Is my 16K Reese ok for the job?

jerem0621 wrote:
Has anyone actually seen a fiver hitch fail from overloading?

Those fifth wheel hitches from the 80's were sometimes rated for 16 k and they don't look nearly as beefy as the hitches we have now.

Heck, the B&W Patriot gained 2k in rating just by getting a welded base. Lol

Thanks!

Jeremiah

And the Companion rates at 20K now instead of 18K because of a stronger base design. B&W have very conservative ratings unlike some of the others!

I've pulled 18k pounds with my 16k hitch for 800 miles before. Hitch still works as it should.

First....forget the dry weight and base your truck and hitch selection based on the trailers GVWR. You will be surprised at how fast the weight adds up.

For a pin weight estimate, use 20% of the trailers GVWR. DO NOT use the manufacturers brochure weight.

Ken

Has anyone actually seen a fiver hitch fail from overloading?

Those fifth wheel hitches from the 80's were sometimes rated for 16 k and they don't look nearly as beefy as the hitches we have now.

Heck, the B&W Patriot gained 2k in rating just by getting a welded base. Lol

Thanks!

Jeremiah

mowermech wrote:

Brisk wrote:

abc40kids wrote:
So how close do or should you get to the 16k before moving up?

17,000

There is a good chance that Engineering and Marketing agreed on at least a 10% safety margin for the Working Load. I don't believe anything is ever rated at its Failure Load.
So, yeah, I would not be one bit afraid to exceed the rating by 10 or 15%.
NOTE: This is a statement of what I would likely do. It is in no way to be considered as advice or a recommendation for YOU (the reader) to follow. The final decision is YOURS to make.

The engineering safety factor is probably closer to 250%.
I wouldn't hesitate to load it with anything up to (or a little above) the rating.

Brisk wrote:

abc40kids wrote:
So how close do or should you get to the 16k before moving up?

17,000

There is a good chance that Engineering and Marketing agreed on at least a 10% safety margin for the Working Load. I don't believe anything is ever rated at its Failure Load.
So, yeah, I would not be one bit afraid to exceed the rating by 10 or 15%.
NOTE: This is a statement of what I would likely do. It is in no way to be considered as advice or a recommendation for YOU (the reader) to follow. The final decision is YOURS to make.

I am old school, get more than you need and you do not have to worry. At 15500 I would be going for the bigger hitch, seen toooooo many marginal setups to ever want to encounter them on the road when the setup comes apart, or has cracks developing in unobservable places.

abc40kids wrote:
So how close do or should you get to the 16k before moving up?

17,000

I would think the hitch maker would be responsible for the hitch rating of 16,000. I am thinking most FW hitches, will handle much more than rated, before actual failure.

I would not go over a hitch rating, but would not be afraid to be close, on a quality hitch.

Enjoy the new FW,
Jerry

Think you'll be fine until you hit 16k.