticed the bed saver bolts to that lip which would make it hard to hatch they way I like to hitch. I do a pull test each time, even though I know I hitched it each time. Did the same with Pullright and Reese. B&W is the best hitch I ever used. Hitch per instructions, and you will not drop the trailer.

Your example of how the installer explained to a person on how to hitch and the did a very high hitch is why I don't believe any of these stories because if the bottom of the kingpin is sitting on the top of the 1" thick jaws the space between the plates will be a full 2" with the B&W, I just measured mine. So if someone even looked they would know it would not stay connected. The hitches with thin jaws are more likely to be dropped because the space between the plates is thinner but still there is a space of about 1 1/2" and never should happen!

BTW if your RV is not secured by hitting the lower edge of the hitch you could easily push it off the blocks.

I back under so the hitch and kingpin box are close then adjust the hight of the RV so the plates are in the same plane or pinbox slightly lower then back up and latch.

Why would you "push it off the blocks"? You =should= have the FW wheels tightly chocked so it can't roll. The chocks should be the =last= thing stored before you move out, since you should be doing a pull-test with wheels chocked (even with the B&W).

Lyle

kennethwooster wrote:
I bought a B&W setup for the Ford kit. The installer was very good about telling me how to use the hitch. Said he explained the to one couple and they did a very high hitch, and dropped the trailer. I always start with the trailer just low enough to catch the lower lip of the hitch. It picks the trailer up some, but guarantees correct connection. I noticed the bed saver bolts to that lip which would make it hard to hatch they way I like to hitch. I do a pull test each time, even though I know I hitched it each time. Did the same with Pullright and Reese. B&W is the best hitch I ever used. Hitch per instructions, and you will not drop the trailer.

Not only do you like to do it that way (me, too), but the instructions for the hitch from B&W also say to do this. If you don't, you're not following factory instructions, so all bets are off.

Lyle

ricatic wrote:
I maintain that high hitching the B&W is impossible...missing the hitch completely with the kingpin is possible if you have the trailer 3 or 4 inches above the locking jaws...or the hitching person did not look at or attempt to place the safety pin in the locking lever...

This is fact...the locking lever is self closing on the B&W. It is impossible for the kingpin to enter the locking mechanism at any height other than optimal without completely closing the locking/release lever. The handle automatically and visually rotates about 90 degrees to the closed position...if the handle does not close to a point where a little push to adjust for the locking pin is all that may be required to insert this pin, the hitch is not closed...by a large margin...use the hitch one time, correctly, and it becomes obvious that an unbroken hitch, can not be slightly mis-hitched...

Regards

AGREED!

I maintain that high hitching the B&W is impossible...missing the hitch completely with the kingpin is possible if you have the trailer 3 or 4 inches above the locking jaws...or the hitching person did not look at or attempt to place the safety pin in the locking lever...

This is fact...the locking lever is self closing on the B&W. It is impossible for the kingpin to enter the locking mechanism at any height other than optimal without completely closing the locking/release lever. The handle automatically and visually rotates about 90 degrees to the closed position...if the handle does not close to a point where a little push to adjust for the locking pin is all that may be required to insert this pin, the hitch is not closed...by a large margin...use the hitch one time, correctly, and it becomes obvious that an unbroken hitch, can not be slightly mis-hitched...

Regards

kennethwooster wrote:
I bought a B&W setup for the Ford kit. The installer was very good about telling me how to use the hitch. Said he explained the to one couple and they did a very high hitch, and dropped the trailer. I always start with the trailer just low enough to catch the lower lip of the hitch. It picks the trailer up some, but guarantees correct connection. I noticed the bed saver bolts to that lip which would make it hard to hatch they way I like to hitch. I do a pull test each time, even though I know I hitched it each time. Did the same with Pullright and Reese. B&W is the best hitch I ever used. Hitch per instructions, and you will not drop the trailer.

Your example of how the installer explained to a person on how to hitch and the did a very high hitch is why I don't believe any of these stories because if the bottom of the kingpin is sitting on the top of the 1" thick jaws the space between the plates will be a full 2" with the B&W, I just measured mine. So if someone even looked they would know it would not stay connected. The hitches with thin jaws are more likely to be dropped because the space between the plates is thinner but still there is a space of about 1 1/2" and never should happen!

BTW if your RV is not secured by hitting the lower edge of the hitch you could easily push it off the blocks.

I back under so the hitch and kingpin box are close then adjust the hight of the RV so the plates are in the same plane or pinbox slightly lower then back up and latch.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
For those that don't have a B&W do your pull test! I used to with the RBW I had. When you actually use a B&W and look at the simplicity of the latching system and the thick wrap around jaws you will understand the only test you need to do is with your EYES. Yes that is a TEST.

Back under get out and close the latching arm and LOCK it. Now LOOK to see if the hitch and kingpin plates are touching. Now LOOK to see if the 1" thick bright silver jaws are wrapped around the kingpin. That is the ONLY test needed with a B&W.

Ok flame on B&W critics!

Thats exactly the way I do it. No poblems with over ten years towing. The B&W is the only hitch I've had or will have.

I bought a B&W setup for the Ford kit. The installer was very good about telling me how to use the hitch. Said he explained the to one couple and they did a very high hitch, and dropped the trailer. I always start with the trailer just low enough to catch the lower lip of the hitch. It picks the trailer up some, but guarantees correct connection. I noticed the bed saver bolts to that lip which would make it hard to hatch they way I like to hitch. I do a pull test each time, even though I know I hitched it each time. Did the same with Pullright and Reese. B&W is the best hitch I ever used. Hitch per instructions, and you will not drop the trailer.

If you feel better with the bed saver then all is well. Some of us just feel that the money spent on a bed saver with a B&W hitch could be spent on fuel instead. :)

Blizardj wrote:
I have the B&W OEM on my F350 and the Blue OX bed saver.

I do not wear a belt and suspenders... As impossible as that sounds.

John

Good call on the B&W!

Not so much on the Blue OX ;)