Dual pivot vs Single pivot Fifth wheel Hitch

[Templar1]

Hello, I have a newbie question. I am a commercial truck driver who has just moved from a truck camper to a small fifth wheel trailer. I have a Dakota and I will be towing a single axle Travelaire. My question is single pivot vs dual pivot, and what experience people have had with them. Obviously tractor trailers fifth wheels pivot for and aft, not side to side, but commercial equipment is much tougher than recreational equipment.

I am leaning towards a dual pivot head because my plans include some unpaved roads, and some light logging roads. Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[pressure_welder]

little overkill for your application, but i love my reese signature series 20k

[WeBeFulltimers]

MFL wrote:

jerem0621 wrote:
Buy a B&W Patriot.

X2

X3.

[MFL]

jerem0621 wrote:
Buy a B&W Patriot.

X2

[fj12ryder]

The B&W Companion is a 4 way and it seems to me that it is just easier on the 5th wheel if the hitch can move rather than putting a lot of stress on the connection area of the 5th wheel pin.

I don't believe that I would own a 2-way hitch.

[Passin__Through]

Two way? No way!
Four way, yay!:B

[JIMNLIN]

TucsonJim wrote:
Real world experience: I went on a hunting trip one time and set up camp on uneven terrain. I had a two way hitch. I could not get the pin to align with the plate at all. I finally had to unhook the upper section of the hitch, hook it up to the kingpin, then use the trailer jacks to drop the hitch back onto the lower section. It took over an hour to hitch up.

X2
Our first 5th wheel RV hitches pivoted fore and aft only. The hitch industry added a side to side pivot feature for the reason above.
I've also had wedged pin issues trying to get hooked up and trying to get unhooked while set up on primitive camp areas.

The 4 way eliminates most if not all of those type issues.

Also the old two way was very hard on the hitch jaws when pulling the trailer at a angle across a dip or ditch with the truck twisting one way and the trailer the other.
I would get the 4 way pivoting hitch.

[noteven]

Many pivots are good.

[TucsonJim]

Real world experience: I went on a hunting trip one time and set up camp on uneven terrain. I had a two way hitch. I could not get the pin to align with the plate at all. I finally had to unhook the upper section of the hitch, hook it up to the kingpin, then use the trailer jacks to drop the hitch back onto the lower section. It took over an hour to hitch up.

[Templar1]

Thanks for the quick response. That was my thought, just wanted to see what the experienced folks thought.

[Bionic_Man]

No way I would ever have a 2 way pivot again. Way too hard to unhitch on uneven ground.

[bogart661]

4 way is the only way to go....

[jerem0621]

Buy a B&W Patriot.

[Old-Biscuit]

Can't beat a 4 way pivot head.

Not only for the extra movement allowed while going on unpaved roads, but off chamber driveways, tilted camp sites etc.

Makes it easier to hitch/unhitch when truck/trailer are not lined up

Get the 4 way pivot.