Hitch for my tow vehicle

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bill dean

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Aug 1, 2017
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Hello everyone! This is my first post on here. I thought I better come on here and get some knowledge of what I am about ready to do. Been shopping for 5th wheels. I haven't decided on which brand yet but looked at a Jayco and Starcraft. The sales person priced out the Starcraft 27 RLS for me. We got to talking about hitches when he told me the hitch would be about $4000.00 installed. I like to fell over, I was expecting about $500.00. Is this what a hitch would cost for a 2013 Dodge Ram 2500 Short Box Hemi?
 
Depending on hitch.  Some command premium prices for a few frills.  Pick a double pivot head style.  Heck, even the better ones are only around 800 dollars plus instal.
 
Welcome to the forum!

A hitch can be $500 to $2000, depending on what you want on them.  The latter comes with air bags. In addition, you need to figure $200-$300 for rails, plus a couple hundred for the installation kit.  Add to that installation at least $500 and you can come up with a total figure.  I know some dealers will charge more than $500 for installation of all things.

One more thing, make sure your truck has enough payload capacity to pull the FW you want.
 
Call around to places like Camping World. They may be a little high but at least you will know what to expect. Take a ride to a nearby campground and ask people with 5th wheels about there equipment. Maybe its just a matter of drilling a few holes in your truck bed..doesn't take a rocket scientist for that...The RV life is kinda like plumbing or boating when it comes to getting jacked on the pricing. Lots of crooks out there I'm afraid....jmho  ::)
 
WOW!!! My Pullrite Superglide with the under-the- bed mounting option and cover was 1800.00 installed.
 
Pugapooh said:
$4000?  No wonder you nearly fell over.  Was that a gold plate edition? :-\
More like an auto slider gold plated edition.
the one i bought is a slider and it was $900 installed.
 
This is the most expensive one I have seen.  I don't know it would be as much as you were quoted.

http://www.trailersaver.com/product/bd3-air-ride-5th-wheel-hitch/
 
Thanks for everyones replies! I thought it sounded mighty high. After talking with the salesmen he said "we would surely like to earn your business". I don't thinks so. I just wanted a hitch not a used car! I will be calling around and finding out more.
 
First, welcome to the Forum.

It sounds like you are looking at a new FW.  WHY??  Unlike cars, most RV come with lots of little and sometimes big things that need fixed - under warranty by the dealer - but still requires returning the FW to the dealer and waiting for repairs to be made, hoping they fix more than they break!  A gently used camper will have all of these initial issues fixed and will save a lot of depreciation.

As RVRAC noted, the RAM 2500 is a great truck, but is somewhat limited to how much FW it can tow.  There is a yellow label on the driver door latch pillar that will state the max weight of all passengers and cargo shall not exceed XXXX.  This means exactly what it says.  Add together the weight of all passengers, pets, tools, firewood, etc. to be carried in the truck.  Add 200# for the hitch.  Add 20% of the FW  GVWR as pin weight.  This total must not exceed the cargo carrying capacity as displayed on the yellow label.

DO NOT use the dry wt which salesmen love!  Nobody goes camping in an empty camper.  DO NOT use the payload the truck salesman uses.  It is not for your truck!  The yellow label is specific to your truck.

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,90933.0.html
 
I found a place he in town that will install any 5th wheel hitch for $175.00. Great! They sell BMW 5th wheel hitches for $650.00. Way better than $4000.00!
 
Bill, I know you asked about the Andersen hitch on another post so I figured I'd tell you that my Draw-Tite Hide-A-Goose hitch was $710 installed and the Andersen itself was around $700, can't remember exactly.
 

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