We just bought an Arctic Fox 29-5T which I'll pick up in a couple of weeks when I rotate home from my work in Alaska. New to the 5th wheel game so I'm trying to have everything set up and ready to go before I get home. It's fairly tough researching via a slow internet sat connection here on the boat so I'm looking for some advice.I have a 2013 Chevy 3500HD Duramax crew cab long bed DRW. Beside the new 5th wheel I also have a Eagle Cap 950 camper that I will use when towing my boat to various places to fish so I want a 5th wheel hitch that is fairly easy to remove. Emailing with the dealer I told him I thought the B & W turnover ball under bed mount with the B & W Companion hitch would be good. He said yes and gave me a decent price for the install but he said I should consider Reese's under bed mount and Elite hitch. From what I've read both sound like a decent system. He said the price would be close to the same.I want to have a clear bed when the hitch is off the truck so the camper won't be resting on anything when I'm packing it around. When using the camper I will have a heavy rubber bed mat in the bed. Sooooo do the pucks from the Reese system leave much of a protrusion in the bed that could do damage to the camper? I can't tell by the pictures I've seen. Or are the pucks flush so I won't have to worry about it?Same questions for the B & W systemAny opinions of which way I should go?Thanks,Kim

My opinion would be to get the reese under bed mounts but get the B&W 3300 hitch it will set right in there and you would have the best of both worlds

I have the Reese Elite hitch in my Ford and the pucks stick up less than a quarter of a inch. A buddy of mine has the same hitch and he uses a rubber bed mat whith holes cut out for the pucks when he takes the hitch out and puts his cap back on for the winter.

I have the B&W and the floor is flush with maybe a 1/4" protrusion above. I don't think it will bother the in bed camper at all. Also I bought B&W because if you look at both of them the Companion just looks better,better built, better swivel mount,etc. - IMO.

When I bought my first 5th wheel, I bought the B&W under bed mount with the Companion. I carry a 400 gallon water tank and also haul dirt and rock, and need a flat floor. With one hole in the center for the Companion, I can just put the goose neck ball in upside down. and don't have to worry about rock or dirt wall out.Plus it carries the trailer very well.

The B&W hitch is an excellent hitch, and easy to remove: loosen 5 bolts, pull the pin, and lift it out. When it is out there is nothing but a 4" hole in the bed. If it were me I'd cut out the rubber mat for the contact area of whatever hitch you end up getting.

Reese vs B & W under bed mounts | Good Sam Community

30 Replies

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2013
jerem0621 wrote:
I am considering a Gooseneck/Fifth-Wheel Adaptor set up for my F350 for our future fiver.

I am NOT IMPRESSED as a potential consumer with either the Reese, B&W, or Curt set ups. The handle in the wheel well, open and available to any prankster while I am fueling up, eating, etc just doesn't sit well with me.

I am most impressed with two particular Gooseneck designs.

1) The Drop N' Lock- quite literally two moving parts. I'm probably going with this one.
2) The Blue Ox- Nice hitch, and they have the companion shank now to use with the B&W Companion, very nice.

both of these hitches lock the ball from inside the bed and while coupled it would be prohibitively difficult for a prankster to unlock the ball.

With Reese/B&W/Curt.. a mean person only needs 5 seconds to ruin your day.

Since I am probably going with Drop N' Lock I will be using an Andersen Ultimate Fifth Wheel Connection or if the fiver we choose is rated for a gooseneck adaptor we may just run one of them too.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

When you tighten the bolt on the hitch you can not pull the handle! So now you have no excuse for not buying the B&W.

I always LOCK my handle closed!
retispcsi
Explorer
Aug 25, 2013
I installed the reese undermount kit on my 2012 Ram and went with the B & W 3300 which is designed to fit in the undermount. It gives you higher numbers on both pin and trailer weight and I when I bought mine last year was the same price as the 3000 which is the turn over tyle. Get product and service.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2013
thomasmnile wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
The "pull-down bolt" is torqued to 40 ft-lb. The U-bolt nuts are torqued to 80 ft-lbs.

Yeah I knew the numbers, can never remember which bolt got what. Probably explains why I had to pull the instructions out every time I put the hitch in the truck.............:S
Yeah, I can dig it. :)
jerem0621
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2013
Ok, thanks for clarifying that.
sdetweil
Explorer
Aug 25, 2013
thomasmnile wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
The "pull-down bolt" is torqued to 40 ft-lb. The U-bolt nuts are torqued to 80 ft-lbs.

Yeah I knew the numbers, can never remember which bolt got what. Probably explains why I had to pull the instructions out every time I put the hitch in the truck.............:S

easy.. the ONE bolt gets 40, the others twice as much.
thomasmnile
Explorer
Aug 25, 2013
fj12ryder wrote:
The "pull-down bolt" is torqued to 40 ft-lb. The U-bolt nuts are torqued to 80 ft-lbs.

Yeah I knew the numbers, can never remember which bolt got what. Probably explains why I had to pull the instructions out every time I put the hitch in the truck.............:S
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2013
The "pull-down bolt" is torqued to 40 ft-lb. The U-bolt nuts are torqued to 80 ft-lbs.
thomasmnile
Explorer
Aug 25, 2013
Alley Fox wrote:
jerem0621 wrote:

I am NOT IMPRESSED as a potential consumer with either the Reese, B&W, or Curt set ups. The handle in the wheel well, open and available to any prankster while I am fueling up, eating, etc just doesn't sit well with me.

Jeremiah, I would challenge anybody to "pull the pin" on a B&W Companion hitch while in tow, it is VERY tight. Even if they did, no damage would occur, just some possible looseness in the post, the pin weight would keep everything together. Obviously you have never owned a B&W or you would know that is impossible. I have heard of "pranksters" unlocking the jaw release pin on a B&W at a rest stop, but due to design the hitch never released and was discovered 300 miles later, no damage done. There is a place to install a padlock for the hitch release if that is a concern. The only thing I worry about is someone "borrowing the upper part of my hitch if I'm not towing....

Alley Fox is correct. The bolt on top of the post that sets into the turnover ball hitch is torqued to something like 60-80 ft/lbs. That bolt is screwed down on the release rod. As far as tampering with locking bar on the jaw, I always locked it in place with a disc lock. Someone would really have to work to cut one of them. As far as when the hitch is in the truck bed when not towing, yes I guess anyone wanting it could take it. Never had that problem, plus I generally removed the Companion from the bed if we weren't going somewhere.
Alley_Fox
Explorer
Aug 25, 2013
sdetweil wrote:
Alley Fox wrote:

... There is a place to install a padlock for the hitch release if that is a concern. The only thing I worry about is someone "borrowing the upper part of my hitch if I'm not towing....

can't you replace the pins with locking pins to prevent the head from being removed? I don't know, but I am getting the B&W companion and intend to do this.

Yes, you can get locking pins, cables or even something like an old style, through-the-spokes long shackle bike lock to lock the head in place. I am working on finding/making something with a weather resistant combo lock so I don't have to add yet ANOTHER key to my ring. My theory is, if someone really wants to steal it, they WILL. Seems like some thieves are well prepared these days with bolt cutters, compact cutting torches etc so nothing is theft-proof, but you can make it a little more difficult for the casual scum.
sdetweil
Explorer
Aug 25, 2013
Alley Fox wrote:

... There is a place to install a padlock for the hitch release if that is a concern. The only thing I worry about is someone "borrowing the upper part of my hitch if I'm not towing....

can't you replace the pins with locking pins to prevent the head from being removed? I don't know, but I am getting the B&W companion and intend to do this.

Forum Discussion

Reese vs B & W under bed mounts

30 Replies

About Fifth Wheel Group

Related Content

Reese Sidewinder

Reese WDH

Reese Revolution Hitch

Reese Goosebox

Tag mounting