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03-23-2006, 02:55 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Snohomish
Posts: 579
M.O.C. #5583
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What brand and model# 5th wheel hitch?
Am in the process of buying a Montanna 3500RL or 3400RL and need some advice on what brand and model of 5th wheel hitch for the bed of my truck which is a 2003 F250 Super Cab 7.3L Diesel with Long bed. Any recomendations would be sincerely appreciated. Pros and cons of the units would also be helpful. Thanks in advance.
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03-23-2006, 03:39 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 540
M.O.C. #4483
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If money is no object look at the Trailer Saver. They are expensive but those that have them like them. I have 20K Reese and am happy with it. Go to the top of this page and use the "Search" feature. You'll find quite a few posts about hitches.
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03-23-2006, 05:26 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Morgan City
Posts: 642
M.O.C. #2773
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Welcome to the group Dean. I am still using my Draw-Tite 16k slider. there is a cornucopia of practical information here. Read on.
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03-24-2006, 01:18 PM
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#4
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cinnaminson
Posts: 197
M.O.C. #5316
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Welcome Dean,
I have a 20K Reese in my long bed. I also put a Trailair hitch on my fifth wheel. The combination seems to work well for me! Welcome to the Montana group!
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03-24-2006, 01:37 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Naples
Posts: 658
M.O.C. #4049
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Welcome to our family Dean.
As you can see in our signature, we have the SuperGlide by Pullrite. It also is one of the more expensive hitches, but we absolutely love ours!!! I have done the 90 degree turn getting out of our campsite in Illinois. That hitch is unbelievable!!!
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03-24-2006, 05:14 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
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I think any 16K or better hitch will work for you. I have a, plain Jane, Husky 16K hitch. It does the job. If you are looking for some bells and whistles, they are certainly available. Shock absorbing hitchs, swivel head hitches, and all sorts of hitch technologies are marketed. Then it comes down to desired amenities. My Husky has done the job for 2-1/2 years, but I am considering upgrading to a hitch with shock aborbing qualities. My question is how much weight will it add. I am sensitive to that. We have the same truck.
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03-25-2006, 03:46 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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It's all in what YOU want. We all have different desires. For us, we were being beaten up by all the pounding and chucking we were feeling in the truck. After 5-6 hours of travel I would be so dog-tired that it would take me a couple of days to recover. So, we invested the money in the Trailer Saver hitch and have never been happier. Since we are full time, we feel that the added comfort the hitch gives us is well worth the money. But then, you get what you pay for.
As for the additional weight, I'm not that concerned. I just got rid of some unneeded tools that I was carrying.
Orv
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03-25-2006, 05:04 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Fallon
Posts: 6,064
M.O.C. #1989
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We have used the RBW hitch for about 15 years. That was what the dealer installed on our first truck and 5th wheel. We moved it to the next set up and it worked great for many years. We have the long bed so no need for a slider. When we bought the new truck, our local RV tech who has been in the business many, many years advised us to again use the RBW. We did and it also works great for the Monty. It is not as expensive as some of the others but does the job.
Happy trails.......................
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03-25-2006, 04:02 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Down the Road
Posts: 5,627
M.O.C. #889
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I have the Pullrite Superglide and love it!!! Since you have a longbed you will not need the sliding hitch, but I would suggest looking into the PullRite Super5th. Has the same great features as the Superglide. I have only had the Superglide so I cannot compare it to any other brand out there, hopefully I will not ever need to... =)
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03-25-2006, 05:47 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Snohomish
Posts: 579
M.O.C. #5583
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Did some more investigation today. Ruled out the 3500RL and the 3475RL became an option to consider vs the 3400RL due to the fact it has one less slide and is lighter. But this topic is about hitches. Didn't get to do any research on the hitches recommended on here yet but will. Today the dealer we were at recommended the 16K Reese Double Pivot hitch. I asked why? Been seling them for 30 years, they are good with no trouble. A bit more expensive but they can sell them at a reasonable price because they buy so many. Not a very detailed answer but I thought was more honest than some I have heard. Any comments on the 16K Reese Double Pivot Hitch? Positive or Negative?
I kind of like this particular dealer because he had some similar negative comments about extended warranty and other bells and whistles that I do. Didn't feel like I was being pressured to add stuff to make the price higher. But do want to get what is really needed.
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03-26-2006, 01:09 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: King George
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #345
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All of the hitches that has been mentioned are good. we had a Reese 20 K in our old 99 F350. They have improved them by addding the Signature series. We had a 18k Reese Signature hitch installed along with a slider since we have a short bed in the new truck. We found that the new hitch eliminated the back and forth movement when taking off from a stoplight. Were well satisfied with it.
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03-26-2006, 02:15 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Ore City Texas
Posts: 1,648
M.O.C. #2224
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Dean, I think your dealer is giving you good advice. Last year I ordered that "double pivot" 16K directly from Reese and installed it myself -- of course, using the existing bed rails which fit perfectly.
With the old hitch I had trouble a few times on uneven sites because the pickup and the trailer were on different angles. Under those conditions I had trouble both unhitching and hitching.
I also added the Trailair pin box on the trailer about the same time, but I had this done at the factory since they did the installation free.
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03-26-2006, 08:44 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bum F Egypt
Posts: 979
M.O.C. #2733
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Dean I have a Reese and like it alot! Did the install myself, not to hard to install, holes are already there except the holes in the bed. Have never had any problems with hooking the two together, pull the handle back up the handle will engage to let you know the jaws have locked in. I'm sure you have looked at there site. Really a good looking addition to the truck. Weighs 265 pounds, sure it weighs less than some others. Cost around $1100. Get the Teflon slide plate when you get the hitch.
Just recall having one problem with the first time I used the slider it did drag and had to go back and realign the rails and it has worked fine after that.
Site http://www.reeseprod.com/index.htm
Operating Instructions http://www.reeseprod.com/support/sup...s/N30058OP.pdf
Assembly Instructions http://www.reeseprod.com/support/sup...dfs/N30058.pdf
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03-26-2006, 03:02 PM
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#14
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Established Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location:
Posts: 21
M.O.C. #5266
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I have noticed that some of the 5th wheel hitches that only have the slding bar that slide across behind the pin. I had one of this type for a while, the bar started to wear a flat spot on the back side of the pin and my hitch had about 3/4 inch play from side to side. I could actually see the 5th moving when traveling winding highways. I prefer the locking jaws type, where the jaws actualy fully suround the pin. Thus the 5th feels like it's part of the truck.
Don Shehi
Camp Verde, Az
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03-26-2006, 03:05 PM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Snohomish
Posts: 579
M.O.C. #5583
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Don:
Interesting we would run into each other on this board also. I guess antique JD Tractors and Montana 5th wheels go together. A good omen.
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03-27-2006, 08:05 AM
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#16
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Established Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Clarkston
Posts: 30
M.O.C. #5036
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I just installed the RBW x16 on my truck. It is double piviot, inexpensive (under $400) and seems to do the job. On my first hook up the truck was at a pretty good side angle but the hitch hooked up just fine. It has an option for a side pivot lock-out. I'll see if I need it after I've pulled for a while. I did the install myself in about 4 hours (and I'm slow when doing things for the first time) which saved me another $300.
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04-16-2006, 09:21 AM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
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Not all hitches with the sliding bar will wear a flat spot. The Hijacker Hitch I have is 6 years old and has no signs of wear on the flatbar which is 3/4" of an inch thick.
There is a U shaped bracket in front of the pin that is adustable so you have very little play on your king pin if this hitch is set up right.
With the Hijacker set up, you see this heavy bar slide behind your pin and capture it.
There is no need for the bed saver device which was only invented because there are so many crappy locking cam hitches out there that do not lock every time.
If you have to do a little test pull to see if your hitch has locked the pin than you need the bedsaver or you risk doing thousands of dollars damage to your truck.
I will stick with my HiJacker and mine is just the basic SL16 which does not have the side to side swivel. HiJacker makes a side swivel but I am worried what that does to your handling in the wind. I have had no real problems with a standard hitch for the last 20 years and if you
have to back one rear wheel of your truck on a board once in a while, that is no big deal to me.
I know all commercial hitches are a locking cam and mechanically this design captures the pin better and gives a larger wear surface but I feel the fact that you can see the pin locked ahead of the sliding flat bar makes the Hijacker safer and more user friendly.
The guy that invented the bedsaver does like the locking cam design better, It has made many RVers feel they need his invention to feel safe.
On edit, don't get me wrong, there are many excellent locking jaw hitches out there , but a good one should let you see that you have captured the pin and IMO if you have to do a little test pull to know for sure.........I would never own a hitch like that.
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04-17-2006, 08:18 AM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Three Lakes
Posts: 264
M.O.C. #1001
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I was using the RBW LIL-Rocker on my pickup. It works very well. Seams like a good design.
Now I am using the TrailerSaver Air ride hitch. It works great for the application but I dont think I would want it in my pickup. Its more of a permanent mount hitch and needs an air supply.
Merv
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04-20-2006, 12:56 PM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Dean, I'm using a 15K Reese Classic double pivot hitch and have been very happy with it. The 16k is the newer version of mine. I've also used the standard RBW single pivot and the RBW Lil Rocker double pivot. I'd personally go with the double pivot. If I already had a single pivot I wouldn't switch to the double but buying new I would go double. Less stress on the kingpin and it's support structure when the fifthwheel and truck are on significantly different planes. Plus the double is far easier to unhitch and hitch when the fw and truck are on different planes.
I've never used a Husky, DrawTite, or Pullrite but they look like good hitches to me. In your shoes I'd buy whichever is the better price so long as it's double pivot and at least 15k rating and is one of the brands mentioned in this thread.
Good luck. Enjoy the Montana!
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