B&W Ford OEM hitch owners opinion wanted

[armyvet]

I recently installed my new B&W Companion RVK 3300 hitch on the Ford puck system. I'm impressed with the quality of the hitch and ease of installation. A question for those of you with this hitch - where have you found is the best place to attach the brake away cable? My last hitch had a handy hole available and I clipped it in that. There isn't such a hole available on the new hitch. Thanks

[CabinetmakerII]

Seattle Lion wrote:
Is there any way to lock a B&W Companion to the truck so that someone doesn't just take the hitch off the truck? If you have a solution, can you post a picture?

In my opinion, if the hitch is installed properly (torqued), there is no way to "remove" the entire hitch without the proper tools. Properly torqued the release cannot be pulled to facilitate the removal of the hitch base. The head of the hitch is a different story that has already been addressed here.

[Seattle_Lion]

Is there any way to lock a B&W Companion to the truck so that someone doesn't just take the hitch off the truck? If you have a solution, can you post a picture?

[jtobbe]

I have a cable that I attached to the hitch head (there is a hole on the bottom side of the head) and run it down to the puck handle. I use a trailer tongue lock that lock's the base.

As for the breakaway cable I put a key snap hook on it. I have the cable doubled up in itself to make it shorter, then I clip it to the ring that holds the chain to the pin in the head.

[Cummins12V98]

breeno wrote:
Related topic, does anyone lock the hitch where it attaches to the truck itself?

The thing I love about the companion is how easy it is to remove leaving a clean & useful bed.
Of course, that's a problem when it's just sitting around unattended...

I lock the head to the base with small locks. It would be easy to remove the head if someone wanted to.

[armyvet]

Locking is a good point the lever that latches the kingpin and the two handles on each side for the pucks. Just got back from the store with three long shanked padlocks that are keyed alike. Pony one key to keep track of.

I have a collar that goes around the kingpin with a padlock for when the trailer is not hitched. Got that at CW many years ago.

[RCMAN46]

I have a Reese signature series which has the puck system. I lock the pucks as well as the king pin latch.

My nephew had his 8 year old release the pucks on his signature. Lucky for him he noticed the hitch was making too much noise and he found the problem before there was a serious problem.

I lock everything now.

[Scott_85]

breeno wrote:
Related topic, does anyone lock the hitch where it attaches to the truck itself?

The thing I love about the companion is how easy it is to remove leaving a clean & useful bed.
Of course, that's a problem when it's just sitting around unattended...

I have a companion slider and if someone wants and they can move it they can have it. My insurance covers the replacement cost of the hitch if its stolen.

[breeno]

Related topic, does anyone lock the hitch where it attaches to the truck itself?

The thing I love about the companion is how easy it is to remove leaving a clean & useful bed.
Of course, that's a problem when it's just sitting around unattended...

[Seattle_Lion]

jaycocamper62301 wrote:

armyvet wrote:
Thanks for the replies. That's one of the places I was thinking about.
The lock is a good idea.

If you think someone is going to steal your camper as you're pulling it down the road

You bring up a good point. How do you protect the fiver when it is unhitched? Is there a way to lock the pin?

[Cummins12V98]

CabinetmakerII wrote:

armyvet wrote:
I recently installed my new B&W Companion RVK 3300 hitch on the Ford puck system. I'm impressed with the quality of the hitch and ease of installation. A question for those of you with this hitch - where have you found is the best place to attach the brake away cable? My last hitch had a handy hole available and I clipped it in that. There isn't such a hole available on the new hitch. Thanks

I simply drilled a hole in the release handle and connect the break away cable with a "D" ring.

With the B&W there already is a hole. Lock the handle closed with the break away cable attached to the lock.

There are jerks out there! Lock your handles closed.

[CabinetmakerII]

armyvet wrote:
I recently installed my new B&W Companion RVK 3300 hitch on the Ford puck system. I'm impressed with the quality of the hitch and ease of installation. A question for those of you with this hitch - where have you found is the best place to attach the brake away cable? My last hitch had a handy hole available and I clipped it in that. There isn't such a hole available on the new hitch. Thanks

I simply drilled a hole in the release handle and connect the break away cable with a "D" ring.

[breeno]

jaycocamper62301 wrote:
I just hook it to the latch handle pin.

This is what I do as well. I double check it every time I get in the truck as well.

Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't all out to get me 🙂

[armyvet]

They can unlatch the hitch at a rest stop and ruin your day if you don't notice it and take off.

[jaycocamper6230]

armyvet wrote:
Thanks for the replies. That's one of the places I was thinking about.
The lock is a good idea.

If you think someone is going to steal your camper as you're pulling it down the road