I am considering a b&w companion hitch and would like to know from other who has used one. What is the process once setup and removing and installing the hitch? I was under the impression it was as easy as putting in the goose neck ball, but I also heard you need a toque wrench each time you want to remove the hitch.

 

pull the pin and remove ........the hard part is getting in the bed.

The 5th wheel set up is great, just heavy. The gn which I use most is so simple my 5 yr old can do it.

 

You won't be upset! I had the factory do my install... I know, sorry excuse for a road trip!

 

To install it, pull the pin and insert the square steel post. Put the main body in the bed with the u bolts around the steel post. Put the top bolt into the top of the steel post, and torque to 40 lbs. this pulls up on the post so it can not come out. Next torque the u bolts to 80 lbs. Insert the head onto the base, insert the pins, hook up and go. Takes me 5-10 minutes to install it and hook up. You can see complete directions here http://www.turnoverball.com/download.asp?id=57

 

Thanks for the help. Are there any guys out there that dont torque the bolts down every time they put it back in

 

In this photo you can see how it attaches, and you can see the top draw down bolt and part of the two U bolts.



To me, that draw down bolt is just too critical to not use a torque wrench. I just keep a crafstman click type under the rear seat, along with a cheap-o set of deep wells...

IMHO that's really the only disadvantage to the B&W (having to use tools). It has a lot of positives, like leaving the bed flat when removed, pivots 4 ways, good range of vertical and fore/aft adjustability, and it is easy to visually see that the jaws are on the groove of the king pin.

 

A friend of mine says he doesn't ever untorque the bolts to remove the hitch. I used his method of leaving the weight of the trailer on the hitch, and pulling the b&w pin out before unhooking the trailer once. It hasn't worked since then for me. It needs as much pin weight pushing down as the 40 ft-lbs of torque is pulling up to work.