bill450x

Hi All,

I've been reading this forum for information on fifth wheel hitches. Hope I'm not beating a dead horse on this. I'm actually new to fifth wheels. Been pulling bumper pulls my whole life but recently stepped up and got a '17 3500 Aisin SRW Megacab 6'4" box(without fifth wheel prep package). I'm going to be pulling a 29' fifth wheel with a reported hitch weight of 1325lbs.

I was wondering what hitches others are happy with. I will be pulling probably 75% of the time so very concerned with strength and longevity. I have read about the BW Companion, which is considered a "single point attachment". is a single point attachment not a strong or reliable as a rail style?...or the Pulrite Superglide? I like the idea of once the hitch is out, the ball can be removed for full bed use, however, I am also fine with rails if that will lead to more strength and reliably.
Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Also, does anyone recommend a place in the San Diego area that would do a good install of the hitch?

Thank you,

Busboy

Don't buy a hitch until you know the trailer you are going to pull. If the trailer is not fairly new with the cut away front corners you will have next to no turning capability unless you buy a hitch that can slide, and even if the trailer does have the cut away corners it means you can't pull a friends trailer unless it has cut away corners or you have a slide hitch. While the short box has a lot of good features it has it's limitations as to pulling a 5th wheel. I have the B&W turn over ball and companion hitch in my 2011, the hitch itself is the same as the one used on the 2013 and up except it has different side plates. I did the 2011 and my sons 2013 very easy to install. What I don't like about the companion part of the hitch is it's too heavy to remove and install in one piece by hand, I made up a king pin on a boom I use in a skid steer. The other thing I don't like is the turn over ball for a gooseneck can be taken in and out easily but the companion has to be torqued down so there is 40ftlbs tension against the lock pin then the 2 U bolts torqued to 80ftlbs, this means the pin cannot be pulled without releasing the U bolts then the draw down bolt. It means the hitch cannot be easily removed and had I known this I would have gone a different route, the goose part is excellent and perhaps the goose pin box on the trailer is the way to go.

Harvie

I have used B&W Reese Pullrite sliders and Trailer Savers.

The one that I settled on and use is the Trailer Saver TS3. It is the easiest on the truck and trailer and makes pulling the trailers much more comfortable.