Dodge 5th wheel prep

45Ricochet wrote:

NC Hauler wrote:


This was a good idea that wasn't thought out well by Chrysler...

.............or just "wait and see" what Chrysler/Mopar is going to do about an adapter that should have been on the market/available when these trucks came out......

This must be why Fred moved over to Nissan :W What were they thinking???
Cart before horse comes to mind.

Yeah, I really don't get it...I did find out from rangertx that the center hole that takes GN ball is identical to the Ford prep pack...if you remove the center puck you can see where ball drops into place with a groove for the ball to be held into place when the "ball bearings" go into the groove and lock the ball into place.

Chrysler dropped the ball on this...should restitute any one that ordered the prep pack, it's not worth a thing if there is no use for it.

NC Hauler wrote:


This was a good idea that wasn't thought out well by Chrysler...

.............or just "wait and see" what Chrysler/Mopar is going to do about an adapter that should have been on the market/available when these trucks came out......

This must be why Fred moved over to Nissan :W What were they thinking???
Cart before horse comes to mind.

Gunship Guy wrote:
The Andersen Hitch may be the way to go. Will have to look at that one in more detail.

Again, you can go to Tweedy's.com and order both the hitch and the ball...if someone finds them cheaper somewhere else, let us know...

http://www.andersenhitches.com/Catalog/ultimate-5th-wheel-connection.aspx

The Andersen Hitch may be the way to go. Will have to look at that one in more detail.

..yeah, you don't need to use chains with this hitch as ranchertx alluded to, it's considered a 5th wheel hitch, not a GN....you can go to Andersen hitch to see several short clips on it. this may be the route I will opt to go...cheapest way would be to mount my 5er hitch in the bed of my truck, but with 5 holes in it already (covered by OEM "puck covers"), I really don't want to go that route...most expensive would be to purchase the adapter and "hope" my 5er hitch will "work" with the "one size fit's all adapter"...at $$$, or go the Andersen/Reese ball route and sell my 5er hitch to recoup some money on the back end.

Best bet would have been to have purchased truck WITHOUT prep package, and re-install my 5er hitch...."coulda, shoulda, woulda"..........

NC Hauler is right on....the Anderson Ultimate hitch is the cats meow. I will never mess with a fifth wheel hitch again.

Not sure about what Mopar is doing on their hitch adapter, or, their Gooseneck ball. But they don't have either one out, adn they are not even able to be ordered yet.

Luckily the Reese Elite Pop in ball fits perfectly so, we can use the gooseneck function. The ball comes with two chain hooks which go into the front two fifth wheel pucks. These came in handy this weekend to book down a BB pit in the bed of the truck.

Brandon327 wrote:
Yeah but I am about to buy a new truck and don't want something I can't get a hitch for. Then it was pointless to get dually if cant pull anything with it bc a hitch is unavailable.

"IF" you don't get the GN/5er prep package, you can STILL get a 5th wheel hitch put in the "regular way"....A guy on the Cummins forum did this.

Right now, Reese has their Reese Elite drop in ball which fits perfectly into the center hole...so if one wants to get a hitch that sits on the GN ball, they can do it.

I do not have to tow for a bit, but Andersen does make a hitch called "Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch", ($449, free shipping thru Tweedy's.com)....you can also get the Reese Elite drop in ball for $212.

OR, you can wait for MOPAR to get this "adapter" that fits into your truck bed and HOPE that your existing hitch (my 20k Reese Sig hitch for example), will work perfectly with it. and I understand that the adapter WON'T be cheap (DUH!!)... This was a good idea that wasn't thought out well by Chrysler...this option was offered in Dec. when I ordered this 13' and it's almost JUNE!!! and still no adapter.

As stated Curt and B&W are jumping on the bandwagon to take this business away from Chrysler and I can't blame them one bit...BUT, bummer is, IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A HITCH, you're going to spend more money than you planned on to begin with, thinking this "prep package" was going to be "all that"....$400 for prep package you can't use, "right now"...

Again, if you don't get the prep package, you STILL should be able to mount your 5er hitch just like normal....I can, but am waiting...with 5 neatly placed holes in my truck bed, don't want to put anymore in it at this point.

The Reese Elite drop in ball fit's PERFECTlY in the center hole...push it in and the ball-bearings fit snugly into groove in hole...I "MIGHT" go with the Andersen hitch..two guys on the Cummins forum have went this route and ranchertx(handle on this forum and Cummins forum), has already installed his and towed with it ( his 5er is longer than mine as well as heavier than mine)...he has same truck I do. He has the adjustable ball on the hitch set to it's lowest setting and he told me he has 6" from bed rail to 5er....so for $662, one can go this route...if one waits for the adapter, which I've heard is going to be around $500 or more??? (have no real clue)...or I could mount my hitch that I have now for about $350 and have EVEN MORE holes in the bed and frame than I have now......haven't decided yet. The anderson hitch isn't like our 5er hitches, but the more I "study on it", the more I like the looks of it...

anyhoo.....get a Dually without prep package and mount your hitch to it, no big deal, one guy on Cummins forum has had it done and posted pictures, (and his came with prep pacakage).....several are using the Reese drop in ball and the Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch.

..............or just "wait and see" what Chrysler/Mopar is going to do about an adapter that should have been on the market/available when these trucks came out......

Brandon327, I would say if you really want a Ram then get it. Hitches will become available. I don't know your timeline. You may need to tow something quick and that may drive you away from the new Ram.

I have yet to order our new 5'er. I'm waiting for the truck and then an appropriate hitch to become available. I have time to wait so this hasn't been a critical issue for me. It's just annoying that they didn't anticipate people would be wanting a hitch to go along with their highly-touted prep package. Not having enough adapter rails available was poor planning on Ram's part.

If the gooseneck hitch prep is in a 2013 truck it really should not be too hard to fab a post for the Companion to clamp on to???????