Forum Discussion
FWIW,
As stated previously this is a picture of the automated safety hitch. At the risk of drawing the ire of many on here I think it is a pretty ingenious setup. I am considering getting one and have done a lot of research and spoken to several people who own them. Funny thing is you only hear negatives from people who have never used them. Everyone I have spoken to once they have used it swear by it. It is considered a 'drop axle' and is legal as such in all 50 states. The company apparently has 'endorsements' from all of the states DOT's or so I have been told. The axle is an F450 front axle and brake setup. I did have a lengthy conversation with the owner of the company and designer of the safety hitch and quite frankly he has his stuff together. One thing the designer touts is that when stopping 70% of your breaking is done by the front axle of your truck. Think about it...when you stop your truck, the nose drops down. What this does is allow that weight from the 5th wheel instead of dropping into the back of your truck it drops onto the axle (F450) under the hitch which has its own F450 brakes to assist with stopping. It actually decreases the stopping distance from just the truck and 5er. In talking with him he advised he actually came up with this idea a number of years ago when he was hauling a goose neck horse trailer and someone pulled in front of him and he had to do an emergency stop.
Let me state I have no interest in the company or owner whatsoever. I have just been doing considerable research on this for a while and may be looking at getting one next year. As part of that research I have cold called several people that own them and they ALL swear by it. One guy even transports 5er's from the manufacturer to dealers with it and loves it.
Don't hang me.....just offering my $.02
Steve
As stated previously this is a picture of the automated safety hitch. At the risk of drawing the ire of many on here I think it is a pretty ingenious setup. I am considering getting one and have done a lot of research and spoken to several people who own them. Funny thing is you only hear negatives from people who have never used them. Everyone I have spoken to once they have used it swear by it. It is considered a 'drop axle' and is legal as such in all 50 states. The company apparently has 'endorsements' from all of the states DOT's or so I have been told. The axle is an F450 front axle and brake setup. I did have a lengthy conversation with the owner of the company and designer of the safety hitch and quite frankly he has his stuff together. One thing the designer touts is that when stopping 70% of your breaking is done by the front axle of your truck. Think about it...when you stop your truck, the nose drops down. What this does is allow that weight from the 5th wheel instead of dropping into the back of your truck it drops onto the axle (F450) under the hitch which has its own F450 brakes to assist with stopping. It actually decreases the stopping distance from just the truck and 5er. In talking with him he advised he actually came up with this idea a number of years ago when he was hauling a goose neck horse trailer and someone pulled in front of him and he had to do an emergency stop.
Let me state I have no interest in the company or owner whatsoever. I have just been doing considerable research on this for a while and may be looking at getting one next year. As part of that research I have cold called several people that own them and they ALL swear by it. One guy even transports 5er's from the manufacturer to dealers with it and loves it.
Don't hang me.....just offering my $.02
Steve
