Hitch Advice

[gillman]

I just bought a new 5th Wheel. I have had one before and it came with an old hitch (don't recall the brand but it was nothing special). My new 5th wheel has a GVWR of 12,000 lbs - Dry Hitch of 1625. I have a 2002 Chevy 2500HD, 6'6" bed, Duramax/Allison trans. I don't want to break the bank on a new hitch but I do want something good. I was looking at this one: (anybody out there use it and have experience you can share?:

Reese Pro Series 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Square Tube Slider - Slide Bar Jaw - 15,000 lbs
Reese Universal Base Rails and Installation Kit for 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches - 10 Bolt
Part Numbers: PS30094, RP30035

It is about $600 which seems like a reasonable price.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[handsome51]

I know you said you did not want to break the bank. It sounds like you will have a 5th wheel for a while. Plus you bought a new one. I bought my first 5th wheel in Sept 2006. Never had one before. Had a cabover camper for 23 years. I listened to a friend who had a regular Reese hitch till January 2006. He bought a 25k airsafe hitch with a Holland/Binkley Head. He pulls his center console boat behind the 5th wheel to the lake. He said he forgot and left a soap bottle on the kitchen counter when they left to go home one time. When he got home the soap bottle was still on the counter where he left it. I spent the money for the 25k airsafe hitch with the Holland/Binkley head. It only hurts when you write the check. But I am glad I did. I have a 36 foot Carriage 5th wheel and I don't even know it is back their. It just floats going down the road. Their is no stress on the 5th wheel or the truck. Even the wife said the first time, that you don't even feel the 5th wheel back their. Wife had some nick nacks on a end table at the back of the trailer. You know that behind the wheels is the roughest riding. At the end of the day the nick nacks were still on the end table and did not move. Now if you slam on the brakes that is a different story. On our first trip the first thing I did was see if the dishes in the cabinet had moved. Nothing moved. I know the hitch is a lot of money. But you paid a lot of money for your 5th wheel. Like I said it only hurts as you write the check out.

[Cummins12V98]

Nice to see other of the same opinion. I was ripped many times for saying "no pull test needed" and "fool proof" about the Companion.

Nice to see some common sense!

[gdweb]

look, i have painted the back of the jaws (part you see looking from rear) white the last few years. just makes it that much easier to see

[jeepman71]

The pro 15 will work fine but does alot of clanking banging and chucking. We used one for about 1 1/2 years on the same slider. I did recently sell that hitch and bought the Patriot but have not tried it yet. I do have the Reese Revolution pin box so I don't need a slider.

[filrupmark]

I love my B&W Patriot, Smooth and quiet. Much better than my old Drawtite slider

[JIMNLIN]

goducks10 wrote:

MFL wrote:
I give my B&W the look test, and then the look again, but no need for pull test.

Jerry

x2, after backing into the hitch, I get out and while hooking up the 7 pin plug take a look at the jaws. Never once have I backed up into the pin, watched the handle go into the closed position and not have the jaws wrapped around the pin.
No pull test needed.

X3 for my 16k Reese slider.

[goducks10]

MFL wrote:
I give my B&W the look test, and then the look again, but no need for pull test.

Jerry

x2, after backing into the hitch, I get out and while hooking up the 7 pin plug take a look at the jaws. Never once have I backed up into the pin, watched the handle go into the closed position and not have the jaws wrapped around the pin.
No pull test needed.

[MFL]

I give my B&W the look test, and then the look again, but no need for pull test.

Jerry

[Cummins12V98]

goducks10 wrote:
Go Patriot. Locking wrap around jaws. Fail proof.

I always say "fool proof" and some slam me for saying that but it is true. Plates touching handle locked and the 1" thick silver jaws closed around the kingpin it is latched no question. Also no need for a pull test.

[Cummins12V98]

Busdriver wrote:
Just bought a B&W patroit from Tweedy's.com $399.80 very nice hitch.I think the rail kit is about $160.00. The workmanship on the hitch is second to none plus it is American made with American steel.

And you never see a dented bed with a B&W.

[CardinalCamper]

The B&W is a good hitch.I am a workamper and escort a lot of 5th wheels to there site.See lots of B&W hitches and happy owners very good quality.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

We have the Reese 15k slider that was included in our 2003 Laredo 5er purchase. It must have sat in the lawn for a while - our mechanic had to clean it up and lube the heck out of it because it had "frozen" - but it works beautifully now. We don't even need a slide hitch (long bed truck) - but are glad we have it in case our next truck is a regular bed.

[goducks10]

Go Patriot. Locking wrap around jaws. Fail proof.

[just_me]

The slide bar lock is a positive lock. But there could be a hang up latter on. That bar that slides might become bent to the point where it will not release the trailer when you want to unhook from your trailer. And it also will wear the bar and the king pin where they make contact with each other giving you a sloppy ride over time. I would reconsider the slide bar hitch for something else.

[JIMNLIN]

I have a '97 16k square tube slider by Reese. The hitch has been on three trucks and two different 5th wheel trailers and still work like a hot knife through butter ( I keep it lubed and maintained). The sliding part is seldom used other than backing in extra tight conditions. The manual slider moves the pin 10" aft of the trucks rear axle which makes the trailer react quicker to steering input.

I'm not a brand cheer leader and there are other sliding hitch brands out here. My advise is make sure the hitch pivots four ways.

Many short bed GM owners report they don't need a sliding hitch or they don't have one. The GM trucks have a longer dimension from the back of the cab to the trucks rear axle. This along with the newer 5ers with a notched/rounded front corners make a sliding hitch not necessary. Your trailer dealer/manufacturer can help you with that part.