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Old 11-20-2012, 07:40 AM   #1
Bob Perry
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5ver Truck Bed Hitches

Trying to decide what hitch to buy to pull my 2008 Montana 3000RK .(GVW14,000 lbs)
TV is a 2008 Dodge HD Ram QC, SRW, Long Box, 6.7L . 4X4. I've read where people talk about the high sides of the box so make sure the hitch rides level? All this is new to me so any help would be appreciated. Also people say to buy one that will accommodate a heavier pin weight for future purchase if you up grade. Any thoughts on this?
Cheers
Bob
 
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Old 11-20-2012, 08:01 AM   #2
jwedell
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I have a pullrite 20.5k super fifth. I like the way the jaw wraps around the pin for safety. I got the larger size so if i want i can upgrade the the trailer to the max of the truck.
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Old 11-20-2012, 08:09 AM   #3
oldelmer1
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Same hitch as jwedell, for the same reasons......
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Old 11-20-2012, 10:39 AM   #4
Bob Perry
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Thanks both of you for your thoughts. Because you pull with DRW,s and I with SRW would it be good to get either an air ride hitch or a air ride pin?
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Old 11-20-2012, 10:45 AM   #5
snfexpress
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I like the Pullrite as well.

We pulled our first Montana (about 14,000 lbs) with a SRW 1 ton GMC. We have a dually for our Big Sky because it is 16,000 lbs and we don't like side to side drift when big rig trucks pass us.
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Old 11-20-2012, 11:09 AM   #6
jwedell
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I had a 5th Airborne pin box on my previous 3500rl and was very happy with it. I pulled it with a 2500hd and had a very smooth ride. I may well put one on my 3400rl because I was that satisfied.
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Old 11-20-2012, 12:19 PM   #7
Irlpguy
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When I upgraded from SOB and a heavier unit I also upgraded the capacity of my hitch. I now have the Reese 20k and other than major issues with the so called "professional" installers I am very happy with it. I won't detail the problems with the installer only to say they will never get any of my business again, nor will I recommend them to anyone looking to have a hitch installed.
Most upper level hitches are well built but you would be surprised how many are made "offshore". Check and see where it is manufactured.

My 20k Reese = USA

I like to be able to put a lock on the release handle, I then know it will not come undone nor will anyone open it without my knowledge.

Good luck and happy touring.
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Old 11-20-2012, 12:49 PM   #8
Art-n-Marge
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Whatever fifth wheel hitch you buy, make sure it exceeds the rating of the TRUCK, not the RV. For example, my GTWR for the Monty is only 14,040 (actual weight is 13,500) so a 15K would have worked just fine. However I got a 16K hitch because the truck rating for a 5er is 15,300 and if ever I towed heavier than the trailer I currently own, then I don't have to pay more money upgrading the hitch.

There is nothing wrong with having a hitch rated to tow something lighter, but you don't want to have a hitch to tow something heavier than its rating. I didn't go with any 20K rated hitches since they were more expensive and my truck couldn't carry that much weight anyway, but there's nothing wrong with it.

I hope my doubletalking is making sense.
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Old 11-20-2012, 01:51 PM   #9
DQDick
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A free hitch was a part of the deal on the trailer and they installed a Reese 15K slider. I changed the head to a 20K head not just because of the stress of pulling, but also to have more strength to try and hold the trailer if I hit something. We tow with a SRW and a Mor/Ryde pin box and haven't felt the need for an air ride hitch.
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Old 11-20-2012, 01:54 PM   #10
mhs4771
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20K Reese here also.
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Old 11-20-2012, 01:59 PM   #11
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I have a Reese 16K hitch for my Monty and it works just fine. My truck is a SRW 3500 Dodge. Everything works good together.
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Old 11-20-2012, 02:15 PM   #12
BrokenElbow
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I have the TrailerSaver BD3 air hitch and MorRyde pin box. I love the combination. I also have a SRW and short bed so I got the optional manual slider option with the hitch. With your long bed you wouldn't need the slider option. I have no chucking and the rig floats on air. I like it. Like Art's rig, mine weights about 13500 lbs ready to camp. my pin box weighs 2500 lbs leaving about 11000 lbs on the 5er wheels when hooked up. The Bd3 is good for a pin box up to 3500 lbs. I put a 12v connector (Marinco ConectPro) in the truck bed wall and hooked it to the 12v line in the truck. I use that for an MV50 12v compressor that I use to conveniently air up the hitch before I tow.
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Old 11-20-2012, 02:56 PM   #13
dieselguy
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I went with the Curt Q5. Dual pivoting head and clam shell latch. It has a fool proof color coded release arm that lets you know if you're latched up correctly. Fits right on Reese bed rails if you already have them.
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Old 11-20-2012, 06:08 PM   #14
Irlpguy
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Putting aside the differences between a hitch designed for a SB with slide rails and one for a LB that does not require slide rails, front to back tilt, and side to side tilt, price and so on, the most important thing you need to consider in the decision is the loaded weight of the 5er you will be towing.

It is “recommended” by some that the capacity of the hitch be 20 percent greater than the weight of the trailer being towed. With respect to the truck, the only consideration is that we do not exceed the GVWR of the truck with the addition of the RV's (pin weight).

There are two ratings given for a hitch, GTW (Gross towing weight) and VL (Vertical Load) My 20k Reese (Part Number: 30081) has a rating of 20k GTW and 5K VL. Meaning I can pull a 5er with a loaded weight of approximately 16k, using the 20% formula, and I can put a weight of 5k down on the hitch. The 5k is far more than the pin weight on any recreational fifth wheel will ever be, in any case the 5k would cause us to exceed the GVWR of any of our tow vehicles most of us are using.

You do not want to be pulling a loaded tri-axle toy hauler with a GVWR of 18,000 lbs with a hitch rated at 15K, no matter what your truck is rated to tow.

Air ride hitches and the many other considerations are more a matter of personal preference and what you can afford. They will all do the job, some just better than others.
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Old 11-21-2012, 01:51 AM   #15
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We currently have a Reese 22.5K and pull with a new RAM dually. I have towed with Pullrite hitches for 20 years and the only reason I have a Reese is because Pullrite does not make custom frame mounting plates for a Super 5th that fit a RAM 4X2 dually. I also prefer the latching mechanism on Pullrite versus the Reese and the Pullrite hitch can be locked. I also agree with the 20% rule of thumb. When in doubt I always error on the side of caution.
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Old 11-21-2012, 02:04 AM   #16
Champ_49
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I will suggest that you get an air ride hitch. A lot of people buy the pin box's with air ride but they are specific to each different pin box. If you buy the air ride hitch it will give you a very good ride and if you decide to change to a different fiver in the future you wont have to buy another air ride pin box. I made this mistake and wish I would have bought the air ride hitch and had the more ryde pin box. From what I have read that is the ultimate setup.

Dave
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Old 11-21-2012, 05:00 AM   #17
Bob Perry
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Boy alot of things to mul over ...I really like to thank everyone for their imput ...decisions decisions...it,s hard being a newbie there are so many things to learn...I do hope some day I will be giving input to someone else's question...Thanks again and I hope to meet you on the road someday soon
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Old 11-24-2012, 06:42 AM   #18
Bob Perry
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I decided to go with the TrailSaver BD3 18K and I'm also installing the Firestone Air Bags. By the time this unit is on the road in the spring I'm going to need to take out a mortgage on the house. Thank you for all your input.
Bob
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Old 11-24-2012, 08:24 AM   #19
Tom S.
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Bob Perry

Boy alot of things to mul over ...I really like to thank everyone for their imput ...decisions decisions...it,s hard being a newbie there are so many things to learn...I do hope some day I will be giving input to someone else's question...Thanks again and I hope to meet you on the road someday soon
Actually, it's good to be a newbie because you can learn from all the mistakes we oldimers made. And trust me, we've made them all.
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Old 11-25-2012, 05:28 AM   #20
Bob Perry
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Thanks to all you old timers for the valuable information that you give so willingly to us newbies.
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