Hitch Advice

Just bought a B&W patroit from Tweedy's.com $399.80 very nice hitch.I think the rail kit is about $160.00. The workmanship on the hitch is second to none plus it is American made with American steel.

I have a '97 16k square tube slider by Reese. The hitch has been on three trucks and two different 5th wheel trailers and still work like a hot knife through butter ( I keep it lubed and maintained). The sliding part is seldom used other than backing in extra tight conditions. The manual slider moves the pin 10" aft of the trucks rear axle which makes the trailer react quicker to steering input.

I'm not a brand cheer leader and there are other sliding hitch brands out here. My advise is make sure the hitch pivots four ways.

Many short bed GM owners report they don't need a sliding hitch or they don't have one. The GM trucks have a longer dimension from the back of the cab to the trucks rear axle. This along with the newer 5ers with a notched/rounded front corners make a sliding hitch not necessary. Your trailer dealer/manufacturer can help you with that part.

The slide bar lock is a positive lock. But there could be a hang up latter on. That bar that slides might become bent to the point where it will not release the trailer when you want to unhook from your trailer. And it also will wear the bar and the king pin where they make contact with each other giving you a sloppy ride over time. I would reconsider the slide bar hitch for something else.

Go Patriot. Locking wrap around jaws. Fail proof.

We have the Reese 15k slider that was included in our 2003 Laredo 5er purchase. It must have sat in the lawn for a while - our mechanic had to clean it up and lube the heck out of it because it had "frozen" - but it works beautifully now. We don't even need a slide hitch (long bed truck) - but are glad we have it in case our next truck is a regular bed.

The B&W is a good hitch.I am a workamper and escort a lot of 5th wheels to there site.See lots of B&W hitches and happy owners very good quality.

Busdriver wrote:
Just bought a B&W patroit from Tweedy's.com $399.80 very nice hitch.I think the rail kit is about $160.00. The workmanship on the hitch is second to none plus it is American made with American steel.

And you never see a dented bed with a B&W.

goducks10 wrote:
Go Patriot. Locking wrap around jaws. Fail proof.

I always say "fool proof" and some slam me for saying that but it is true. Plates touching handle locked and the 1" thick silver jaws closed around the kingpin it is latched no question. Also no need for a pull test.

I give my B&W the look test, and then the look again, but no need for pull test.

Jerry

MFL wrote:
I give my B&W the look test, and then the look again, but no need for pull test.

Jerry

x2, after backing into the hitch, I get out and while hooking up the 7 pin plug take a look at the jaws. Never once have I backed up into the pin, watched the handle go into the closed position and not have the jaws wrapped around the pin.
No pull test needed.