automated safety hitchI have a 2001 dodge diesel 4x4 3500 dually with a hoswel haybed. The haybed weighs about 2000# itself. With my solar generator loaded on the back of my truck and hooked to my 3 horse slant horse trailer with living quarters I'm kinda at the max and a little over on gvwr. Kinda weighing my options if I should go ahead and move up to a 4500 / 5500 ram. I saw this automated safety hitch. There are pros and cons. Biggest con I see is having another axle on the ground and having to the upkeep on 2ea more tires. Maybe that would be less cost than upgrading to larger / newer truck. Just undecided. I know there are a lot of discussions on tow vehicles being too small. Maybe this would help someone else.

Neat concept, but $$$. I think it runs about $12,000 now plus options. You should be able to buy a decent 4500 cab/chassis for under $20,000. It may have more miles, but the chassis and powertain are built for that. It's actually the cabs that wear out first (drivers seat first, then you start getting squeaks and rattles).I've considered one on the past, but my biggest concern is traction off-road. You're moving the pin-weight off the drive-wheels, and adding even more total weight. Not a good combo for dirt and gravel IMO.

Funny how the 'aftermarket' will come up with a product to try and correct NOT buying the right tool in the first place.THIS fits that category IMHOJust one more bandaid tool with it's own issues/upkeep PLUS adding to overall length, one more thing to maneuver/store, one more thing to ETC.Buy the right tool

Old-Biscuit wrote:Funny how the 'aftermarket' will come up with a product to try and correct NOT buying the right tool in the first place.THIS fits that category IMHOJust one more bandaid tool with it's own issues/upkeep PLUS adding to overall length, one more thing to maneuver/store, one more thing to ETC.Buy the right toolI agree. I prefer to keep things as simple as possible.

If you need to pull a 5th wheel and you don't have a pickup maybe.I saw a big DP pulling a 5th wheel rubble decker car trailer with one, I guess that would be the only way to do it.

Old-Biscuit wrote:Funny how the 'aftermarket' will come up with a product to try and correct NOT buying the right tool in the first place.THIS fits that category IMHOFor the RVer who only tows a small fraction of the year, an extra few feet of wheelbase could be burdensome the rest of the time. (note, the OP doesn't necessarily have a capacity problem, but more of a space problem). I've also seen one used behind a Class-8 truck because the flatted was too tall for his fifth wheel, and it also allowed him to haul a smart car on the deck.Finally, not everyone want to be stuck driving a pickup. Sure, they do some things (haul) well, but there's a lot of things they aren't great at.

Anyone have or used one of these? automated safety hitch

carringb
Explorer
Aug 15, 2015
Neat concept, but $$$. I think it runs about $12,000 now plus options. You should be able to buy a decent 4500 cab/chassis for under $20,000. It may have more miles, but the chassis and powertain are built for that. It's actually the cabs that wear out first (drivers seat first, then you start getting squeaks and rattles).

I've considered one on the past, but my biggest concern is traction off-road. You're moving the pin-weight off the drive-wheels, and adding even more total weight. Not a good combo for dirt and gravel IMO.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 15, 2015
Funny how the 'aftermarket' will come up with a product to try and correct NOT buying the right tool in the first place.

THIS fits that category IMHO

Just one more bandaid tool with it's own issues/upkeep PLUS adding to overall length, one more thing to maneuver/store, one more thing to ETC.

Buy the right tool
Hannibal
Explorer
Aug 15, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Funny how the 'aftermarket' will come up with a product to try and correct NOT buying the right tool in the first place.

THIS fits that category IMHO

Just one more bandaid tool with it's own issues/upkeep PLUS adding to overall length, one more thing to maneuver/store, one more thing to ETC.

Buy the right tool

I agree. I prefer to keep things as simple as possible.
K_Charles
Explorer
Aug 15, 2015
If you need to pull a 5th wheel and you don't have a pickup maybe.
I saw a big DP pulling a 5th wheel rubble decker car trailer with one, I guess that would be the only way to do it.
carringb
Explorer
Aug 15, 2015
Old-Biscuit wrote:
Funny how the 'aftermarket' will come up with a product to try and correct NOT buying the right tool in the first place.

THIS fits that category IMHO

For the RVer who only tows a small fraction of the year, an extra few feet of wheelbase could be burdensome the rest of the time. (note, the OP doesn't necessarily have a capacity problem, but more of a space problem). I've also seen one used behind a Class-8 truck because the flatted was too tall for his fifth wheel, and it also allowed him to haul a smart car on the deck.

Finally, not everyone want to be stuck driving a pickup. Sure, they do some things (haul) well, but there's a lot of things they aren't great at.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Aug 15, 2015
You just need one of these with factory rear air auto adjust. 5,900# sitting on rear axle in pic.
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Aug 15, 2015
They run 10,000 and if you have a 3500 and a heavy trailer due to the lack of tongue weight you loose traction when at take off and up any heels.

I know this one of my vendors had one fought it two diff trucks gave it back to them.You also need a large turning ratious
Calicajun
Explorer
Aug 15, 2015
Wonder if the police would think of that as double trailering?
newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Aug 15, 2015
Calicajun wrote:
Wonder if the police would think of that as double trailering?

no it is dot approved as a unit because it attaches at three points to the truck frame
christopherglen
Explorer
Aug 15, 2015
They like to call it a safety device, and say it is exempt from length limits, but in reality it is either a load carrying frame extension, or a converter dolly. Depends on the judge. If it were permanent to the tow vehicle, it would be a load carrying frame extension, but in their ads they show dropping it with the trailer attached, moving the TV, and recovering it with the load still attached - in which cast it would be a converter dolly.

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Anyone have or used one of these? automated safety hitch

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