Bed saver and B & W companion hitch

Honestly, I don't think you'll find anyone with a B&W Companion hitch that has dropped their 5th wheel due to not being hitched properly. They may have dropped their 5th wheel due to negligence or major error of course, but even those instances are going to be extraordinarily rare.

Spend your money on something more useful. :)

MrD wrote:
Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone that has a B & W companion hitch has a bed saver, Or has ever dropped their trailer on their beds with a companion hitch?

Thanks
Mike

Yes...I do...when I bought my first tow vehicle, it had the B&W Turnover Ball already installed. I ordered the Companion because it was the best way to go. I also ordered and had the bed saver installed at the same time. The entire package was included in my fiver deal.

After owning the Companion for a short period of time, I reached the conclusion that the Bed Saver, while nice insurance, was really not needed. It is impossible to high hitch the Companion. If the locking lever close completely when you back under the fiver and you can put the safety pin in the locking lever, it is hitched...period. Only a catastrophic failure of the huge wrap around hitch jaws would cause a lost connection...I have never heard of such a failure...

If I was buying a B&W Companion today, I would skip the Bed Saver...but because I already have it, I will keep it...call it cheap insurance against a failure with almost a zero chance of occurring...

Regards

Back to idiot proof hitches! Cheap insurance if you ask me.

Wow, I was thinking this would be the result, thanks for the comments, I feel much better now

Mike

I always knew that I was "extraordinarily rare" :D. I am one of those that due to "negligence", did drop my 5er with the companion hitch. I was in the middle of hooking up, started talking to my son about something else and didn't latch the hitch. I went to pull forward some and boom. It only put a dent in my tailgate and didn't damage the bed or 5er luckily. I haven't bought a bedsaver, but, I guarantee that my hitch is at least triple checked ever since then.

rconkin wrote:
I always knew that I was "extraordinarily rare" :D. I am one of those that due to "negligence", did drop my 5er with the companion hitch. I was in the middle of hooking up, started talking to my son about something else and didn't latch the hitch. I went to pull forward some and boom. It only put a dent in my tailgate and didn't damage the bed or 5er luckily. I haven't bought a bedsaver, but, I guarantee that my hitch is at least triple checked ever since then.

rconkin

I am curious...when you backed into the hitch, did you notice that the locking handle was completely closed? This is a serious question, not a kick at you when you are down.

The reason I ask is because of the way the B&W self closes the locking handle. With that big solid steel cam completely rotated into the locked position, I am curious how the fiver got loose from the jaws just pulling the fiver a few feet...

Regards

I still had the pin in the hole that holds the handle in the open position when you unhook.

So the handle never closed? That would sure do it. I also was wondering how that happened. Any time I've ever done something stupid it was because I got distracted by somebody. When I'm hooking up I hate having someone try to talk to me.

I had to go look at my hitch to see what hole you were talking about. I've never used that to hold the handle open. I never even knew it was there. I just pull the handle and pull forward, or pull the handle and back in.

ricatic wrote:

MrD wrote:
Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone that has a B & W companion hitch has a bed saver, Or has ever dropped their trailer on their beds with a companion hitch?

Thanks
Mike

Yes...I do...when I bought my first tow vehicle, it had the B&W Turnover Ball already installed. I ordered the Companion because it was the best way to go. I also ordered and had the bed saver installed at the same time. The entire package was included in my fiver deal.

After owning the Companion for a short period of time, I reached the conclusion that the Bed Saver, while nice insurance, was really not needed. It is impossible to high hitch the Companion. If the locking lever close completely when you back under the fiver and you can put the safety pin in the locking lever, it is hitched...period. Only a catastrophic failure of the huge wrap around hitch jaws would cause a lost connection...I have never heard of such a failure...

If I was buying a B&W Companion today, I would skip the Bed Saver...but because I already have it, I will keep it...call it cheap insurance against a failure with almost a zero chance of occurring...

Regards

Good post!

I have never seen a damaged bed with a B&W hitch in the truck.

Get the B&W and buy something else instead of the bed saver!

I always LOCK my handle closed and slip the break away cable into the lock.

Not locked don't pull away.