Trailer Hitch on 2013 3150RL

[Wyofish]

I pull a boat behind my 5th wheel, just got the new 3150 and wanted to know if anyone has any input regarding putting a hitch on the new 5th wheel. I will have a qualified welding shop do the work.

[Art-n-Marge]

I'd be more concerned about the engineering - knowing what needs to be welded and how, than the actual welding that actually goes on at these shops. I've met two kinds of people at all kinds of shops - the kind that will do anything for you and the other kind that will do anything for you, correctly.

Don't scrimp on the design and you should be okay especially since it reads you've done this with a prior rig. Some people have done this and the reported problems are rare and many more recommend against it especially if you are still under warranty for the same possibilities of past reported problems and you might encounter problems with warranty work because of it.

For the record, I don't recall Keystone ever recommending this for any Montana.

[Wyofish]

We contacted the factory and they said no problem. I understand they used to put them on at the factory_

[bncinwv]

Keep in mind the factory is not the one that is ultimately responsible for the frame warranty. The factory (Lippert?) put 1 1/2" receivers with a maximum weight rating of 250 pounds (if I remember correctly). The dealer will most likely be dealing with Lippert on any frame warranty issues, maybe indirectly through Montana. I am relatively sure that many previous inquiries to Lippert regarding the installation of a 2" receiver have resulted in a blanket statement that the frame warranty will be voided. Now, with that said, lots of members have done this, I am looking at it myself, but I am currently outside of the one year factory warranty. Not recommending one way or the other, just hopefully providing information that will be of use to facilitate an informed decision.
Bingo

[Hooker]

What Bingo said...the frame is weak, I'd check with Montana/Lippert first.

[mail2us]

Ron, Bingo has given you the best advice thus far. From my perspective, I had Mor/Ryde install a 2" receiver on our 2008 3400. They did an excellent job with weld and bolt. During a National Fall Rally, someone mentioned this to Jason Lippert in a seminar. Ultimately after the seminer, Lippert was escorted to our rig and shown the install. He clearly stated that any such mod would void the frame warranty. My rig was already out of warranty. Oh, I didn't attend the seminar but a well-intentioned MOCer volunteered my rig.

You really may want to discuss with Lippert directly especially if still under warranty. Good Luck.

[snfexpress]

If Keystone, in writing, said no problem, then go for it. They are the OEM and Lippert is a supplier. I doubt you could get it in writing.

[dieselguy]

You'll always open a can of worms on this forum when you try and talk about pulling anything behind your fiver. If frame warranty is not an issue for you ... you can pull small boats, jetskis, golf carts, and motorcycles behind your Montana. I've had a hitch on 3 different brand new Montanas (2850RK-2980RL-3150RL)and never had an issue. I will say what I've double towed has been jet skis and small jetboats weighing around 2300# at most. I've not nor would tow say a 20' Baja. Number 1, you're going to be way overlength and two, something that size is approaching 1/2 of what your fiver weighs. We enjoy watersports and bringing a second vehicle along on our trips to pull the boat is not an option for us. Montana frames are very similar to Cardinals, Jaycos, and Heartland products ... in the summertime here in the midwest, you see boats behind all of these all the time. Do your research ... talk to people doing it, and make your own decision. Here's a photo of my hitch. The top bracing is really a bicycle rack with a gusset. Oh ... and in my opinion, the so called hitch that comes on some Montanas really isn't a hitch ... it's more of a flag holder.

[mazboy]

3150 2010 use to have a receiver hitch. just take a look at some of the receivers on other trailers.

won't be any problem for a 250 or less hitch if you copy what Montana use to put on.

[gkidsdlite]

With all the people that want to tow behind their Monty , why doesn't Keystone do something for their customers along these lines? It only makes sense as some will buy SOB for this reason! I want to tow my bike and if I cant do it with a Monty then I will have to look elsewhere and I want to buy a Monty! Just sayin!!!

[richfaa]

The OEM hitch on my 2013 3402 is puny.We had the same hitch as mail2us installed at Morryde on our 06 3400. This puny oem hitch is just bolted on sp off it will come and replaced with a 2 inch hitch. All we put on it are a couple of bikes but this OEM hitch will hardly hold the weight of them.

[pineranch]

What the diesel guy said X2.
Mike

[Tomg]

I've been pulling my 21 ft bass boat behind my1999 2950 ever since I bought it new. No problem. On my 2013 3150 I rebuilt the hitch extending the 6 inch "U" channel about 18 Inches up along the rear frane lower flat.double plated the "U" channel {sanwitched] to it with eight grade eight bolts. Had a few technicial people look at and had some good comments. If the frame isn't designed with a 200% stress factor built into it we would all have failure problems given some of the roads we travel.
Beware of the ones who have never done this but know all about the conditions.

[Illini Trekker]

Keystone says you can travel with 55 gal. of water weighting 450 pounds on the frames. But they say aloud not to carry more that 200 lbs hitch and all??? I use a swivel wheel trailer and have around 200 lbs on my hitch. Been two years with out a problem.

[fauch]

quote:Originally posted by Illini Trekker

Keystone says you can travel with 55 gal. of water weighting 450 pounds on the frames. But they say aloud not to carry more that 200 lbs hitch and all??? I use a swivel wheel trailer and have around 200 lbs on my hitch. Been two years with out a problem.

there is a huge difference in the distributed load that a fresh tank full of water exerts on the frame beams vs the concentrated load that a hitch load can place on the 'tail-end' of the frame. I like the configuration that extends the receiver tube forward to a second cross-tube to stop the twist force when the receiver tube only connects at a single cross tube at the very rear end of the frame beams. I built one that my engineer brother designed. i will post a link when i find the pics in my web photos

[fauch]

Check out the hitch I made in this flickr album. There are a few different angles if you scroll through:

[img][/img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/fauch3/8585451549/[img][/img]

[TLightning]

The problem is not the hitch, you can put a 10k hitch on it, the weak link is the frame.

[DTIEDEMAN]

Frank what are pulling with your hitch? The design looks good.

[fauch]

Built it just to haul bike rack, but wanted to make sure it could handle light trailer if needed. Weak link will not be the hitch. The idea of extending receiver tube forward to second cross tube is to prevent twisting of single rear cross tube. This has been very effective at minimizing 'bike-rack-bounce'. Leverage exerted by length of receiver tube extension required to clear rear cap is the cause of the 'bike-rack-bounce'; especially with single cross tube.