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What do I need to know about purchasing a hitch?

geometro
Explorer
Explorer
My lovely wife has finally convinced me to trade our wonderful pickup camper for a 5th wheel so we can take the grandchildren camping. We've camped from Alaska to Jalisco to Nova Scotia and I'll miss it, but it is time to move on.

What do I need to know about purchasing a hitch? We've got the short bed 3/4 ton diesel and we will get as small a trailer as possible, but besides weight ratings are there other things that we should know, or are all normal hitches for sale (B&W, Reese, Curt etc) basically the same?
geometro 3cyl 50mpg
34 REPLIES 34

Bayley
Explorer
Explorer
X6 on the B&W Turnover Ball with the Anderson Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection.
* Light weight
* Easy to install
* Easy to hook up
* Works great with a short box (no need for a heavy slider)when your trailer has an aerodynamic front cap
* Cost effective

You really can't go wrong with the Anderson!!
Semper Fi

Tony, Darlene & the boss Bentley!
2013 Ram CTD, Ride-Rite Air Bags, B&W Turnover Ball and Andersen "Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection".
2014 Arctic Fox 29-5K 5th wheel with Reese Airborne Pin Box.

N-Trouble
Explorer
Explorer
ralphnjoann wrote:
N-Trouble wrote:
dadnjesse wrote:
up2nogood wrote:
hbillsmith wrote:
Highly recommend the Andersen Ultimate Aluminum



I agree, they are getting great reviews, and they are lightweight ,and easy to install ,and remove.

Don't know what you guys are looking at but all i see in a gooseneck adapter.


No, this is a GN adapter http://www.reeseprod.com/products/pin-boxes/goose-box/uW9rVuV4JAj75t!ZHQnotJoVbxIFMqvl

The Andersen is NOT a GN adapter.

GN adapter = BAD
Andersen = GOOD
Here is another type of gooseneck adapter:

http://www.etrailer.com/Gooseneck-and-Fifth-Wheel-Adapters/Convert-A-Ball/CAB-C5G.html


Old-school type GN adapter = really BAD
2015 Attitude 28SAG w/slide
2012 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax
B&W Turnover w/Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch

ralphnjoann
Explorer
Explorer
N-Trouble wrote:
dadnjesse wrote:
up2nogood wrote:
hbillsmith wrote:
Highly recommend the Andersen Ultimate Aluminum



I agree, they are getting great reviews, and they are lightweight ,and easy to install ,and remove.

Don't know what you guys are looking at but all i see in a gooseneck adapter.


No, this is a GN adapter http://www.reeseprod.com/products/pin-boxes/goose-box/uW9rVuV4JAj75t!ZHQnotJoVbxIFMqvl

The Andersen is NOT a GN adapter.

GN adapter = BAD
Andersen = GOOD
Here is another type of gooseneck adapter:

http://www.etrailer.com/Gooseneck-and-Fifth-Wheel-Adapters/Convert-A-Ball/CAB-C5G.html

N-Trouble
Explorer
Explorer
dadnjesse wrote:
up2nogood wrote:
hbillsmith wrote:
Highly recommend the Andersen Ultimate Aluminum



I agree, they are getting great reviews, and they are lightweight ,and easy to install ,and remove.

Don't know what you guys are looking at but all i see in a gooseneck adapter.


No, this is a GN adapter http://www.reeseprod.com/products/pin-boxes/goose-box/uW9rVuV4JAj75t!ZHQnotJoVbxIFMqvl

The Andersen is NOT a GN adapter.

GN adapter = BAD
Andersen = GOOD
2015 Attitude 28SAG w/slide
2012 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax
B&W Turnover w/Andersen Ultimate 5er hitch

ken_white
Explorer
Explorer
Dtank wrote:
...Be interesting to know how many posters have had more than one!...


I had a Reese dual jaw 16k when I owned my lighter weight Canyon Trail 5th Wheel - it worked well.

We eventually upgraded our 5th wheel to a Tradition model and therefore had to upgrade the hitch to a Reese single jaw 20k model - it worked well too.

Eventually we upgraded my truck to a hauler style and we also had to upgrade the hitch so we went with a B&W Companion hitch to fit the bed.

I can honestly say the B&W Companion is a much higher quality hitch (I assembled all 3 of them), it hitches and unhitches easier, and it is easier to assemble and take partially apart when installing/removing from the bed of the truck - it is well worth the extra cost.

Just my $0.02...
2014 RAM C&C 3500, 4x4, Club Cab, Hauler Bed, DRW, Aisin, 3.73's, etc...

2013 DRV Tradition 360 RSS
LED Lighting
570W of ET Solar Panels
MorningStar MPPT 45
Wagan 1000W Elite Pro Inverter
Duracell EGC2 Batteries with 460 A-H Capacity

hermy
Explorer
Explorer
I think Jimnlin hits it on the nose. Read his post again and then go forward with your plans. My 2 cents worth is to buy more hitch than you need- it will provide a safety factor and will eliminate buying a different hitch if you trade to a heavier rig.

austinjenna
Explorer
Explorer
I also have a reese for years and no problems with it. If I had to do it all over again I would go with air ride hitch.

2010 F350 CC Lariat 4x4 Short Bed
2011 Crusader 298BDS 5th Wheel
Reese 16K

jerem0621
Explorer II
Explorer II
dadnjesse wrote:
up2nogood wrote:
hbillsmith wrote:
Highly recommend the Andersen Ultimate Aluminum



I agree, they are getting great reviews, and they are lightweight ,and easy to install ,and remove.

Don't know what you guys are looking at but all i see in a gooseneck adapter.


The Andersen has a ball in coupler, but that is where the similarities end. A gooseneck adaptor turns the fifth wheel pin box into a gooseneck hitch. The Andersen elevates the ball to a level plane with the king pin. The torsional forces that plague the gooseneck adaptor do not exist with the Andersen.

Three versions of the Andersen Ultimate Fifth Wheel hitch are made two of them adapt to a gooseneck hitch, one is made of steel and the other made of aluminum. There is also a fifth wheel rail version.

Some states require safety chains if a ball and coupler are used.

30-80 ish lbs depending on the version you have...

Thanks!

Jeremiah
TV-2022 Silverado 2WD
TT - Zinger 270BH
WD Hitch- HaulMaster 1,000 lb Round Bar
Dual Friction bar sway control

It’s Kind of Fun to do the Impossible
~Walt Disney~

dadnjesse
Explorer
Explorer
up2nogood wrote:
hbillsmith wrote:
Highly recommend the Andersen Ultimate Aluminum



I agree, they are getting great reviews, and they are lightweight ,and easy to install ,and remove.

Don't know what you guys are looking at but all i see in a gooseneck adapter.

JIMNLIN
Explorer
Explorer
op wrote:
We've got the short bed 3/4 ton diesel

I don't know if this point was brought up but the short bed GM trucks have a longer dimension from the back of the cab to the trucks rear axle than the Ford or Dodge.
Many GM short bed owners say they don't need a slider or if they have a slider they don't use it for any circumstances.
My son had a ancient ('90s) 16k Reese sliding hitch on his '02 chevy short bed Dmax/A Z71 extended cab and moved it to his new 2015 chevy short bed Dmax/A Z71 crew cab. He has never needed the sliding function for his 5er. His trailer had the rounded notched corners with about 5"-6" of clearance between the cab and trailer.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers

'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 two slides

gtsum
Explorer
Explorer
I have a B&W and chose it over cheaper alternatives because I cannot recall ever hearing a bad word about their hitches. It works great and is built like a tank. Two different people at the dealership (installers) told me they preferred the B&W jaws around the Kingpin over all others (note the dealer did not stock B&W...they had to order it for me).

Since you have a shortbed (like I do), you might want to consider a slider...I didnt want a manual slider and the autoslider I really like (Pullrite Superglide) would have needed an adapter to fit in my ram pucks...so I went with B&W and a sidewinder pinbox...I needed 90 degree turning to get into my driveway first trip home, and that would not have been possible with a standard hitch. Do some reading on here...lots of folks use different brands and most seem to like what they run
2015 Fuzion 345 Chrome
2014 Ram Megacab 3500 CTD Laramie

cummins2014
Explorer
Explorer
RAS43 wrote:
Dtank wrote:

Consequently his one choice is/was *the BEST* !!
Be interesting to know how many posters have had more than one!


Let me offer a different take. Don't know if mine is the BEST but my Reese 20k Classic is 19 years old, is on it's third truck and has only had the 2 jaw springs replaced, just last year. It is still tight and works well.


Be careful ,the B&W cheerleaders are going to be all over you on that . Yes I too have a Reese hitch, it works good for me. I have no idea what's best.

It would be interesting how many different hitches a person has had. I have had two of the same brand. Only reason for the second one was I bought a heavier fifth wheel, and wanted a higher rated hitch. If not I'm sure I would still have the first one I bought.

RAS43
Explorer III
Explorer III
Dtank wrote:

Consequently his one choice is/was *the BEST* !!
Be interesting to know how many posters have had more than one!


Let me offer a different take. Don't know if mine is the BEST but my Reese 20k Classic is 19 years old, is on it's third truck and has only had the 2 jaw springs replaced, just last year. It is still tight and works well.

e-light
Explorer
Explorer
hbillsmith wrote:
Highly recommend the Andersen Ultimate Aluminum


Me too...cant update my sig, but Ive been pulling my 12,000 lb 5er with it. Its a wonderful device, smooth as can be, weighs about 35 lbs, attaches to my gooseneck ball in less than 5 minutes. Cant recommend it enough...
2015 Cougar 339BHS 5er
2016 RAM 2500 Crew Cab, 4x4, Laramie, 6.7L Cummins
Andersen Ultimate Aluminum 5th Wheel Connection
GONE:
2014 RAM 2500 Crew Cab, 4x4, Tradesman, 6.4L Hemi