Hitch choice

[bobbyg123]

Hi everyone. I own a 2017 F350 6.2L long bed crew cab, and I’m in the market for my first 5th wheel hitch after 10+ years of bumper pulling.

I’ve heard good things about B&W, but they of course make several different hitch options. What should I be looking for? My new 5th wheel won’t weigh more than 11,000 lbs loaded, and I won’t ever bigger than the set up I just purchased; certainly not with my gas truck.

Thanks.

[bobbyg123]

Well, we settled on a B&W Patriot 16,000 non-slider.

Good price, good reviews. Having never used a 5th wheel hitch before, I have no idea how good it is, but it seems to have a good reputation. I'll be pulling a 5th wheel with GVWR under 10,500lbs.

Thanks.

[Cummins12V98]

laknox wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Huh?! In the 11+ years I've been on this forum, I can't recall one single instance of a broken pinbox"

Does this count???

Can't tell what that is. Broken bolt or pin?

Lyle

It's a fine thread 1/2" bolt that the head popped off! I happened to look into the bed and thought a bolt head fell off my B&W but then noticed where it came from. Drill bit, EZ out and a nice US Made grade 8 bolt and back on the road!

[spud1957]

cummins2014 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"but I just =might= consider the Andersen, since I don't ever plan on having a FW much > 12k GVW, if that. Despite Andersen's claims, I just don't trust it for what I'd consider a "heavy" FW, i.e. > 12k GVW."

YUP, 12k for an Andersen would be my limit also. Bed deflection and folding hitches are not good! Their compression test is NOT real world, where is their fore and aft test?

Yes there were some with bed deflection ,cured the same way as the B&W bed deflection. Also there were no folding hitches that I am aware of, there were a couple that the tubes bent , and a redesign was made . There were no reports, again that I read where there were any damage to truck ,and trailer, other then the one panic stop, and was rear ended.

I'm seeing more Andersen in my travels than B&W. Both are great hitches.

Funny he brings up the Andersen folding but he never brings up the B&W hitch where the head was ripped off (documented on this forum) from a sudden maneuver. :h

[laknox]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"Huh?! In the 11+ years I've been on this forum, I can't recall one single instance of a broken pinbox"

Does this count???

Can't tell what that is. Broken bolt or pin?

Lyle

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
"but I just =might= consider the Andersen, since I don't ever plan on having a FW much > 12k GVW, if that. Despite Andersen's claims, I just don't trust it for what I'd consider a "heavy" FW, i.e. > 12k GVW."

YUP, 12k for an Andersen would be my limit also. Bed deflection and folding hitches are not good! Their compression test is NOT real world, where is their fore and aft test?

Yes there were some with bed deflection ,cured the same way as the B&W bed deflection. Also there were no folding hitches that I am aware of, there were a couple that the tubes bent , and a redesign was made . There were no reports, again that I read where there were any damage to truck ,and trailer, other then the one panic stop, and was rear ended.

[Cummins12V98]

"Huh?! In the 11+ years I've been on this forum, I can't recall one single instance of a broken pinbox"

Does this count???

[Cummins12V98]

"but I just =might= consider the Andersen, since I don't ever plan on having a FW much > 12k GVW, if that. Despite Andersen's claims, I just don't trust it for what I'd consider a "heavy" FW, i.e. > 12k GVW."

YUP, 12k for an Andersen would be my limit also. Bed deflection and folding hitches are not good! Their compression test is NOT real world, where is their fore and aft test?

[Cummins12V98]

"So I bought the OEM pucks and installed them myself"

TRUTH in lending statement here.........we made plans for me to go to his house and help with the pucks, someone got the itch and had it done before I left my place. :B

[laknox]

bobbyg123 wrote:
OK,great. So my next question....I'm hijacking my own thread.

I currently have a dual liner bedliner in my truck, but I'm not comfortable installing a hitch over the rubber mat, nor do I want to deal with the hassle of cutting around the mat. Given that, I'm going to have linex sprayed. I suspect it would be best to have the dealer pre-install the hitch by drilling the holes PRIOR to getting the bed sprayed.

Spray first, then put holes. What I did with my Turnover Ball that I installed myself. Didn't want to deal with trying to trim the liner out of the holes if done the other way.

Lyle

[laknox]

pcm1959 wrote:

austinjenna wrote:
For me I went with an air ride hitch by Trailersaver the BD3 model. I don't think I would ever go back to a solid hitch after owning this one for a while. Previously I had a Reese which worked fine but then upgraded later on and dont regret it.

X2

I have a BD3 and would NEVER pull a fifth wheel without an air hitch. There are so many reports from owners having broken pin boxes anything you can do to help cushion the rigid connection between truck and trailer can't hurt.
If you rig is lighter you could also consider the less expensive BD1.

http://www.trailersaver.com/air-ride-suspension-hitches/

Huh?! In the 11+ years I've been on this forum, I can't recall one single instance of a broken pinbox. Broken frames, yes, but not the pinbox itself. There've been a couple where the pinbox was =made= wrong, i.e. not square, and any number where people had to trim the back corners off for clearance. The ones where there were frame breaks, I don't think =any= air hitch would have saved breakage, just prolonged the time before the frame broke.

Lyle

[laknox]

bobbyg123 wrote:
Hi everyone. I own a 2017 F350 6.2L long bed crew cab, and I’m in the market for my first 5th wheel hitch after 10+ years of bumper pulling.

I’ve heard good things about B&W, but they of course make several different hitch options. What should I be looking for? My new 5th wheel won’t weigh more than 11,000 lbs loaded, and I won’t ever bigger than the set up I just purchased; certainly not with my gas truck.

Thanks.

For me, I needed both a gooseneck and FW hitch, so the B&W Turnover Ball and Companion were my choices back in '04. I don't regret either one. B&W not only makes excellent products, but their customer service can't be beat. I always recommend B&W as a first choice. Were I doing it again, I'd still have the Turnover Ball, but I just =might= consider the Andersen, since I don't ever plan on having a FW much > 12k GVW, if that. Despite Andersen's claims, I just don't trust it for what I'd consider a "heavy" FW, i.e. > 12k GVW.

Lyle

[Me_Again]

The way the B&W captures the King pin is near the top and 99.99% fool proof.

I towed for many years with the first gen Hijacker sliding bar hitch and loved the fact that if the handle slid in it was latched. Never had to do pull test.

So in Sept of 2015 when I bought the new RAM, I checked on whether I could move it to the new truck and found out that it did not use the stand rail spacing.

So I bought the OEM pucks and installed them myself, bought the Demco 6099 picture frame and B&W Patriot manual slider. Loved the latching system and never did pull test.

Because I had a box in front of the hitch in a short bed truck, I had to slide the hitch to latch up or unlatch the B&W. So I always at check in slid the hitch back before parking the trailer and straighten out on the exit road sliding it back forward when departing. Sort of fool proofed me from hitting the cab with the trailer. Most set ups with not hit the cab going forward no matter how tight one turns.

The 5th wheel is parked and roofed now, and we travel seasonally back and forth with a smaller bumper pull trailer. I have the 5th wheel hitch stored under a trap.

[cummins2014]

prstlk wrote:
Take a look at Anderson. We have had one for over 20k since 2017. 0 problems and no chunking. They are good idea for those who also need to tow a stock trailer or goose neck. Nice thing is you can carry it in one hand if you have to take it out for other uses for the PU. The hitch does require a complete frame mounted ball hitch to the bed of the truck so pricing is comparable
to most other products. In the small park I'm in tonight out of six 5th wheels 4 are running the Anderson system

I was at a local Montana dealer awhile back , and witnessed the same thing. More ,and more Andersen hitches as time goes on.

Had a friend recently buy a Montana fifth wheel, and on my recommendation ,plus the need to pull gooseneck horse trailers he went with the Andersen . A lot of it was I picked up his fifth wheel, using my Andersen hitch . He didn't have his truck setup with a hitch yet.

[cummins2014]

You seem to be stuck on Curt Hitches . Sailuns are completely made in China and Sailuns are a quality tire, and are well proven. Not sure your point on Curt hitches are they or are they not a quality hitch.

Pretty tough these days to stay away from foreign made products. Take a look at the clothes you buy, home products, etc etc the list goes on.

[Cummins12V98]

My point about the products Made in CHINA they are generally COMPLETELY Made in CHINA.

RAM HD Trucks are "Assembled" in Mexico, BIG difference as the vast majority of components are Made in USA.

FACT is CURT for example is VERY deceptive as to where their products are MADE. MOST would think they are Made in USA.

From CURT,

"CURT, a CURT Group brand, offers a complete line of towing products and is the leading manufacturer of USA-made custom-fit trailer hitches. We offer the broadest selection of custom-fit receiver hitches for nearly every vehicle on the road today.

We also offer gooseneck, 5th wheel and weight distribution hitches, as well as electrical components, ball mounts, trailer balls, cargo carriers, bike racks and other towing accessories."

I do have some US Made CURT products they are VERY nice quality.

Response below from CURT on where their 5er hitches are Made. I wonder if they are re considering where they have their 5er hitches made???