5th wheel hitches

[Rob&Deryl]

Had nothing but trouble with a Curt hitch.  Better luck with a Husky.

What sort of trouble?
Which hitch?

 

[8Muddypaws]

It would refuse to latch for no apparent reason.  Same for releasing.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

It would refuse to latch for no apparent reason.  Same for releasing.

What model or series was it? Was it the current dual jaws?

Thanks for your experience

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I've been using an Anderson Ultimate 5th wheel hitch since 2016 and am very happy with it. I have an 8' bed so I can't speak to the geometry of using it in a 6.5' bed but I can tell you that after 4 summers of use, I do not have any type of deformity in the bed floor. I have a LineX spray-in liner and I can see some discoloration in the shape of the hitch's base but I'd describe this as an abrasion or even just a flatting of the high points in the spray material (if you are not familiar with it, it's very rough). My 5th wheel is in the 10,000-10,500 lb range with an estimated 2,200 lbs pin weight. Maybe a heavier 5th wheel would make a difference? I don't know.


My one wish for a change in their design would be to somehow line up the ball and socket directly below the kingpin. As it's designed, the kingpin adapter mandates that it's either 4" ahead or 4" behind the kingpin. For me, that 8" swing means I either can't drop the tailgate (rear position) or take chance that the pinbox hits the bedrail (happened to me one time - backing into a tight camp site that sloped down from the roadway...this could also happen with a sliding hitch, though, and may depend on pinbox design so that may be a moot point).

Thank you for the information.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I just installed the B&W Companion slider for Ram puck system in my 2020 Ram 3500, and it was a piece of cake install.  I love the puck system.  I have a chain hoist in the garage that I can lift it out with any time I need the truck bed clear for hauling.  This is a 20K rated hitch and is built like a tank.

Thanks. I have been looking online at all hitches anyone suggests (and putting them in a spreadsheet).
It is frustrating that all the manufacturers don?t provide all the specs.
For example most don?t post the weight of the hitch. Some post weights of the head. Some post shipping weight.

So, offhand, do you know the weight of your hitch? It is my favorite except for the possible weight. I don?t want to add too much to the truck.

 

[steveblonde]

What model or series was it? Was it the current dual jaws?

Thanks for your experience

With any hitch you must grease it on a regular basis a curt or reese or husky makes no difference. Curts do have a lifetime warranty and mine when new took a little time to break in. Its my 3rd curt (new truck new hitch new trailer new hitch)  my next hitch (comming soon) will be a curt and i will grease it the day i get it.

 

[edjunior]

With any hitch you must grease it on a regular basis a curt or reese or husky makes no difference. Curts do have a lifetime warranty and mine when new took a little time to break in. Its my 3rd curt (new truck new hitch new trailer new hitch)  my next hitch (comming soon) will be a curt and i will grease it the day i get it.

THIS!  Mine was doing exactly what you (Muddypaws) said yours was doing.  I got up in the bed and cleaned really well (I was a bit lax on my maintenance duties), and then greased 'er up and the jaws snapped shut and released just like it was new again.  Don't get lax on your maintenance!

 

[TonyL]

Perhaps it's because I'm a bib and braces type of guy, but if I am going to put around 2400lb vertical weight on something, I would much prefer something solid and heavy. The Anderson hitch at 35lb just seems too light to handle such a heavy vertical and lateral load. This is just my opinion, no disrespect to those who have and love them.
TonyL

 

[8Muddypaws]

Sorry, it was so long ago I don't remember the model number.

 

[RAMer-Jammer]

Thanks. I have been looking online at all hitches anyone suggests (and putting them in a spreadsheet).
It is frustrating that all the manufacturers don?t provide all the specs.
For example most don?t post the weight of the hitch. Some post weights of the head. Some post shipping weight.

So, offhand, do you know the weight of your hitch? It is my favorite except for the possible weight. I don?t want to add too much to the truck.

If you are trying to reduce weight, stay away from the B&W Companion slider.  It is a beast of a hitch and built like a tank, AND it weighs 300# (weighed the truck before and after install).

 

[Rob&Deryl]

So, I am warming up to the idea of an Andersen Hitch.
I have discovered a version that connects to ?standard rails? and I found a Reese product that provides ?standard rails? for a RAM puck system.

So, what is considered ?standard rails??

I think my biggest concern now is figuring out getting the ?hitch height? correct to I don?t bash the side rails. I am worrying less about the need for a slider due to the Andersen already offsets the trailer several inches to the rear.

 

[Rene T]

I am worrying less about the need for a slider due to the Andersen already offsets the trailer several inches to the rear.

That?s the one thing that turned me off about the Anderson. That offset put the kingpin behind the truck axles thereby lifting the front of the truck making the front light IMHO. I have no factual data to prove that. Just my opinion. When setting up a hitch with bed rails you set it up so that the kingpin is either right over the axle or a little forward.
I then started looking at the PullRite hitch. It puts the weight right over the axle or a little bit forward. You might want to look at that hitch. It rated for 20000#.
If I can sell my Reese hitch I?m going with a PullRite.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

You are correct about having the pin behind the axel lifts the front but I think it is important to know how much it affects things. A TT has the weight 30 to 40 inches behind and certainly causes unacceptable lifting for heavy tongue weights.

So, if the pin is a couple of inches behind the axel, how much is it realistically affecting handling? A couple of inches isn?t much of a lever on 100? of wheelbase. I would think it would only be 40 or 50 lbs of lift. I don?t think my diesel would notice?

 

[Rene T]

You are correct about having the pin behind the axel lifts the front but I think it is important to know how much it affects things. A TT has the weight 30 to 40 inches behind and certainly causes unacceptable lifting for heavy tongue weights.

That?s true about a TT but they also use weight distribution devices to shift some of the weight off the rear axle and transfer it to the front axle bringing to truck back to somewhat level.

 

[Joezeppy]

Actually, I did a test back in 2016 showing there was no leverage effect from the offset design of the Andersen. My results showed that there was a small amount of squat on the front axle meaning the pin weight was still in front of (or at least right on) the rear axle. Check it out here: http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,95621.msg862305.html#msg862305

 

[Rob&Deryl]

Thanks for that Joezeppy.

Now I need to get the weight of the pucks to rails adapter and figure out if the hitch height is going to come out right.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I have never had a 5th wheel hitch so am not familiar with ?standard rails?.

Are they a consistent height above the truck bed?
What is ?standard ? about them?

 

[scottydl]

Great topic - timely for me, as I need to learn about these hitches. I'm in the unique situation of already having a 5th wheel hitch (a non-sliding Reese on rail attachments) that the previous owner of my truck left installed, although I still tow a TT. We plan to upgrade to 5W within the next few years most likely.

With any hitch you must grease it on a regular basis a curt or reese or husky makes no difference.

Is there a "best practice" way to lube/grease these hitches? There are a a few upper pins on mine and it appears that a couple more pieces can be removed from the top. Curious if taking it apart and applying automotive (or other) grease is recommended, or if a spray product directed at the moving parts is sufficient.

 

[8Muddypaws]

Since many of them use different latching & locking mechanisms the lube requirements might be different. 

We had a husky.  I lubed the pivot pins, locking mechanism, and jaws at least once a year.  It required disassembly to clean the old grease off.  Some parts are heavy.

I never used grease on the plate.  Well, rather I only did it once.  What a mess.  I used a nylon lube disk after that.

 

[edjunior]

I have never had a 5th wheel hitch so am not familiar with ?standard rails?.

Are they a consistent height above the truck bed?
What is ?standard ? about them?

"Standard" rails are rails that are installed the same on every truck, and are made for just about all 5th wheel hitches.  The holes where the 5th wheel hitch base fits into are all standard no matter the brand.  Here is a picture of my Curt hitch sitting on some standard rails (the one if front looks exactly like the one in the back).