New 5th wheel hitch.

dryfly wrote:
This is not a which hitch is the best question.

I've got a 16K Husky slider hitch that I've been using for 12 years. Since I keep my truck in the garage, it still looks pretty good, but it's obviously aging (like me). I'm wondering what the life span on these hitches are? I really can't find any points on the hitch to service.

Even though I have a short bed Dodge truck, I have never once needed to engage the slider, but I've had to put up with the slop associated with it. If I bought a new hitch I'd probably go with a B&W.

So I guess the question is "how long should one go without updating a hitch" ?

I had a Reese slider that was about 10 years old. It too was sloppy and noisy. This spring I bought a 4 year old B&W Patriot for $300 and sold the Reese for $160. So for $140 I got a solid hitch. I am definitely a B&W convert now. The B&W is solid and quiet. Best move I have made in a while. Good luck.

My old '97 16K Reese manual slider looks like new and works even better than when it was new. I keep it lubed and when not in use it hangs in the tractor barn. This old hitch has been on three trucks and has pulled my different 5th wheel rv trailers and GN pin trailers. I'm a stickler for maintenance so I'm keeping this one.

dryfly wrote:

As an aside, one thing I will miss on the Husky is the Blue Ox Bed Saver that I put on it. I know this is a controversial thing but in my 12 years of pulling a 5th wheel it has twice saved me from dropping my trailer on the bed rails. Both times were through my negligence.

And by the way, I do know the correct way to prevent this from happening. I was careless!

If you have some fabricating skills and tools modify the Blue Ox to fit a new hitch. I just bought one that I thought was going to fit my hitch and the bolt holes are not positioned right so I need to drill new holes in the correct location for my hitch. Before I found it I was going to fab one from scratch.

Thanks for the input. I'll certainly give it consideration. If I do make the move, the Patriot rail model would be my first choice.

As far as the movement caused by the slider, it is not really that bad and would not be a cause by itself to prompt me to get a new hitch. Sure as I get a hitch with no slider I'll probably need it the next day.

As an aside, one thing I will miss on the Husky is the Blue Ox Bed Saver that I put on it. I know this is a controversial thing but in my 12 years of pulling a 5th wheel it has twice saved me from dropping my trailer on the bed rails. Both times were through my negligence.

And by the way, I do know the correct way to prevent this from happening. I was careless!

I agree with Jerry 100%. He steered me toward the B&W 16K Patriot a few years ago and it has been a great hitch. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

I don't think anyone can say "you have to update every XX years", as all hitches are not equal, or have the same care.

After 12 years, and your words "put up with the slop", I would just get the new B&W that you are considering.

Your Husky should still have some value, as it is a good hitch. I'd sell it, maybe getting a third, or near half the cost of a new B&W 16K Patriot. I'm guessing you have rails, and the Patriot is IMO, the best hitch out there for rails. You will have ZERO slop, and a very user friendly, well built hitch, that has a lot of ahead/back adjustment.

I would not "PUT UP" with anything, that I could easily replace! I'd get that new Patriot ordered today, from etrailer, or tweety's, and sell the old one, whenever you get around to it.

Jerry