IUEC135ELEVATOR Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 (edited) So my truck is soon coming in which should have already been here but is still being held hostage by csx or someone. Is a 350 7.3 crew long bed 4wd with oem 5th prep package. I currently have a 30-foot pull behind but I'm preparing for a fifth wheel. ( still use the pull behind for camping but buy an older 5th wheel and put it on my property in the mountains or find a long-term campsite on a river somewhere, who knows). Eventually I will get rid of the pull behind and go straight fifth wheel but that's in the distant future. There are many different kinds of fifth wheel hitches with many different options, locking bars, different pivots, sliders Exedra exedra. I don't need a slider because I have a long bed but with the other options I don't know what is useful and which is a gimmick. I want to buy a fifth wheel hitch now so if I run across an amazing deal on a fifth wheel I'm ready to just go get it. What do you guys like about your brand and the options you have on your hitch or the Style and what do you not like, what do you recommend. My truck is only rated for 20,000 fifth wheel Towing so I imagine a 20000 lb fifth wheel hitch would be more than enough (or does getting a WAY over rated weight hitch have benefits/or is WAY OVER KILL just trivial)as I will probably not even get a fifth wheel that heavy. Let's discuss! Edited September 15, 2021 by IUEC135ELEVATOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 I have a B&W in mine and I LOVE it! Easy to hook up and unhook, solid connection, and easy to verify that it's latched. Plus, it's made in the USA! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road turtle Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 I ordered B&W based on discussion with friends that tow 5th wheels. There are people that love the Anderson due to it's light weight, but a good friend showed my a bunch of photos where the Anderson literally collapsed in accidents. His point struck harmony with me, are you going to depend on and bet your life of that hitch holding in a bad accident? He was in an accident with with work 18 wheeler, where he was forced into a ditch and immediately stopped. He said, can you imagine that hitch holding up in the type of accident he had? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUEC135ELEVATOR Posted September 15, 2021 Author Share Posted September 15, 2021 Also wondering about the different heights of the hitches I noticed there are some really low ones and really high ones.... is there a good number to try to stick with or does it all depend on what kind of trailer you have? I see them from 12 in up to 18 in. I guess with a taller higher truck you want to get a shorter hitch? For a truck that maybe lower to the ground you might want to get the taller hitch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford truck guy Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 Go with the B & W Companion, Ford OEM .... AND DO NOT LOOK BACK.. The height adjustment will help in getting the bed rails the proper clearance from the fiver and getting the fiver to run level. I have my B&W set in the middle height setting. The B&W is ALMOST foolproof... but like anything else, as long as US humans have something to do with it, its possible to screw it up! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 2 hours ago, IUEC135ELEVATOR said: Also wondering about the different heights of the hitches I noticed there are some really low ones and really high ones.... is there a good number to try to stick with or does it all depend on what kind of trailer you have? I see them from 12 in up to 18 in. I guess with a taller higher truck you want to get a shorter hitch? For a truck that maybe lower to the ground you might want to get the taller hitch? Sort of. The biggest issue with the Super Duty is the height of the bed sides. I've got my B&W in the top setting to have enough clearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 (edited) I have a PullRite slider in a short bed, so I’m no help there. My thoughts in your situation is to have someone with a 5th wheel hitch that can help. That way , when that great deal comes along you can move quick. My reasoning is you might find the perfect trailer and it has a Reece goosebox or other gooseneck and now you wasted your money on the wrong hitch. Just my 2 cents. Edited September 15, 2021 by LarryD Misspell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUEC135ELEVATOR Posted September 15, 2021 Author Share Posted September 15, 2021 (edited) I thought all campers if they weren't bumper hitch they were fifth wheel. Aren't goosenecks just for equipment or dump trailers? I'm assuming not since you brought that up but I've never thought about that, what percentage of campers are gooseneck compared to RV is that a very low percentage? And the regular goose ball hitch for say a gooseneck equipment trailer work on a camper? (With a gooseneck connection) I always assume the gooseneck was the same for everything are there different kinds of gooseneck connections.... Now I am more confused I've only ever seen one kind of gooseneck and one kind of fifth wheel Edited September 15, 2021 by IUEC135ELEVATOR Do you ever read one of your post and think that doesn't make a damn bit of sense and have to go back and edit it....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road turtle Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 There are gooseneck adapters, which according to Lippert who makes most 5th wheel frames will not be warrantied, unless you buy the lippert adapter. The forces on a gooseneck are different than a 5th wheel. Most people never have an issue, but there have been issues with frames cracking and it gets to be an expensive repair. Me personally, I'm going with B&W fifth wheel hitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizzaguy Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 What ever hitch you buy, just be sure it has the jaws that wrap around the pin instead of a slide bar. Much less slop that way. Curt makes a very nice fifth wheel hitch also. I have a Trailer Saver air ride, but it is an expensive hitch. Bought it from a friend who quit camping and only used it about three times and I paid about a third of the price for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted September 15, 2021 Share Posted September 15, 2021 I second, third and forth the B&W. The hitch is adjustable up, down, forward and back. Only way to go IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bshort Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 Goosebox. Simple ball to remove when not in use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryD Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 16 hours ago, road turtle said: There are gooseneck adapters, which according to Lippert who makes most 5th wheel frames will not be warrantied, unless you buy the lippert adapter. The forces on a gooseneck are different than a 5th wheel. Most people never have an issue, but there have been issues with frames cracking and it gets to be an expensive repair. Me personally, I'm going with B&W fifth wheel hitch. Reece Goosebox, to my knowledge is the only gooseneck that Lippert approved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdbohannon Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 Following as I'm trying to figure out the same. My f350 CCLB is being built next week, and we are buying a 5th wheel / trading in our bumper pull in January or February. I have a good friend who went w the goosebox and loves it, but his motivation for doing so was that he's pulling a gooseneck landscaping trailer if he's not pulling his camper and he didn't want to deal w the back and forth. My biggest question has always been how much of a pain it is (or isn't) to remove the fifth wheel hitch if you need the full bed. I have zero experience with that so I'd love to know how much trouble it is. I tow my camper somewhere pretty much 3 weekends a month at least, but M-Th it would be nice to have access to the full bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Hood Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 16 minutes ago, tdbohannon said: Following as I'm trying to figure out the same. My f350 CCLB is being built next week, and we are buying a 5th wheel / trading in our bumper pull in January or February. I have a good friend who went w the goosebox and loves it, but his motivation for doing so was that he's pulling a gooseneck landscaping trailer if he's not pulling his camper and he didn't want to deal w the back and forth. My biggest question has always been how much of a pain it is (or isn't) to remove the fifth wheel hitch if you need the full bed. I have zero experience with that so I'd love to know how much trouble it is. I tow my camper somewhere pretty much 3 weekends a month at least, but M-Th it would be nice to have access to the full bed. The B&W hitch is super easy to install and remove, but it is heavy. The head unit comes off by pulling two pins and lifting two handles. This part is pretty easy to manage. The base unit you pull tow pins and turn four handles if you have the factory puck system. The base is heavy though and can be a little difficult to move around, but it is manageable by one person in most cases. I have head of guys who remove it often, mounting a pulley on their ceiling and leaving it suspended in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
road turtle Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 28 minutes ago, Robin Hood said: The B&W hitch is super easy to install and remove, but it is heavy. The head unit comes off by pulling two pins and lifting two handles. This part is pretty easy to manage. Not if you don't read the instructions where it says to grease the interface between top and bottom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 2 hours ago, road turtle said: Not if you don't read the instructions where it says to grease the interface between top and bottom... Yes, found that out the hard way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramrod79 Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 B&W hitch all the way. Had one in my above bed rail system and it was flawless. Got another one when I purchased my new 2019 with the OEM puck mount system and it has been great. It is a heavy piece of iron though, I believe it weighed in at 137lbs but I can easily remove/reinstall by myself since it can be separated into two parts. My buddy had a Reese and after he tried my B&W he replaced his with the B&W because he always had issues getting his latched/unlatched all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rethorn Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 I have a Blue Ox Super Ride that I bought from 4wheelonline. It is easy to operate and remove from the truck bed also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUEC135ELEVATOR Posted September 17, 2021 Author Share Posted September 17, 2021 (edited) So what I'm seeing here on etrailer is that a single hook jaw is the best? Double hook jaw is next oh, and as someone replied stay away from the slider bar because it's noisy. What are the differences in those pivots is there one of those to stay away from there one that's better? The more YouTube videos I watch and the more Googling I do the more confused I get. I'm seeing a lot people seem to say B and W is good....... But when I look what kind of pivots they have it doesn't even say. Edited September 17, 2021 by IUEC135ELEVATOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordmantpw Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 Just read this, then decide where you want to buy it. B&W Details That simple. Don't overthink it. Personally, I suggest eTrailer for your purchase location. They will price match, and they are based here in MO, just a couple hours from me. Side note on eTrailer, they will install anything they sell...for free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB14 Posted September 17, 2021 Share Posted September 17, 2021 I have a B &W and the puck system on my 2022 F250 and love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bshort Posted September 18, 2021 Share Posted September 18, 2021 Would you rather remove a 150 lb hitch (and find a place to store it) or a 5 lb ball and keep it under the back seat? Goosebox is the way to go. As part of your trailer deal, have the dealer install a goosebox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dupio Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 I only tow utility trailers, so some of the comments about how these hitches work with RVs are beyond me. I've had a couple Reese hitches, and I wouldn't buy them again. It's often very hard to disconnect (lately I've been using a hammer). This is on smooth concrete in a shop- it's even tougher on rough ground. Many of the guys I work with use Curt hitches, and they're very happy with them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardvark666 Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 I have a B&W and would 100% say to get one as well. It will work with anything. Just get the companion and move on. Yes its 1100 bucks but it’s rock solid and made in USA and the company is legit. They stand behind their products and are available if you have an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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