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02-18-2008, 02:42 PM
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#21
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Milford
Posts: 434
M.O.C. #8202
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Thanks all,
for all your input. I am really pleased with the response I've gotten. Skypilot, that link is amazing. I can tell it is going to be an exciting time getting everything set up and on the road. We plan to take a month and travel this summer for our first outing. There is so much to learn about our Montana. Now if I can just figure out how to get the weather underground temperature thingie working. I have a weather station and broadcast to wunderground.com
Thanks again John S.
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02-29-2008, 05:42 AM
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#22
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Milford
Posts: 434
M.O.C. #8202
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Well folks I gave up. I did tons of reading and the main concern is the ability to make tight turns with my short bed. The solution seems to be the Pullrite Superglide hitch. The down side is you can get 3 grand invested into one of these babies. They come in 12K, 14K, 18K, 20K, and 24K models. You pull 4 pins and remove the hitch and like the B&W you have a clean bed to use our camper. I went to Craigslist.com and found and bought a Superglide 20K hitch with Ford rail kit fo $400.00. I need to buy a 3515 rail kit for my 2500HD short bed. The cheapest I've found the installation kit is about $675.00. I'm hoping to get lucky and find someone that wants to sell or trade rail kits. Ya gotta have a dream right? Thanks all for your input it is ALL a learning experience. Take Care John S.
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02-29-2008, 02:18 PM
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#23
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by skypilot
Now, a lot of people out there profess to towing using short bed trucks and no sliders -- have not had problems but then again, they probably haven't gotten into a situation where they had to do a really tight turn. But, as in all other things, it is only a matter of time until they will (or so some of us believe).
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I have a manual slider but often do not use it where I probably should. As for the comment in Skypilot's post, I'd like to add it's not just the tight turn that'll getcha. To whit:
Yes, I was in a tight turn and a blindspot in the megacab on the passenger side kept me from seeing just how close the truck and Montana were getting. But I knew I was ok, though close. What got me was the Montana had already backed over the rise onto the campsite and the truck had not. When the truck right rear wheel went up that incline, it brought the Montana and truck together. With the blindspot I did not see it happen. Fortunately Vicki was on the ball and yelled for me to stop. Thus, this is the only damage. This and a tiny scratch on the Montana.
And that's why I'm researching auto sliders, too.
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02-29-2008, 03:12 PM
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#24
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
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Quote:
quote:You pull 4 pins and remove the hitch and like the B&W you have a clean bed to use our camper.
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The positive thing about the B&W is that one person can pick it up and move it in two pieces. It was a back breaker to move my old 16K Husky. Then there were the rails....
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03-01-2008, 01:43 AM
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#25
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Milford
Posts: 434
M.O.C. #8202
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Man do you have that right. That Superglide is a killer. Minimum two strong healthy men to remove the hitch. The rail kit portion is bolted onto the frame similar to the B&W. Lucky for me I have a cherry picker and just wheel up to the back of the truck, pick her up and roll the hitch to the corner of the shop till needed. BTW I did find a post somewhere that said Lippert would allow the gooseneck and NOT void any warranty. My concern has always been ability to make those tight turns. I spend a lot of time at a local lake called Eagle Lake, CA and many of the campsite's have a large boulder at the entrance to the site. It gives me trouble backing in the motorhome. I can imagine backing a fifth wheel in would be a real hassle. Only time and experience will tell.
Thanks,
John S.
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03-01-2008, 03:17 AM
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#26
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: St Johns
Posts: 434
M.O.C. #7691
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I wrote to Keystone last year and was told by them that any modifications to the factory installed Hitch Pin assembly was grounds for voiding the warranty. This included conversion to gooseneck and a hitch extender.
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03-01-2008, 03:58 AM
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#27
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
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Just to clarify to all. The B&W Companion Hitch is a fifth wheel hitch IS NOT a goose neck extension or a modification to the king pin assembly. The fact that the companion hitch is secured to the bed of the truck through a goose neck ball receiver is no different than securing any other fifth wheel hitch to the bed with bolts and pins. A thorough explanation can be obtained from http://www.turnoverball.com/rv.asp along with a picture of the unit.
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03-14-2008, 04:22 PM
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#28
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Oviedo
Posts: 150
M.O.C. #8237
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I had the B&W turn over ball installed today. WOW they had to show me where it was!!!
What a great installation. I can not wait for the rest of my eqipment comes in and see if it is a great as the turn over ball.
Thanks all for the great reviews and helping me make up my mind to get it.
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03-15-2008, 03:30 AM
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#29
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: St Johns
Posts: 434
M.O.C. #7691
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Husky also sells a turnover system with the two piece adapter/hitch. I priced a full installation (parts only). It totaled just over C$2700. The under-bed turnover ball seems popular. I wonder if the balls are standard enough to allow the adapters to fit on any ball? Does anyone have a price on the B&W system?
Stiles I knew what you were talking about. I was just confirming that I was formally warned by Keystone regarding goose-neck only hitches.
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03-15-2008, 06:47 AM
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#30
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
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It has been a while, but as I remember, it was about $1300 for the Turnover Ball and an additional $600 for the Companion Hitch. That was the installed price, so I don't know what the parts only price was.
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03-17-2008, 02:15 AM
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#31
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Oviedo
Posts: 150
M.O.C. #8237
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I searched on Ebay for the turnover ball and found it for $315.00 new with all the parts It was shipped in two days from Tampa and it cost me $175 to have it installed.
I also found the companion hitch there and it was $500+ (oldtimers CRS0) it should arrive today.
Install cost is gonna be Zero as I have a torque wrench and time to do it.
Like I said in my last missive its great to have an empty and clean bed after the install.
Doug
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03-17-2008, 02:46 AM
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#32
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lobelville
Posts: 2,128
M.O.C. #6650
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I don't think you can go wrong with the B&W. I think you can install the B&W, it a simple install because everything lined up perfect. The only thing is to make sure you cut the center hold correct the rest is simple. I could have done the install, I have all of the tools. I just had rather the experts do the install. They install these hitches everyday, and know the exact position of the holes and so forth.
When I had my install done, they also installed the 7 pin plug inside the bed. The total cost for all the install, and I was in and out in a 1.5 hours was $1,107. I had estimates as high is $1,500. I think my price was good and fair. I believe you have one of the safest hitches out there. GBY....
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