5th Wheel Hitch Information.

[Mr_MrsSchleppro]

Hi all. My wife and I are taking delivery of our new 2014 Hemisphere Lite 327 res next week. We currently have a TT so I have to get a 5th wheel hitch for our truck. It's a 99 F250 Superduty CC with a 7.3 diesel and 3.73 rear axle. I'm looking at Etrailer at the various hitches they have. I'm looking for information on the different brands offered, Reese, Pro Series, Husky, Curt. The Hemispere Lite has an empty weight of 9544lbs, and a cargo carrying capacity of 2651. Which puts it at around 12195 heavy. I'm thinking of going with a 16k hitch just in case, since I have to buy a hitch anyway I might as well go a little above in case of anything. Any thoughts on a hitch and towing this 5er with my truck set up. Thanks..

[Mr_MrsSchleppro]

Thanks guys. Sorry it's taken so long to get back, I've been busy. I've been looking at the Curt linked Here. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge or opinion on this one. Yep, truck is a short bed so I definitely want a slider. Of course 'm looking at some what of a budget, but not a set dollar yet. And also just some more info, the truck has Firestone Ride Rite airbags.

And This Curt is 16k but has the Economy slide jaw. The first one I posted has the standard double jaw. Any opinions on the two. Is one better than the other?

[Drifter1959]

boshog wrote:

Mr_MrsSchlepprock250 wrote:
We currently have a TT so I have to get a 5th wheel hitch for our truck. It's a 99 F250 Superduty CC with a 7.3 diesel and 3.73 rear axle.

One often overlooked feature of a hitch is the ability to adjust not only the fifth wheel height from the truck's bed but also the pin location so the RV's weight sits over the axle and not behind it. This makes it much easier to level your TV and trailer.

I'm not familiar with all the hitches but the B&W Patriot is flexible to hitch plate location. Also you may want to consider a sliding hitch to allow sharper turns without hitting the truck cab to the RV's cap (if you have a 6 foot box). The only sliding hitch I found that allows multi-height adjustments is the Demco Hijacker Autoslide.

Both of these solutions are heavy weight fifth wheel hitches, 200 plus pounds, two people would be needed to remove and replace the hitch in the truck bed. If this is important, then Anderson makes a solution but be aware, your pin weight will ride behind the rear axle and it offers a fixed height.

X2

[ralphnjoann]

boshog wrote:

Mr_MrsSchlepprock250 wrote:
We currently have a TT so I have to get a 5th wheel hitch for our truck. It's a 99 F250 Superduty CC with a 7.3 diesel and 3.73 rear axle.

One often overlooked feature of a hitch is the ability to adjust not only the fifth wheel height from the truck's bed but also the pin location so the RV's weight sits over the axle and not behind it. This makes it much easier to level your TV and trailer.

I'm not familiar with all the hitches but the B&W Patriot is flexible to hitch plate location. Also you may want to consider a sliding hitch to allow sharper turns without hitting the truck cab to the RV's cap (if you have a 6 foot box). The only sliding hitch I found that allows multi-height adjustments is the Demco Hijacker Autoslide.

Both of these solutions are heavy weight fifth wheel hitches, 200 plus pounds, two people would be needed to remove and replace the hitch in the truck bed. If this is important, then Anderson makes a solution but be aware, your pin weight will ride behind the rear axle and it offers a fixed height.

The Andersen rail mount, which I own, can be adjusted front to back either by rotating the base 180 degrees, by rotating the connector box attached to the kingpin by 180 degrees, or both. My connecting ball rides in front of the axle.

The connecting ball can also be raised or lowered as it has an extended shank with holes in it. Pull the pin, adjust the height and replace the pin is all it takes.

[boshog]

Mr_MrsSchlepprock250 wrote:
We currently have a TT so I have to get a 5th wheel hitch for our truck. It's a 99 F250 Superduty CC with a 7.3 diesel and 3.73 rear axle.

One often overlooked feature of a hitch is the ability to adjust not only the fifth wheel height from the truck's bed but also the pin location so the RV's weight sits over the axle and not behind it. This makes it much easier to level your TV and trailer.

I'm not familiar with all the hitches but the B&W Patriot is flexible to hitch plate location. Also you may want to consider a sliding hitch to allow sharper turns without hitting the truck cab to the RV's cap (if you have a 6 foot box). The only sliding hitch I found that allows multi-height adjustments is the Demco Hijacker Autoslide.

Both of these solutions are heavy weight fifth wheel hitches, 200 plus pounds, two people would be needed to remove and replace the hitch in the truck bed. If this is important, then Anderson makes a solution but be aware, your pin weight will ride behind the rear axle and it offers a fixed height.

[SkiSmuggs]

As a very happy convert to the Andersen Ultimate for my F350 short bed, I recommend looking at both that http://www.andersenhitches.com/catalog/ultimate-5th-wheel-connection.aspx
or Pullrite's new SuperLite with a similar design. http://www.pullrite.com/products/isr-series-superlite-industry-standard-rails/isr-series-superlite-2...

Both are simpler, smoother, quieter and MUCH lighter. The Andersen has a model that connects to a gooseneck ball and a model that connects to a standard rail mount.

[rhagfo]

csamayfield55 wrote:
There is a reason the Reese hitch is affordable, because it is garbage!! IT is very easy to high hitch them and when you do that you can break and bend the locating block for the dual jaw. When that happens the jaws will start rocking back and forth and cause fatigue in the metal and it will break.

Please take a look at the Andersen Ultimate hitch! That is an amazing hitch and anyone who has used it will tell you how much they love them. Easy in and out of the bed and a rock solid tow. They are priced very affordable also.

If you insist on a standard 5th wheel hitch you can not go wrong with the B&W. Very nice but also very heavy

Chris

Hi hitching is caused by improper hitching procedure and can happen with any hitch. The solution is to follow the proper procedure, the reason the hitch head sets back and has ramps at the rear! The intent is to hit the ramps not and slide up the ramps into the capture position.
Many state it is prone to droppin, but I have towed my 5er with the handle in locked for over 20 miles, and didn't drop!!

[Second_Chance]

ralphnjoann wrote:
I have a truck similar to yours, a 1996 F250 PSD and my trailer weighs just a little less than the one you own. Check out the Andersen Ultimate. Amazon sells it for $519 with free shipping.

I've been very happy with it, especially the weight, which is about 42 pounds.

The Andersen is fairly new to the market and there are a number of posts here, both pro and con, discussing it. I encourage you to check them out.

X2. We're extremely happy with ours. I haven't found anyone who actually owns one who isn't happy with it (you'll find negative stuff out there written by folks who've never owned or used one.)

Rob

[RAS43]

jerem0621 wrote:
The pro series hitch you linked to is a fine and affordable hitch. It's dual jaw design is great and is self latching.

The slider base is one thing I have a bit of an issue with Reese/ProSeries. Other brands of hitches use solid bar stock machined to be a slider rail while the Reese/ProSeries base is a welded hollow tube. It's plenty strong enough but by virtue of design it only has 10 inches of travel...other slider bases such as B&W and Curt give a full foot of sliding...those extra two inches may or may not matter. Just something to consider.

One other plus to the Reese/ProSeries is that it is one of the lightest slider hitches on the market. I believe the shipping weight is around 150 lbs and the Curt and B&W is over 200.

I like the versatility that the above bed rails give... Extra tie off points for securing cargo when hauling stuff while not towing... Add a cheap ProSeries gooseneck plate for your fifth wheel rails and you have a gooseneck hitch and can haul gooseneck trailers if you need too...no gooseneck ball to get stuck in your bed etc etc etc
Thanks!
Jeremiah

X2 on a Reese hitch. Mine is a 20k hitch and is 20 years old. Never had any issues and just replaced the 2 jaw springs last year as a maintenance chore. And as for high hitching, it can happen with any hitch and that is an operator issue, not the fault of the hitch. Develop a hookup procedure and stick to it without interruptions and you will do fine.

[csamayfield55x]

There is a reason the Reese hitch is affordable, because it is garbage!! IT is very easy to high hitch them and when you do that you can break and bend the locating block for the dual jaw. When that happens the jaws will start rocking back and forth and cause fatigue in the metal and it will break.

Please take a look at the Andersen Ultimate hitch! That is an amazing hitch and anyone who has used it will tell you how much they love them. Easy in and out of the bed and a rock solid tow. They are priced very affordable also.

If you insist on a standard 5th wheel hitch you can not go wrong with the B&W. Very nice but also very heavy

Chris

[jerem0621]

The pro series hitch you linked to is a fine and affordable hitch. It's dual jaw design is great and is self latching.

The slider base is one thing I have a bit of an issue with Reese/ProSeries. Other brands of hitches use solid bar stock machined to be a slider rail while the Reese/ProSeries base is a welded hollow tube. It's plenty strong enough but by virtue of design it only has 10 inches of travel...other slider bases such as B&W and Curt give a full foot of sliding...those extra two inches may or may not matter. Just something to consider.

One other plus to the Reese/ProSeries is that it is one of the lightest slider hitches on the market. I believe the shipping weight is around 150 lbs and the Curt and B&W is over 200.

I like the versatility that the above bed rails give... Extra tie off points for securing cargo when hauling stuff while not towing... Add a cheap ProSeries gooseneck plate for your fifth wheel rails and you have a gooseneck hitch and can haul gooseneck trailers if you need too...no gooseneck ball to get stuck in your bed etc etc etc

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[ralphnjoann]

I have a truck similar to yours, a 1996 F250 PSD and my trailer weighs just a little less than the one you own. Check out the Andersen Ultimate. Amazon sells it for $519 with free shipping.

I've been very happy with it, especially the weight, which is about 42 pounds.

The Andersen is fairly new to the market and there are a number of posts here, both pro and con, discussing it. I encourage you to check them out.

[George_H]

I've been using a 16k husky, bought in 2001, 2 trucks, 2 trailers, and 13 states. Only problem, I had to replace one bolt.

[BB_TX]

Pullrite Super 5th is a very good hitch also. But you really can't go wrong with any of the name brand hitches.

[Greene728]

I got the B&W 16k Patriot (uses the rails) from Amazon for $529 shipped to my house. I would very highly recommend it to anyone! I really like Etrailer, but their price was considerably higher on the hitch I purchased.

[MudChucker]

Best advice I ever got was not to match the hitch to the trailer, but match it to the truck. Assuming of course you want to stay legal etc. This gives you room to some day buy another possibly heavier trailer and not need a new hitch.

I'm pretry happy with my curt 24k.