B&W 3400 Slider. Does it Clunk...work in Ram Puck system?

[tcamper]

Still considering which hitch to go with …… I have a 2015 Ram 3500 with puck System.

I just read on the B&W site where a review was posted and the guy said that the tolerances in the slide mechanism has enough play to cause “un-nerving 'clunk', both as you brake and accelerate”. He said that it was so bad that he wished he had gone with a different slider hitch … and B&W customer service said it was normal safe movement.

Does anyone agree or disagree? Does anyone have any experience with this phenomenon ?

Also, does the turnover ball work on the 3400 slider in the Ram puck systems goose neck slot?

[dinwiddi]

I have the same problem. My 2015 DRW is almost 4" higher at the tailgate than the 04 DRW was. I am running about the same clearance between the bed rails and the trailer, so lowering the trailer by whatever means is not an option. Trading is also not an option; so I will either raise the trailer at the axles or run nose high.
Several on the forum who have traded for later model trucks and kept the older trailers are experiencing this problem.

[MFL]

Dennyha wrote:
I have the B&W Companion hitch BWRVK3600, which locks into the RAM OEM pucks. It is a very solid hitch, and quiet. My only complaint is that I am slightly nose high (camper) when hitched. I am going to sell it and look for another that will allow me to hitch up a little lower

Many of us are towing "slightly" nose high. I am about an inch or so high. I certainly would not give up that solid 3600, if I was less than 2 inches nose high. It will lower to 17"s, and it would be hard to find a hitch that lowers to less than 16"s, so seems a shame to change for an inch, IMO.

Jerry

[Cummins12V98]

Dennyha wrote:
I have the B&W Companion hitch BWRVK3600, which locks into the RAM OEM pucks. It is a very solid hitch, and quiet. My only complaint is that I am slightly nose high (camper) when hitched. I am going to sell it and look for another that will allow me to hitch up a little lower

My B&W RVK3600 does not adjust as low as my previous 18K Companion. So if you are at your lowest setting what space do you have at your tailgate? 6" minimum is where you should be.

Can you raise your kingpin box? Can you lower your springs on the RV?

[Me_Again]

Dennyha wrote:
I have the B&W Companion hitch BWRVK3600, which locks into the RAM OEM pucks. It is a very solid hitch, and quiet. My only complaint is that I am slightly nose high (camper) when hitched. I am going to sell it and look for another that will allow me to hitch up a little lower

So you have the B&W at it's lowest setting and your pin box at is highest position. Hitch heights are pretty standard, so make sure selling it is the right option. I would raise your trailer before getting rid of the current hitch. Chris

[dinwiddi]

tcamper, I think the answer to your question is no. The B&W Turnover ball and gooseneck hitch is different from the gooseneck ball and hitch that came with your puck (4 points) gooseneck hitch (center point) system. The hole that the ball fits into is square on the B&W and round in the Ram. The people at etrailer.com can help you with this. I had intended to install a B&W Turnover with a B&W Companion Slider 5th wheel hitch but traded for DRW with the trailer prep package, so no slider was needed.
I think you will need a "picture frame", that fits in your pucks then put the B&W slider onto that frame as B&W did not make a slider that fit the pucks at the time I was researching this.(Need to check this out as some said they were planning to produce one.) This adds about 2" height that may or not be taken care of in the hitch adjustments. Good luck on your experience.

[Dennyha]

I have the B&W Companion hitch BWRVK3600, which locks into the RAM OEM pucks. It is a very solid hitch, and quiet. My only complaint is that I am slightly nose high (camper) when hitched. I am going to sell it and look for another that will allow me to hitch up a little lower

[Fire91]

I also have B&W turn over and Companion slider with no clunking. Love it.

[stickdog]

mtofell1 wrote:
I'm not sure what the model is but I'm getting an 18K B/W Companion hitch installed in my 2014 2500 Ram tomorrow. They are using the single hole in the middle of the bed in conjunction with the support that runs under the bed. So, I have no rails or anything other than the single connection point in the middle of the bed.

Is this single attachment point considered the "puck" system being talked about or is the puck system the 4 attachment points? I sure hope I don't end up with some annoying clunk considering this thing cost north of $2000 installed.

The single attachment is the way it was before the truck manufactures started offering the puck system.
I've had the single B&W attachment for close to 6 years and 50,000 miles towing without a problem.

[Me_Again]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Me Again will be along shortly to dial you in. I believe he used a Demco picture frame adapter and the B&W 16K slider in his 3500SRW SB 15 RAM and he really likes it.

Mine is a rail mount manual slider rated to 18k Model RBK3270. There is a Companion style slider RVK3400, which appears to have a similar slide setup. I have no play. Chris

[mach8274]

I have the turnover ball with the companion slider...no clunk at all. The hitch is very quiet and very smooth. Love the hitch.

Don't know if it's any different for the Dodges but the hole in the bed of my truck is 4"

[mtofell1]

tcamper wrote:
Well, technically I suppose the puck system is just the four outer holes, but the entire system is called the “Ram 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep package”.

So maybe my question should have read “does the turnover ball work on the 3400 slider in the Ram gooseneck slot?

fwiw, my truck didn't come with the 5th wheel prep package but does have the bracket underneath that is kind of a template for where to cut the hole. Also, I saw in a YouTube video that the size of the holes changed from 4" to 3.5".

All of the terminology and different equipment types for 5th wheels makes my head spin. I suppose it's good that there are so many options but things sure have become complicated from a decade ago when I had my last 5th wheel.

[Cummins12V98]

Me Again will be along shortly to dial you in. I believe he used a Demco picture frame adapter and the B&W 16K slider in his 3500SRW SB 15 RAM and he really likes it.

[tcamper]

Well, technically I suppose the puck system is just the four outer holes, but the entire system is called the “Ram 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep package”.

So maybe my question should have read “does the turnover ball work on the 3400 slider in the Ram gooseneck slot?

[mtofell1]

I'm not sure what the model is but I'm getting an 18K B/W Companion hitch installed in my 2014 2500 Ram tomorrow. They are using the single hole in the middle of the bed in conjunction with the support that runs under the bed. So, I have no rails or anything other than the single connection point in the middle of the bed.

Is this single attachment point considered the "puck" system being talked about or is the puck system the 4 attachment points? I sure hope I don't end up with some annoying clunk considering this thing cost north of $2000 installed.