Best Hitch

[ESDA]

So I am looking at getting into a fifth wheel coming from a tow behind. On my trailer I have a Hensley and love it. I see that the also have the Trailersaver. Trying to find a good hitch that is easy to use and safe. Anyone use these? Any thoughts? Also looking it seems that a lot of people like the B&W 20K Companion. Any responses would be appreciated.

[Cummins12V98]

ford truck guy wrote:
I started driving BIG TRUCKS back in the early 1980's.. It was POUNDED in my head to ALWAYS do a pull test when hooking up a new trailer.... Never dropped a trailer in all those years..

Fast forward, I am still in the habit of doing my pull test EVEN AFTER I visually verify my jaws are locked around the king pin.

Is it wrong of me?? who cares, I will continue to do it that way

Nothing WRONG at all!!! Just may loose a peg or two in the "B&W HeavyWeightFanBoy Club" 😉

[MFL]

Cptnvideo wrote:
Exactly what I said. He obviously had one of those "certain" hitches in which a visual test wasn't enough.

Edit: OR he didn't even do a visual check.

In the pic above, the owner did do a pull test, but not the visual check. In this case, it was a B&W hitch, but as I mentioned above, pull tests vary, and this fellow did not do a GOOD PULL TEST.

A visual check may have saved him from this damage?

Jerry

[MFL]

cummins2014 said: "Jerry ,not sure I want to answer that"

Thanks for the honest reply, and a good description of how you hookup! I have seen the Andersens already hooked/unhooked, but never watched the actual process. I can understand now, how a newer Andersen owner could drop on his bed, but a get out and look should solve that.

I know you know, that I was not baiting a trap, to cause any retaliation. We are mostly all friends, so all is good! 🙂

Jerry

[Cptnvideo]

Exactly what I said. He obviously had one of those "certain" hitches in which a visual test wasn't enough.

Edit: OR he didn't even do a visual check.

[RCMAN46]

Cptnvideo wrote:
It is my understanding that it is NOT needed IF you have certain hitches AND if a visual check is done.

Here is a certain hitch had the owner done a proper pull test there may have been no or very little damage.

[PButler96]

The best hitch is the one owned by anyone responding lol. No one is gonna say, "I have a Hazard Fraught Zoombanger but I'm a dumbass, the best hitch is an ACME U812."

[cummins2014]

MFL wrote:

Cptnvideo wrote:
It is my understanding that it is NOT needed IF you have certain hitches AND if a visual check is done.

When you say certain hitches, yes, some are safer than others. The operator's understanding of their hitch, and ability to operate it correctly is still a factor. It appears you have a quality hitch, but I've never used your model.

I've a serious question for cummins2014, a forum friend, that I know uses an Andersen hitch. Do you need to do a pull test, with this ball type hitch, and different style coupler attached to king pin?

Jerry

Jerry ,not sure I want to answer that , I may have 12V come after me on that . :B But no there is no pull test on the Andersen ,nor has there ever been a discussion regarding the Andersen ,and a pull test that I know of . Although there has been plenty of other discussions regarding the Andersen . The one big thing is locking the adapter to the ball. I would not like find out if it could bounce off the ball. I have read where its been discovered being unlocked after travel, without issue.

I kinda get a feeling where this is leading , but its entirely different process hitching up an Andersen . Yes , it's all visual . It's lined up , and lowered on the ball, until the landing gear is raised off the ground . In my case with the six point leveling system they are raised all the way up . Then the handle is pushed in ,and locked . At that point it's hitched .

Let me point out ,because I have the feeling when you asked about a pull test ,and the possibly I am assuming you are thinking missing the ball entirely . Yes you could very well miss the ball, it would be tough on the newer Andersen's that have that red alignment cone. mine does not . In either case if you missed the ball ,you would be setting your fifth wheel on the bed rails of your truck, not a lot to stop it at that point . At some point in that process you would certainly know you are not on the ball. 🙂

[ReneeG]

With a TrailerSaver hitch, Bd3 or BD5, as noted, the hitch has to be put in the 9 o'clock position for hitching, once it's hooked, not only will you hear an audible locking sound, that wonderful clunking noise, but the hitch handle then moves to the 8 o'clock position and the locking jaws are closed. This hitch as a true Holland Binkley head. We've never done a pull test. Any position less than 8 o'clock means you're not locked and you have to start over.

[MFL]

Cptnvideo wrote:
It is my understanding that it is NOT needed IF you have certain hitches AND if a visual check is done.

When you say certain hitches, yes, some are safer than others. The operator's understanding of their hitch, and ability to operate it correctly is still a factor. It appears you have a quality hitch, but I've never used your model.

I've a serious question for cummins2014, a forum friend, that I know uses an Andersen hitch. Do you need to do a pull test, with this ball type hitch, and different style coupler attached to king pin?

Jerry

[cummins2014]

Cptnvideo wrote:
It is my understanding that it is NOT needed IF you have certain hitches AND if a visual check is done.

Your comment right there " It is my understanding " that IMHO is what gets people in trouble. So what hitches don't you need to do a pull test ,and which ones do you need to do a pull test ???

It's obvious from the B&W owners you do not need a pull test ,what other ones ??? My Reese Elite has that big thick jaw that wraps around the pin , very obvious when it's wrapped around the pin ,is that another one okay for no pull test ??? My previous Reese hitch was a dual jaw that wrapped around the pin , it was obvious when it was closed , then we got the slide bar, although never owned one ,it would IMO be obvious if it was closed behind the pin. Are those ones the certain hitches that a visual is all that is needed ??? The list goes on ,just have decide which one needs the pull test ,and which ones don't it appears .

[Cptnvideo]

It is my understanding that it is NOT needed IF you have certain hitches AND if a visual check is done.

[MFL]

^Anyone not doing a visual check, or a proper pull test, is asking for trouble.

I just do a visual check, but never tell anyone not to do a pull test. What is a proper pull test? Do all using this method do it properly? Likely not, as we found out in the thread Shadows4 started a while ago. A tug may not be enough, a yank a bit better, but a heavy throttle pull may be the best?

Does everyone raise the landing legs a little, before pull, so as not to damage legs? Does everyone use quality chocks that won't slide, during a hard throttle pull? Do some just hold the manual brake lever, give a tug?

I would not do a pull test and no visual, but doing a visual without pull. Works for ME.

I had a hitch with a draw bar (first hitch) that was flimsy/cheap design/noisy, but safe, easy to see when hitched. It had a rotary gear, handle operated, that when rotated closed, bar behind pin, and handle pinned, was safely hooked. I hadn't even heard of a pull test, but always did a visual inspection.

Oh ya, that RBW rotary hitch did SLAM shut, was loud even sitting in truck. A B&W does not slam when backed into, but the arm does close, as the jaws close.

Here is a pic of the hitch (not mine).

[ford_truck_guy]

I started driving BIG TRUCKS back in the early 1980's.. It was POUNDED in my head to ALWAYS do a pull test when hooking up a new trailer.... Never dropped a trailer in all those years..

Fast forward, I am still in the habit of doing my pull test EVEN AFTER I visually verify my jaws are locked around the king pin.

Is it wrong of me?? who cares, I will continue to do it that way

[JIMNLIN]

When hitching up, we visually look to see if the jaws are closed on the king pin and check to see if we can see that the bottom flange of the king pin is below the jaws. We then check to see if the locking arm is in the 8 o'clock position (which locks the jaws around the kng pin). If all that is correct, I simply don't see a reason for the pull test. Am I missing something?

Other 5th wheel rv owners say they may do both or just a tug test or as you just a visual.

I come from the commercial side (the sky is falling crowd) of trucking where we do both from a safety perspective and mandatory company safety policies.
A good tug test is number one and then get out and do a good visual as a secondary safety procedure.

If anyone prefers to use one or the other safety procedures correctly or both ...by all means do it. No one will think less of you for doing so.

[Cptnvideo]

Thank you, Mr Cummins12V98. Good to know.