Hitch needed on 5th Wheel

[beeje]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

I stand corrected , checked with that friend, yes he had welded brackets on the frame, and the hitch was bolted to that. As said mine is bolted to the flange of the frame ,no welding , but it is aftermarket.

IMO the welding is okay if done right, big reason a lot of you guys go to the IS, is the poor welding ,and suspension failure . I sent some pictures to another member of the gussets ,and bracing that I have done on my suspension , there won't be any hanger brackets breaking on mine, which is usually the case, along with occasionally a broken spring. I may go with the X-factor type braces, which I made for my previous fifth wheel .

It is definitely a good idea to connect the hanger brackets together especially the center one. Personally I wouldn't use the X Factor just simply because of cost. If you weld or know somebody else who does just acquire some steel tube somewhere and welded peace between all three hangers.

I personally didn't have too much trouble with a hanger brackets but Springs and wet bolts were definitely a problem. Broken bolts missing bolts worn out bronze bushings I had had enough. With the is I just get in and drive now don't even bother looking under there anymore.

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by beeje

It is definitely a good idea to connect the hanger brackets together especially the center one. Personally I wouldn't use the X Factor just simply because of cost. If you weld or know somebody else who does just acquire some steel tube somewhere and welded peace between all three hangers.

I personally didn't have too much trouble with a hanger brackets but Springs and wet bolts were definitely a problem. Broken bolts missing bolts worn out bronze bushings I had had enough. With the is I just get in and drive now don't even bother looking under there anymore.

I made my own X-factor braces, and bolted them on all three , I made them length specific to fit in between , not adjustable like the MorRyde, very solid. This present fifth wheel has the slipper spring suspension ,with shocks. Also disc brakes , which I think are the most important.

[beeje]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

I made my own X-factor braces, and bolted them on all three , I made them length specific to fit in between , not adjustable like the MorRyde, very solid. This present fifth wheel has the slipper spring suspension ,with shocks. Also disc brakes , which I think are the most important.

I don't recall ever seeing any unit with slipper Springs on it

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by beeje

I don't recall ever seeing any unit with slipper Springs on it

You won't unless you've seen someone that has upgraded to the Comfort ride suspension , it a slipper spring setup ,,and it comes with the shocks ,and hardware to mount them. Little bit of drilling ,but a pretty easy conversion. Along with the disc brakes my fifth wheel stops, and handles well. I am sure IS is great, but this system gets the job done nicely.

[beeje]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

You won't unless you've seen someone that has upgraded to the Comfort ride suspension , it a slipper spring setup ,,and it comes with the shocks ,and hardware to mount them. Little bit of drilling ,but a pretty easy conversion. Along with the disc brakes my fifth wheel stops, and handles well. I am sure IS is great, but this system gets the job done nicely.

Yes the disc brake upgrade is something everyone should do but most people don't want to Shell out the money. I'm not going to say I can stop on a dime but 10 times quicker than any one without the disc brakes

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by beeje

Yes the disc brake upgrade is something everyone should do but most people don't want to Shell out the money. I'm not going to say I can stop on a dime but 10 times quicker than any one without the disc brakes

If they get a chance to see how well a big fifth wheel will stop, it will make them believers for sure .

[Texan]

I can stop my truck and 5th wheel quicker together than truck by itself. There have been several other members on here that have said the same thing. Doesn't sound right but it is true. I don't panic if someone pulls out in front of me like i use to. Besides with that Ranchhand bumper on the front it is pretty intimidating.

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by Texan

I can stop my truck and 5th wheel quicker together than truck by itself. There have been several other members on here that have said the same thing. Doesn't sound right but it is true. I don't panic if someone pulls out in front of me like i use to. Besides with that Ranchhand bumper on the front it is pretty intimidating.

You would have never convinced me, but now having disc brakes convinced me how well it stops a fifth wheel. Having drum brakes on three different fifth wheels , and how poorly they stop with drum brakes, I never thought disc brakes would make that big of difference.

Now all I need is that Ranchhand bumper

[Leftie Canuk]

Slow Hand:
In reading posts after your suggestion re: "box or reinforce the frame...", I believe you are meaning the factory "C" or "I" channel frame members should be closed in near the area of the bolted on receiver, to better withstand the various kinds of loads imposed on the factory frame by the cargo platform to be slipped into the add-on receiver ? I think some posters may be assuming you meant weld on the receiver, which would not be necessary, or preferred, as a loaded cargo tray should certainly not be over a few hundred pounds, given the amount of movement that goes on with something hanging off the back end. Anyone who has watched bike racks and generator platforms flail around behind an RV can imagine the forces at work on the single mounting point (the receiver).

[beeje]

Yes the factory hitches move up and down quite a bit with bikes or a generator on them. But after 10,000 miles is it still there.

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by beeje

Yes the factory hitches move up and down quite a bit with bikes or a generator on them. But after 10,000 miles is it still there.

Is the receiver hitch itself moving up ,and down ?? Most likely its the bike rack or those platforms that are moving up ,and down from the play in the receiver ,not the receiver .

From what I can see when following a car or fifth wheel with those carriers its the carrier itself thats moving around inside of the receiver .

Thats one of things I dislike about my Andersen Rapid hitch, its aluminum, and between the play in it ,and the play in the sleeve adapter that enables us to use hitches with the 2x2 tube or solid bar that goes in these new 3 x 3 receiver hitches on the newer trucks . I hit a bump ,and I can hear it rattle in the receiver when there is nothing being towed. So I can imagine how much a bike rack would be bouncing up ,and down.

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by Leftie Canuk

Slow Hand:
In reading posts after your suggestion re: "box or reinforce the frame...", I believe you are meaning the factory "C" or "I" channel frame members should be closed in near the area of the bolted on receiver, to better withstand the various kinds of loads imposed on the factory frame by the cargo platform to be slipped into the add-on receiver ? I think some posters may be assuming you meant weld on the receiver, which would not be necessary, or preferred, as a loaded cargo tray should certainly not be over a few hundred pounds, given the amount of movement that goes on with something hanging off the back end. Anyone who has watched bike racks and generator platforms flail around behind an RV can imagine the forces at work on the single mounting point (the receiver).

Its hard to say if we are getting any flex out of the frame at the receiver , possibly . That would be any easy fix, same as what they do where the spring hangers are welded to the frame.

I fish lakes with a one man framed inflatable pontoon boat.I have to disassemble it ,and store it in the fifth wheel. I have seen carriers that enable someone to transport these boats on a receiver hitch on the back of a trailer ,SUV ,whatever vehicle that has a receiver hitch assembled ,and ready to fish with . I am in the process of fabricating such a carrier for the back of my fifth wheel. Most likely I will do some frame reinforcing for this. Although the pontoon boat itself is only around 70 lbs, not a lot, but its 9 ' long, and will have a little bit of leverage hanging vertical on the back of the fifth wheel .

[PSFORD99]

To further this ,as said IMO most of the bouncing around is not flex in the frame or receiver but the slop in the receiver. I have a fix when I build the carrier mentioned in the post above. There will be no slop between the carrier and the receiver. I will get into that later if any are interested .

[beeje]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

To further this ,as said IMO most of the bouncing around is not flex in the frame or receiver but the slop in the receiver. I have a fix when I build the carrier mentioned in the post above. There will be no slop between the carrier and the receiver. I will get into that later if any are interested .

Absolutely 100% without a doubt the hitch itself flexes quite a bit. All you have to do is insert a bike rack or platform or whatever and just put some force on it and watch the hitch it moves considerably.

Camper frame and the C channels welded to it don't move at all

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by beeje

Absolutely 100% without a doubt the hitch itself flexes quite a bit. All you have to do is insert a bike rack or platform or whatever and just put some force on it and watch the hitch it moves considerably.

Camper frame and the C channels welded to it don't move at all

Well after reading your post ,I did just that. All I can say is I am glad I have an aftermarket receiver, absolutely no movement in that receiver hitch.

Again IMO on the bouncing you see going down the road on some vehicles its the slop between the receiver ,and the hitch . No doubt some receivers have flex ,mine does not. Again IMO the factory is a pretty cheap receiver, from what I have seen and goes along with some of the other components on these fifth wheels . Possibly thinner walled tube then this aftermarket I have . Mines pretty beefy.

I have a bike carrier that goes in a receiver to haul two bikes ,that tubing is at best 1/8 wall on the 2x2 tubing . I will mic. it ,possibly could be .80. Would not surprise me if the factory hitch of yours is 1/8" wall

[beeje]

I believe it is pretty heavy tubing but it's only inch and a quarter I believe. I think it's 3/16 or quarter inch wall not sure.

We all know that everything especially if it's built out of steel is designed to flex somewhat. I'm sure you have stopped your car in the middle of a bridge in a traffic jam and felt bridge moving.

[mhs4771]

I use a Quiet Hitch Clamp between my receiver and the bike rack. Crank the clamp at tight as I can get it and the two bikes are as about as solid as you can get.
from Road Master.

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by beeje

I believe it is pretty heavy tubing but it's only inch and a quarter I believe. I think it's 3/16 or quarter inch wall not sure.

We all know that everything especially if it's built out of steel is designed to flex somewhat. I'm sure you have stopped your car in the middle of a bridge in a traffic jam and felt bridge moving.

The bike rack I have came with that 1*1/4 adapter so it can be used on those small receivers , never used it ,both of our vehicles have the standard size receivers. Being its 1*1/4" thats going into your receiver , not the conventional 2", that goes in 2*1/2" x 2*1/2" tubing on standard receivers , then your hitch has to be what 1*3/4" x 1*3/4" tubing to accommodate the 1*1/4" sleeve going in it . I can understand the flex in that small of size . What size of tubing is going across to the frame, the same size ?

[beeje]

Originally Posted by PSFORD99

The bike rack I have came with that 1*1/4 adapter so it can be used on those small receivers , never used it ,both of our vehicles have the standard size receivers. Being its 1*1/4" thats going into your receiver , not the conventional 2", that goes in 2*1/2" x 2*1/2" tubing on standard receivers , then your hitch has to be what 1*3/4" x 1*3/4" tubing to accommodate the 1*1/4" sleeve going in it . I can understand the flex in that small of size . What size of tubing is going across to the frame, the same size ?

Same size as receiver

[PSFORD99]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

I use a Quiet Hitch Clamp between my receiver and the bike rack. Crank the clamp at tight as I can get it and the two bikes are as about as solid as you can get.
from Road Master.

I have seen them ,thats what I was talking about the bounce you get out of the play between the two, that device should take out that bounce.