Automated safety hitch

[twhedge]

All I will add to what longhaul posted is the reason that I bought one. 
Before my 5th wheel, I had a TT.  My truck was used mainly as a work truck, meaning that I used it for anything from bring lumber home from Lowes to hauling sand or mulch.  I had a Undercover tonneau cover on it to keep it nice looking and protect what I had back there.  When I was presented with a great opportunity to upgrade to a traded-in 5th wheel, I did not want to give up the bed of my truck when towing.  Especially having to take off the cover, put in the slider hitch (which was recommended by the RV seller) and loose the storage when towing.  I had read of people that left the hitch hanging from the kingpin when not being used.  That sounded bad to me.  I also was a little concerned about the possibility of bed rail or cab damage if the rig got into an awkward position.  The used 5th wheel already had repaired damage on the front cap where it had collided with the previous owners TV.  The automated safety hitch was a little more expensive than the recommended slider hitch but with the added breaking and somewhat improved maneuverability, it was worth it (to me).  A lot cheaper than having a somewhat dedicated TV.
Maybe you could consider it foolish but it has worked out real well for me. 

 

[steveblonde]

at the risk of sounding like a jackass - why? just buy a capable truck - if you add the cost to a 2500 your wasting a bunch of money. MY dually is as comfortable as almost any caddy etc and its easy to drive around town and parking it is not that big a deal. seems to me like this whole thing is overcomplicating things - sorry
i just drove my truck on a 4day 2500 mile trip through the mountains that have started to thaw so the frost heaves are starting to rear their ugly heads lol and couldnt have been more comfortable - the trucks today are nothing like they were even 5 yrs ago the technology and ride is amazing and i can pull 30,000 lbs 

 

[Red Dawg]

I would strongly urge anyone contemplating purchasing a device like this from any company to do research on the company. Most importantly, don?t make the mistake of paying the full price before the item is delivered. Some companies operate on such slim margins that your funds are used to finance previous orders and if they hit a rough patch financially you could be out of luck.
When I pay full price for something and have not received it a year later, it?s more than a disagreement.

 

[RGP]

At it simplest you have turned your trailer into a wagon. Dual trailer semis do this all the time.

You increased towing capacity at the cost of increased complexity.

The trucking companies can offset the increase cost of maintenance and complexity with the profits derived from the increased towing capacity. The non-commercial user has only the increased convenience motive.

Ignoring the fact that backing up a wagon is rather difficult and the cost between my F-150 and an equivalent F-250 is perhaps $3000.00. I can understand why it would appeal to some folks. It is unique and certainly a different approach to towing.

Personally I am lazy and prefer to minimize or simplify the mechanical gizmos associated with my RV. That is why I have manual crank stabilizers and tongue jack.

Safe travels 

 

[TigerTuf]

I bought a used one last November and have towed about 2500 miles with it.  It works fine and, yes, you do have to get a little experience with some of its nuances.  It is well designed and robust. However there is one thing that no one has mentioned:  While it will allow you to tow a lot more load than your vehicle may be rated for, it is not legal to do that.  And, yes, the manufacturer claims DOT approval and even has given out letters to help you if you get pulled over.  But while that might help you avoid a ticket, it will be absolutely useless if there is an accident, even if someone else hits you, because not matter what DOT approval there may or may not be on the ASH, your tow vehicle is still rated for just what it was without the ASH. And lawyers will love to make you bear the costs of everything possible if you are towing overloaded in violation of the vehicle rating.  Your insurance company will also not be very pleased.

I rigged up my ASH to my Chrysler Aspen SUV that has a towing capacity of 8,950 lbs. and I am able to pull a fully loaded 15,000 lb. GVWR gooseneck trailer with it with no problem and no harm to the SUV.  BUT that's not legal on the road! It would cost me a lot more than a new 3/4 ton pick up if I was involved in any kind of mishap and ended up getting sued. So the bottom line:  The ASH is great for towing a gooseneck trailer or 5th wheel with any vehicle and it will give you great road stability, extra braking, and nice maneuverability.  But to use it for "extra towing capacity" which is very possible and very safe, is simply not worth the financial risk because it still doesn't make it legal to to that.  Would I use it to tow a heavy gooseneck or 5th wheel with a 3/4 or 1 ton pickup that could pull it anyway?  Of course!  The extra braking and stability is completely worth it.

Lastly, to lone_star_dsl, the connection point is adjustable and you can set it to transfer the optimum amount of weight to the tow vehicle.  And to Red Dawg, I fully agree that anyone contemplating buying one needs to visit the company, not pay full price in advance and be prepared to make sure you get everything documented and tested to your satisfaction before the final payment.

 

[baylonjay]

I have had an ASH since jan 2016 (only one powder coated john deere green!.    Up front summary result  - I LOVE IT.  I researched it on the internet as much as was possible.  I am an electrical engineer, and understand well car and truck mechanics, and electrical control systems from various past jobs. I have met Joe at  ASH factory, paid half up front, and then went to the factory to pick it up, spent the day with him, he showed me multiple times how to hook / unhook it, and he bought me breakfast and lunch!  He is a smart and sincere person! Then I drove it home!

First off - no it does not increase GCWR of the truck at all - period.  Using this with a suv that is rated at 8900ibs - for a 15K ibs fth wheel - sort of boggles the mind to me... that is VERY irresponsible to all on the road.  The ASH simply takes pin weight off the truck bed.  It is not a tag along trailer hitch. It is a frame extension of the truck.  It does put definite load on the rear truck drive wheels!  That load is just not directly over the rear wheels like a bedded 5th wheel.  Ignorant comments on that point if you dont know about the ASH - are simply that ignorant and wrong. 

It makes a SWT into  a serial dually with an extra 6K axle and HUGE hydraulic disk brakes.  I have a 2015 2500 RAM mac cab Cummins diesel... it has 17500 towing rating, I tow a 14K fully loaded 36' GD reflection 5th wheel.  I see so many stupid people towing 15-18K ibs of weight on 250/2500s that have weight ratings (for bed and passengers) of 2500 ibs.  You are right at the limit for pin / truck cargo weight with  my 5th wheel.  Anything bigger like a 42' - which I also see many 250/2500 SWT towing those - and you are way over -  yikes.    The 3500 duallys are well within their rating for almost any 5th wheel - but those cost more than my truck with the ASH, which is a better tow vehicle than most 3500 duals.  (and with those duallys you still dont have the extra hydraulic HD truck break that the ASH has) .  I hate duallys with their plastic fenders that always crack, and they SUCK as vehicles to drive around in.  Also with this I can put a nice cap on my truck and use the bed for lots of cargo - and with all of this I am still well within the PIN weight, and GCVR of my 2500 truck, 

The steering lock/unlock is simplicity itself.  The hydraulic dampers keep is tracking straight above 35 even it the lock is not engaged.  The one difference I did was install a positive (single rocker switch) that explicitly locks/unlocks that mechanism with positive feed back to know what state it is in.  That way I have complete control and knowledge of its state at all times.  Otherwise mine is complete stock as made by ASH Co.  Joe sells these kits (simple switch and cabling) to do what I did.

If anyone wants to talk more - Please send email direct to me, we can then talk via phone. 

Regards.
-alan

 

[baylonjay]

Here are a couple pics

 

[baylonjay]

..

 

[baylonjay]

..

 

[baylonjay]

I want to also add - there are tons of people that actually own and use these - that love them and dispute the ignorant aspects and theories on why they are not needed, not reliable and or also unsafe, and have actual use data (based on joe selling close to 500 of these)  as opposed to opinions based on ignorance.  I am new to this forum - but I am also an engineer. I would be a failure at that w/o systemic objectivity.    If you dont have any data on relevant technical issues and only have negative opinions based on that lack of data... then please put that at the top of the post, so we dont waste time reading just biased ignorant opinion.

 

[baylonjay]

prfcdoc wrote :

You are going to have a very long overall rig, potentially putting you outside some states' restrictions.



Hi prfcdoc -

I agree that if you have a long bed truck, and you have a 42' 5th wheel with the ASH you could easily be 75'.  That is prolly too long for most states (not sure).  My ram2500 cummins crew cab short bed with the ASH and a 36' ft wheel are a little under 60'.  So for my situation pulling the 36' 5th wheel with the ASH - the whole rig is the same length as a bed mounted 42 footer.  I also like the ASH because it has zero issues with needing special short bed bed hitches, and the shorter length with the cap and crew cab it makes a nice HD exploration travel vehicle to use while the 5th wheel is at the RV park or wherever you are setup. It is still big but not nearly as big and wide as a 3500 dually. 

 

[lone_star_dsl]

I want to also add - there are tons of people that actually own and use these - that love them and dispute the ignorant aspects and theories on why they are not needed, not reliable and or also unsafe, and have actual use data (based on joe selling close to 500 of these)  as opposed to opinions based on ignorance.  I am new to this forum - but I am also an engineer. I would be a failure at that w/o systemic objectivity.    If you dont have any data on relevant technical issues and only have negative opinions based on that lack of data... then please put that at the top of the post, so we dont waste time reading just biased ignorant opinion.

Since you're new to the forum, I guess I should tell you that you don't need to come here to justify your purchase or gain our approval for doing so.

As an idea, the automated safety hitch is nothing new. The principle of it has been used in the trucking industry for decades. In the case of a "jeep", the fifth wheel hitch is set at the halfway point between the truck and the extra set of tires which spreads the pin weight evenly between two sets of tandems.

Since you want to get all engineery, what percentage of the trailer pin weight is transferred to the rear axle of the tow vehicle? I stated earlier that it appeared as though the hitch needed to be moved further forward to transfer more weight to the tow vehicle just like what has been done with the "jeeps" of lowboy trailers in the trucking industry.

 

[baylonjay]

Your first sentence seems pretty obvious and totally assumed.... why would I need to justify why I bought this (3 years ago) to anyone other than myself??  That was not my motivation or thought at all.  I assume you buy what you buy based on the same research and justification. 

Anyway I was simply saying you have no experience with it and yet 'seemed' to be making  statements based on no personal use data.  Thats all.  Did not mean to go all 'engineery' on you - whatever that means relative to the simple statements i made about ASH. 

Yes this is a typical 'drop axle' design that has been used in the trucking industry for decades... that is why it was ez to get DOT approval by Joe / ASH on the concept and then actual design instance for the ASH.  The innovation is how (over 5 years) - he has refined  it to be reliable, and ez to hitch, unhitch, tow with and maintain (any truck mechanic or so inclined person can do all the maintenance)

 

[baylonjay]

Actually the ASH has been around I think for well over 10 years.... it has existed more or less in its present evolution for about 5 years - though no positive on that.

 

[ckahler50]

I am temporarily removing what I posted here yesterday pending further discussion with the owner of Automated Hitch Company.

 

[irishtom29]

I?ve been told pipeliners who live in 5th wheels find this device useful as they need their truck beds for their welding machines and such.

 

[av8bdriver]

I have one for sale over in the for sale section of the forum, if anyone is interested or knows someone that is.

Here is the link.. http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,130668.0.html

 

[bigedb]

Anybody on here own one, tried one, have any thoughts, opinions? Would you feel safe pulling an 17k - 20k trailer behind a one ton pu, SRW with this? Asking because I certainly am not experienced enough to judge the safety of this type of hitch, so looking to some of the experts. Did a search, couldn't find where this had been discussed.

Deluxe Automated Safety Hitch System

With the Deluxe Automated Safety Hitch System, pull with your: Vans SUVs Full Sized Pickup Short Bed Pickup Lifted Pickup Chevy Avalanche type vehicles (crossovers) The Automated Safety Hitch™ Syst…

www.automatedsafetyhitch.com

Thanks
John

I've got a 44' Road Warrior Toyhauler, but I haven't been in the Mountains or even Hill country with it ...Yet.

 

[bigedb]

Firsthand experience with an ASH. Back in 2013 when we decided to go see America I stumbled across the Safety Hitch and really liked the idea of having the truck bed free (that was our biggest selling point) among other things. So in 2014 we set it up and purchased one. And that is where what seemed like a good idea got loaded into the proverbial handbasket to He**.

It took almost a year to get our unit, we started having issues with it from the moment I picked it up and pulled it home. Nothing worked correctly or as advertised. Taillights didn't work right, had a fender pull off the frame while on the road (was only tack welded), the ASH couldn't communicate with the truck OEM Brake Controller so we had no brakes on the ASH and the 5th wheel, 1st time we set the trailer up the 3 point landing gear collapsed which caused the trailer to take an interesting pitch forward and down. The axle mechanism would lock and unlock while backing up so all of a sudden we would have an axle that did its own thing. The modifications made to our OEM hitch for the 3 point connection system was botched so the receivers were sitting at odd angles and would bind up making connecting/disconnecting a major chore. There is so much more that went wrong but its a long list and in short we came to a settlement with ASH Inc.

One could say we just got a bad one but around the same time I was contacted by 2 other purchasers that problems equal to or worse than ours including according to them severe stability issues while driving. Since that time I've spoken to or read stuff from 4 other purchasers that have had some major problems with their units and chased refunds or filed complaints or lawsuits.

The company has been sued twice in the last year and there are 3 complaints on the Denton County BB site and many comments from unhappy purchasers on FB. There are 4 total company FB pages plus one created by a disgruntled customer called Safety Issues with Automated Safety Hitch. There are comments from several unhappy former owners as well as ex-employees across those pages. I've seen ads for at least 4 brand new hitches for sale in the last year, IMO you don't spend 10-12 K and then sell something with 2-3000 miles on it unless there is a reason.

I know there are folks that are satisfied with their hitch but that many people with bad experiences in a short amount of time indicates that something isn't right somewhere. Its a good idea on paper, reality proved to be something different. I wouldn't recommend one these hitches to my worst enemy I don't hate anybody that much.

Apologies that my first post is such a negative one but I think if some folks had posted up their experiences (good and bad) might not have wasted a lot of time and money on this.

Robert

Robert: I appreciate your output. I do own an ASH, but I have not yet done any long hauling, mountainous, or even hilly roadtrips with it...yet. I do know that without the 5th wheel trlr weight on the ASH it will not turn corners correctly when I tow it. It skips/slides behind me truck and tears a lot of rubber off doing so. I will update this when I get more miles on my ASH. I'm towing a monster. 44' Road Warrior Toy Hauler. GRVW=21,000#. My rig is a 2020 GMC 2500HD with 3" Cognito leveling kit and AirLyft 7500# air bags.

 

[bigedb]

I have one for sale over in the for sale section of the forum, if anyone is interested or knows someone that is.

Here is the link.. http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,130668.0.html

Is it sold? I looked and said no listing.