2020 GM / Andersen Ultimate question...

[CADman_KS]

It's true for sure that there a lot of options out there today, and there are a lot of GOOD options, which is nice as a consumer...

[CADman_KS]

Well, after much consternation, I decided on another path, and not a slider.

First off, let me say that I am a HUGE slider fanboy, and I absolutely swear by them. They are really really cheap insurance for that ONE time that you're not paying attention.

But, at the end of the day, it's not "exactly" about the insurance, as much as it is about the "dimensions". IF, the distance from your pivot point to the back of your cab is OVER 1/2 the width of your 5er, you should be able to get to a FULL 90deg turn without hitting the cab. There are other things to consider there, if that dimension is only a couple inches more than half, like uneven ground as an example.

What I finally decided to go with is a PullRite 3900 which is a conventional 5th wheel, that uses the gooseball as it's attachment point. That hitch will sit back from the gooseball up to 8", which should be me about 55" clearance on a needed 48" dimension. Since 55 is greater than 48, I should be find by quite a bit, hence the reason for no slider.

I've ordered all the pieces, and will get them installed, and do some measuring, and take some pics, and post back...

[PatrickandMarga]

Thanks! You are correct, the 2020 3500 rides very smooth and I "dealer traded" my 2500 for the 3500. I feel much better.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by PatrickandMarga

Thanks! You are correct, the 2020 3500 rides very smooth and I "dealer traded" my 2500 for the 3500. I feel much better.

Great! Enjoy the new truck!!!

[G & S Russell]

Originally Posted by CADman_KS

Just read the PullRite install manual, and you need something on the RotaFlex hitches when using the PullRite Superlite hitch as well....

You might give the Reese Goosebox a look. Uses the ball in the truck on a 20k hitch that will not void your warranty. Also it has an air bag and shock absorbers. Really a smooth ride leaving only my 2 5/16 ball in the bed of my truck.

[G & S Russell]

Colin,
I have the Goosebox also. What air pressure are you running in the Goosebox air bag? I’m running 50 in it and 55 in my air bags on my truck.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by G & S Russell

You might give the Reese Goosebox a look. Uses the ball in the truck on a 20k hitch that will not void your warranty. Also it has an air bag and shock absorbers. Really a smooth ride leaving only my 2 5/16 ball in the bed of my truck.

I think that's probably a great hitch from everything that I've heard. However, it doesn't meet two of my must have requirements:

1. Ability to turn FULL 90deg without hitting the cab of my SB truck
2. Number 1 MUST be accomplished WITH NO intervention on my part, ie: happen automatically

[G & S Russell]

CADman_KS,
I understand your concern. I’ve got a full 8 ft box, so not an issue here. Good luck with the hitch you choose and happy trails.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by G & S Russell

CADman_KS,
I understand your concern. I’ve got a full 8 ft box, so not an issue here. Good luck with the hitch you choose and happy trails.

Thanks!

[CLM]

Originally Posted by G & S Russell

Colin,
I have the Goosebox also. What air pressure are you running in the Goosebox air bag? I’m running 50 in it and 55 in my air bags on my truck.

I just checked the pressure for the first time today. I have the Goosebox pressure set at about 35 psi. I think the pressure needed will vary depending on the rv tongue weight. I originally set the pressure so that the indicator on the side of the Goosebox aligns with the centre of the indicator window as recommended in the instructions. Only had to add a bit of air once in three months and 7000 miles!

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by PNW Fireguy

CA and IN require chains regardless of your licensing state. Most folks, including yours truly, just buy the chains and leave them on. No fuss.

So, I have a question on these chains...

If you had a 1P hitch of any kind, PullRite, Andersen, B&W, etc, and you want to do the chains, is it necessary to affix the chains to the 5er, OR can you affix the chains to just the hitch, and is that good enough???

[PNW Fireguy]

In my case (Anderen) the king pin adaptor has eye bolts that replace the standard hex head bolts. This provided the 5er connection. The other end of the chains attach to the u bolts extending through the truck bed and attached to the frame connected portion of the B&W turnover. The supplied eyebolts are suspect as to being able to support the weight needed before failing.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by PNW Fireguy

In my case (Anderen) the king pin adaptor has eye bolts that replace the standard hex head bolts. This provided the 5er connection. The other end of the chains attach to the u bolts extending through the truck bed and attached to the frame connected portion of the B&W turnover. The supplied eyebolts are suspect as to being able to support the weight needed before failing.

Yeah, so if I understand correctly, you're still hooking the 5er to the bed, like a conventional gooseneck would be. You're not chaining the hitch to the bed, which is what I'm wanting to do.

I have a PullRite 3900, and it would be very easy to secure the hitch to the bed. At that point, in my mind, it's not much different than a conventional 5er hitch. If the 5er comes of the hitch, the brakes stop it. If the hitch comes off the ball, the chain has a hold of the hitch, and it can't get away.

All that to say, if anyone of these ever happened, it would be a bad, bad day for sure!!!

[lightsout]

The Chain requirement is in fact state by state however most states do require chains (at least in the western US). The Law is specific to all Ball Connection would require chains, whereas King pin has no secondary safety connection requirement other than brake away cable. With that said the chain MUST connect to the Trailer (Pin box) and the Truck. Andersen has the optional connection at the bed/goose neck (not the hitch itself) however they do make hooks where you can also use one of the other bed puck connection however in Andersen case the size of the hitch slightly covers the puck holes so that is not an option, if your Pullrite does not that is your best connection point but the chain must be connected to the trailer.

[jsb5717]

Mine doesn't have a puck system so I just use the 2 tie-downs on the B&W ball system.

If the hitch covers the pucks couldn't you just order the Andersen adapter that connects to the ball that lightsout mentioned regardless of which ball-attach hitch you use?

I prefer to connect the chains so it becomes a non-issue

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by jsb5717

Mine doesn't have a puck system so I just use the 2 tie-downs on the B&W ball system.

If the hitch covers the pucks couldn't you just order the Andersen adapter that connects to the ball that lightsout mentioned regardless of which ball-attach hitch you use?

I prefer to connect the chains so it becomes a non-issue

The Anderson solution is a plate that loosely lays on the bed over the goose neck shaft. so yes I see no reason it would not work it really has nothing to do with the hitch itself

[CADman_KS]

So, I do have access to two of the pucks, and I have the chain attachment pucks, so I could use that.

I'm just trying to understand the difference between chaining the hitch in, and chaining to the actual 5er.

I need to take a picture of what the setup in my truck looks like, and how it would work with chains. That would clarify a lot of things. I'll try and do that tomorrow...

[CADman_KS]

All, I said earlier in the post that I was going to get a slider no matter what. Then, after more looking, and measuring, I found out that the PullRite 1P (single point attchment) hitch, should give me the needed clearance AND insurance to never hit.

Tonight we towed with our new truck and the 1P PullRite model 3900 for the first time. I am very happy with the truck, hitch, everything!!

There has been much said getting to the magical 90, in this post and others. The driving to reason to get to 90 is INSURANCE. If you can get to 90, then you can just about pretty much assure yourself that you cab will not contact your 5er.

To put that into perspective, I got the camper to about 87, I didn't quite make it to 90, but could have. It IS hard on suspension to get this far, but this was for illustration only. Again, remember that this is NOT a slider. It is a "conventional" 5th wheel hitch, that mounts to a gooseball.

Here is what a truck / 5er at about 87 looks like. Notice that the nose of the camper is WAY past the side of the truck. It had to go by the back of the cab to get there:



Here's a picture of the cab to 5er clearance, and I didn't measure it, but it's somewhere in the 3-4" range:



Here is a picture of the distance from the back of the stock 5er hitch to the tailgate. This is something that I was concerned about, with the hitch being further back in the bed. I didn't measure the distance, but it's probably somewhere around 5-6" :



I would definitely recommend this hitch for anyone with a 2020 GMC shortbox, if you do NOT want a slider. This hitch is fairly lightweight, and I can easily load it by myself, especially if I take the hitch head off.

With all of that said, I think that full disclosure is in order here as well. The pivot point on this setup is 4" behind the gooseball, and the gooseball is 2" behind the centerline of the axle. I have a 3500 SRW truck, and that might help, but pulling it tonight, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

This is the first time that I've ever seen this hitch installed in anything, so I can try answer any questions that anyone might have about the installation in a 2020 GM...

[Montana Man]

Originally Posted by CADman_KS

All, I said earlier in the post that I was going to get a slider no matter what. Then, after more looking, and measuring, I found out that the PullRite 1P (single point attchment) hitch, should give me the needed clearance AND insurance to never hit.

Tonight we towed with our new truck and the 1P PullRite model 3900 for the first time. I am very happy with the truck, hitch, everything!!

There has been much said getting to the magical 90, in this post and others. The driving to reason to get to 90 is INSURANCE. If you can get to 90, then you can just about pretty much assure yourself that you cab will not contact your 5er.

To put that into perspective, I got the camper to about 87, I didn't quite make it to 90, but could have. It IS hard on suspension to get this far, but this was for illustration only. Again, remember that this is NOT a slider. It is a "conventional" 5th wheel hitch, that mounts to a gooseball.

Here is what a truck / 5er at about 87 looks like. Notice that the nose of the camper is WAY past the side of the truck. It had to go by the back of the cab to get there:



Here's a picture of the cab to 5er clearance, and I didn't measure it, but it's somewhere in the 3-4" range:



Here is a picture of the distance from the back of the stock 5er hitch to the tailgate. This is something that I was concerned about, with the hitch being further back in the bed. I didn't measure the distance, but it's probably somewhere around 5-6" :



I would definitely recommend this hitch for anyone with a 2020 GMC shortbox, if you do NOT want a slider. This hitch is fairly lightweight, and I can easily load it by myself, especially if I take the hitch head off.

With all of that said, I think that full disclosure is in order here as well. The pivot point on this setup is 4" behind the gooseball, and the gooseball is 2" behind the centerline of the axle. I have a 3500 SRW truck, and that might help, but pulling it tonight, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

This is the first time that I've ever seen this hitch installed in anything, so I can try answer any questions that anyone might have about the installation in a 2020 GM...

Note that achieving 90 degree turns is good but beware, on uneven ground or slope this combination will collide.

[CADman_KS]

Originally Posted by Montana Man

Note that achieving 90 degree turns is good but beware, on uneven ground or slope this combination will collide.

That is true, and it is something that needs to be watched. But now I only have to worry about ONE variable when backing, and that's levelness. If you don't have a slider, or don't clear when turning, now you have another variable to worry about. The unevenness is an easy variable to spot as well. You can tell that the ground is uneven BEFORE you start...