B&W Companion hitch removal

[Showme_5vr]

Just got a new truck with the puck system. Bought a B&W Companion hitch that weighs about 230 pounds. What have those of you that have a similar hitch done to remove the hitch without straining your back.

[cummins2014]

garyp4951 wrote:

I thought I was seeing a picture of my garage with your setup , same thing I did . It's kind of obsolete now , got rid of the that heavy manual slider I had for years ,and went to the Andersen . No more taking hitches apart , greasing , etc. Live has been much easier .

[RichB3125]

Chain hoist in the attic above the garage. 10” hole in the ceiling. Pull it up flush with the ceiling and store it there. Easy to make a cover for the hole when the hitch is on the truck.

Rich

[sportzfann]

Showme 5vr wrote:
Just got a new truck with the puck system. Bought a B&W Companion hitch that weighs about 230 pounds. What have those of you that have a similar hitch done to remove the hitch without straining your back.

I attached a ring to the header in the garage door frame , i back up my truck till the ring is above my hitch, I then have a 1 ton chain hoist from harbor freight that I connect to the ring and drop a lift strap around the hitch and lift it up a few inches above the bed height i then drive out from under the hitch and lower the hitch onto an old office chair and roll it out of the way till I’m ready to install again, its real easy to service the hitch this way also.

[laknox]

I used to use a cheap engine hoist and furniture dolly (Harbor Freight), then I got a gym rat of a son-in-law. 'Nuff said. 🙂

Lyle

[CaLBaR]

garyp4951 wrote:
I installed an electric hoist in my garage and store the hitch on a 4 wheel dolly.

This is exaclty what I did and works great!!

Rob

[Cummins12V98]

Yes the ford has a small footprint. I am surprised they have not widened the stance of their base connections.

[Likes_to_tow]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Showme 5vr wrote:
Just got a new truck with the puck system. Bought a B&W Companion hitch that weighs about 230 pounds. What have those of you that have a similar hitch done to remove the hitch without straining your back.

First remove the head from the base. Now release the pucks and lift and slide the base to the edge of the tail gate. Stand on the ground at the tailgate and remove, EZ-PEE-ZEE.

The base to my Ford hitch does not look like this one. I can see this would weigh much more and would require a different approach.

[fj12ryder]

Okay, gotcha. Just kind of manhandle it to where you can drop one end. That works.

[Cummins12V98]

fj12ryder wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Showme 5vr wrote:
Just got a new truck with the puck system. Bought a B&W Companion hitch that weighs about 230 pounds. What have those of you that have a similar hitch done to remove the hitch without straining your back.

First remove the head from the base. Now release the pucks and lift and slide the base to the edge of the tail gate. Stand on the ground at the tailgate and remove, EZ-PEE-ZEE.

If you think it's EZ-PEE-ZEE, you're the manly man. Too much for me, and that's a fact. 🙂

It's all in how you handle it. Take the short end and pull it out and down onto a cart then drop the other end. NOT needed to actually pick up the 140#. I would pull it into my body and slowly lower it to the ground. In Construction you learn how to handle heavy items safely.

[sayoung]

I used a homemade lift eye that I used my tractors loader to set in & out. I had the 18k Patriot which I could get the sections out by hand but I'm 74 so why not use the machines I have. I use this same rig to get my AirSafe hitch in/out & I won't attempt to load it by hand.

[RCMAN46]

Learjet wrote:
The Ram base is bigger and heavier than the Ford or Chevy.

I take the head off and then two person lift the base. I've done it by myself but that is asking for it...don't do that.

Now to do it by myself safely...I used a coupon and got a $100 engine hoist from Harbor freight. I still have to slide or walk it closer to the edge of the truck...then using one of these Link... I can lift the whole hitch out.

Some leave the hitch attached to the trailer and use the trailer to lift the hitch and then drive out from under the hitch while attached to trailer....then reverse the process to hook back up.

I use the harbor freight engine hoist. I got an extension square tube from my local metal supplier. Then I can reach my Reese puck style hitch and not have to remove the head. The hoist can handle the weight with the extension.

When at a campground for extended time periods I leave the hitch attached to the trailer and remove that way.

[fj12ryder]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Showme 5vr wrote:
Just got a new truck with the puck system. Bought a B&W Companion hitch that weighs about 230 pounds. What have those of you that have a similar hitch done to remove the hitch without straining your back.

First remove the head from the base. Now release the pucks and lift and slide the base to the edge of the tail gate. Stand on the ground at the tailgate and remove, EZ-PEE-ZEE.

If you think it's EZ-PEE-ZEE, you're the manly man. Too much for me, and that's a fact. 🙂

[Cummins12V98]

The B&W RVK3600 for the RAM with pucks system weighs a total of 215# of that the removable head weighs 75# and the base weighs 140#.

[Cummins12V98]

corvettekent wrote:
I don't think that my B&W Companion hitch weighs 230 pounds. I remove the head unit and then remove the base. I can do this in about 5 minutes by myself and I'm 70 years old.

Folks, another "MANLY MAN"

[Cummins12V98]

Showme 5vr wrote:
Just got a new truck with the puck system. Bought a B&W Companion hitch that weighs about 230 pounds. What have those of you that have a similar hitch done to remove the hitch without straining your back.

First remove the head from the base. Now release the pucks and lift and slide the base to the edge of the tail gate. Stand on the ground at the tailgate and remove, EZ-PEE-ZEE.