Newbie hitch questions

[Seattle_Lion]

We have been towing a TT for the last season. It was too much for our F150 (MGWR exceeded by 500 lbs). So we bought a F350. Long story short, we are now in the process of purchasing a Bighorn 3160E FW. Our truck doesn't have a hitch, so we need to get one installed. Our truck is a 2014 F350 Lariat 4X4 crew cab with the short (6.5 ft. bed). This model with 4X4 sits very high compared with our 2013 F150. The dealer will install a hitch (brand unspecified) for $1800. I have no idea if that is way out of line or not. The advantage is (theoretically) that the dealer will then deal with leveling issues. From other threads I have read, this can be problematic.

I am tempted to let the dealer manage the install. They do good work and I am totally unqualified at this point to deal with the complexities of FW hitches. I am good at TT hitching, but this is completely new to me.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Seattle_Lion]

GoPackGo wrote:
Did your truck come with the Ford factory 5th wheel prep kit ? If so, then installing the hitch is about a 2 minute job for the dealer. No holes to drill. Just set it in place.

IMHO, you should be real interested in which hitch you are getting.

I have a 2013 F350 CC 4x4 dually long bed and a 2014 Bighorn 3010RE. I got a Hensley BD3 hitch and I have no clearance issues at all. In fact, I have lots of bedrail clearance. I'm not sure you will have any problems.

Thanks for the advice. I will find out what hitch they are proposing. I do trust this dealer. They have been great. We had a problematic Kodiak TT and they worked with us and satisfied us completely. They even threw in a 2nd battery because they felt badly that we had plumbing leaks when the TT was delivered. They do good work...excellent techs at the Bonney Lake location. Never tried the others, so I don't know. I also got an amazing deal on the Bighorn. 32% off MSRP.

[GoPackGo]

Did your truck come with the Ford factory 5th wheel prep kit ? If so, then installing the hitch is about a 2 minute job for the dealer. No holes to drill. Just set it in place.

IMHO, you should be real interested in which hitch you are getting.

I have a 2013 F350 CC 4x4 dually long bed and a 2014 Bighorn 3010RE. I got a Hensley BD3 hitch and I have no clearance issues at all. In fact, I have lots of bedrail clearance. I'm not sure you will have any problems.

[doughere]

butchfuzion wrote:
I wouldn't count on the dealer "dealing with the leveling issue." The only issue they will be dealing with is how much money they can make off the deal. I would get other opinions.

butrchfuzion is right on.

You need to find the height to the top of the bed rails from ground, and height of opening of overhang with unit level. Those will tell you if you will be level.

Dealer has no reason to deal with leveling. He's providing a hitch (I'd sure as he!! find out which), clearance from trailer to bed rails is easy to make, level may NOT be easy.

Doug

[butchfuzion]

I wouldn't count on the dealer "dealing with the leveling issue." The only issue they will be dealing with is how much money they can make off the deal. I would get other opinions.

[45Ricochet]

I believe B&W has one that will drop right into your Ford hitch package if you got that option. If your good at TT hitching, you'll be great with a 5er.
Your TV and RV match up well. Have fun
And go Hawks!

[2112]

When we were buying our first FW the dealer wanted to install a Curt manual slider for $1200. Not knowing anything about hitches I started researching. I found the PullRite Superglide hitch to be a highly recommended hitch for a FW beginner. You never have to think about it, it just does its thing.

I went back and requested they upgrade to the SuperGlide and they did for no extra charge. The Superglide was more than $1200 my cost for the hitch, rails and install kit. They bought it for wholesale and the installer got paid so everyone walked away happy.

[Paul_Clancy]

Start a new topic for best responses. Match the truck properly to the trailer as job one.

[Sammie1]

My husband and I are in the process of looking to buy our 1st fifth wheel. Our plan is to travel the US and live in it for about a year. What do we need to know before we buy one? We did hear length counts so have decided to stay under 40 feet.

[Halmfamily]

Had a Reese 16k slider installed in August 2012 on our old F350 at the RV dealer for $1100. We went with a B&W Companion on the new truck and like it a 100 % more, of course our new truck is long bed. Good luck and enjoy your new toys.

[k9jadon]

I had a reese signature series 5th wheel hitch installed about 7 years ago for $1200. Mine is rated for 16k, but they have 18k available also. Mine is also a slider hitch. The nice thing about this hitch is when it is removed the only thing left in the bed are 4 1.5 inch circles, that have rubber plugs that keep dirt and anything else out of them(the hitch drops into the holes). I just saw one for $1000. I would agree with previous poster in not letting the dealer install just any ole hitch for that price. You should have it professionally installed unless you have experience or are very mechanical. The people that installed mine specialize in installation of hitches and he had some issues with the install. One other issue that I found with the signature series is that when I went to install a firestone airride kit the manufacturer did not recommend drilling into the under bed 5th wheel hitch frame so you may have to have the airride brackets welded in place. Good Luck and have fun.

[jerem0621]

Are we talking fifth wheel rails and slider hitch? Or are we talking gooseneck hitch and fifth wheel adaptor?

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[ependydad]

For $1,800 I was able to get a B&W Turnover Ball + Companion hitch installed into my truck. IMO- it's one of the nicest hitches on the market. I had a RV Service Repair guy do it (not my dealer).

I wouldn't want just any ole hitch that they'll install for that premium of a price.

[Dr_Quick]

Before you have anyone install a hitch for you, think about this.

Due to the newer trucks, and especially maybe a 4x4 sitting higher, plus higher bed rails. I would first look into what clearance you can expect between the under side of the 5th over hand and top of be rails. Ideal would be about 6 inches. Also you should have trailer as level as possible and not have the front end sitting higher. Measure the distance from the ground to bottom of lowest point of 5th front overhang when it is level. Then measure at the back of truck distance from ground to top of bed rail.

[outdoorlovers]

We just bought a new 5th wheel and knew nothing about the hitch. We let the dealer take care of it as several years ago they did the WDH when we bought a TT from them. Our price was $1500. Ours is a short bed so we have a Husky slider. Having been out several times with it, we haven't had to use the slider yet.