5th Wheel Hitch

JayKay

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Recently sold my small pop-up camper, and am looking to purchase a used 5th Wheel unit. My pickup does not have a 5th Wheel hitch, and am wondering people's thoughts regarding the various units, and their use. My current pickup does have a trailer brake controller. It's a full-size half ton. I don't plan on pulling anything behind the camper.

I contacted Glen's Welding in Bismarck, and they can put in a standard unit, installed, for about $675. This apparently is the base model, that includes "rails". I may be wrong, but do the rails remain in the truck bed, when the hitch is removed? Are there better units that leave less hardware in the bed, when not in use?

I'm not 100% against spending additional money, but I don't feel the need to get the top-of-the-line unless there are real and definite bonuses involved.

Thoughts?

Thank you fellas, for you experience and expertise.

Jim Kemp
 


Ericb

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The rails stay flat to the bed and are nessisary for most set ups. I have a bed matt with wholes cut and they are barely noticeable.

I would look at the Anderson hitch much lighter than a standard.
 

Ruddy Duck

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I'm relatively new to this also but unless your truck has a factory fifth wheel prep package, you will have to have rails that stay in the truck or you may be able do a gooseneck setup with a flip over ball in the bed and an adapter on the camper hitch. With the gooseneck, it would take less bed space but probably be more expensive. I just switched mine back to fifth wheel from an anderson hitch-if you're interested in the anderson hitch send me a pm-you will need rails for that hitch but it offsets the camper back to give you a little extra clearance.
 

Up Y'oars

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I think the Anderson hitches are a good choice even though I have the B&W Companion. One thing I did notice is that the Anderson sits higher and doesn't allow the Tonneau cover being closed when not in use. My B&W sits below that line and I can close up the cover. I do like that about the B&W.
 


ndbwhunter

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I worked at Glenns for quite a while and installed all of the various hitches. The rails for the RBW hitch do NOT sit flat and must remain in the truck at all times. Personally, I wouldn't want them in there all the time. If I were going to do it, I would do the B&W ball with an adapter on the king pin, or the insert that B&W sells. I don't have any firsthand experience with any of these other than installing them, so other users may have differing opinions. What year is your truck?
 

Motohunter

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I had a 2012 Nissan Titan with the B&W turnover ball and the adapter. The nice thing about it was the fact that there are no rails and it takes up no room. The bad is that it is a pain to hook up to because you can't see the ball at all when you back up. It also seemed kind of jerky when pulling with it. Overall no real complaints. I just bought a new truck this year with a 6.5' box and went with an Anderson set up and so far love it. You still have room in the bed and it's fairly light and easy to remove too. I would say it pulls smoother then the adapter style one I had but that could easily be the truck set up too. Personally I would say they're all good it just comes down to your needs. I have buddies with the Companion setup too that love them. Only problem with those I would say is when you go to take them out they weigh a ton.
 

JayKay

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I worked at Glenns for quite a while and installed all of the various hitches. The rails for the RBW hitch do NOT sit flat and must remain in the truck at all times. Personally, I wouldn't want them in there all the time. If I were going to do it, I would do the B&W ball with an adapter on the king pin, or the insert that B&W sells. I don't have any firsthand experience with any of these other than installing them, so other users may have differing opinions. What year is your truck?

It's a 2001.

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Thank you all. This's why I come here for advice.

Jim Kemp

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Used? Those precious kids deserve new. #$%^&>

Then they had better get a job!

Kidding.
 

BrokenBackJack

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Through the years we have had all sorts of gooseneck and 5th wheel hitches in our pickups.
The last few years when we had trailers and toyhaulers we had the B&W gooseneck hitch and used the 5th wheel companion adapter for pulling our toyhaulers. It worked slick but to remove the 5th wheel part it was heavy but could be broken down to 2 pieces but was still somewhat heavy especially with a bad back.
Was told years ago by a camper dealer owner " don't put an adapter on the 5th wheel of the camper to make it into a gooseneck setup unless the camper was made for a gooseneck hookup as it has to be straightened in the frame work of the camper where the campers hitch connects to the frame. He said with a 5th wheel it can flex in the hitch but with a gooseneck it makes it want to flex in the frame where the hitch is installed on the frame of the camper".
This is totally different from making your pickups gooseneck into a 5th wheel hook-up.
5th wheel campers and gooseneck trailers pull so much easier and better than a bumper pull. Have pulled lots of each being on the farm/ranch.
One thing about a bumper pull camper your whole camper floor is one level not so with a 5th wheel so you have to decide which is better for you and how often are you going to pull it.
Just my 2 cents.
 

ndbwhunter

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It's a 2001.

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Thank you all. This's why I come here for advice.

Jim Kemp

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Then they had better get a job!

Kidding.

If you go with the B&W, the install is pretty simple. I'd be willing to help you out if needed. They usually only take about 45 minutes (with the right tools) to install. You'll also need the 7-way plug in the box. Those are super easy to wire especially if there is a factory wire harness tied up in the back.
 


JayKay

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Get a motorhome and travel in style:)

Says the guy with a motorhome for sale...

No, I am kidding. I think it'd be much fun to have a motorhome. My boss has a big Class A, and I've driven it a few times. It's really something.

But, then you gotta pull a car or something like that, and motorhomes are inherently more expensive.
 

Sub_Elect

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I bought a used "Lil Rocker" off Bisman for $125 and paid Glens about the same money to install it. Rails stay in the pickup when the hitch is out but they don't really get in the way at all.
 

lazyMlazyK

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My wife and I just picked up our first camper, a 25' Terry model fifth-wheel. I hate the idea of the fifth-wheel taking up so much dang space in the back of my pickup, so I've elected to try the gooseneck adapter route. Roughrider RV in Beulah installed the Anderson Ranch adapter onto the camper, and I've got a B&W turn-over ball hitch coming in the mail today to have Glenn's welding install into a 1987 Chevy Custom Deluxe (8' box). I'll let you know how it goes when we pull it in a couple of weeks. FWIW, the safety chains for the adapter from Anderson are kind of a specialty thing, costing around $80 if I remember correctly. Going to call around to see if I can find a bit cheaper price on that.
 

Captain Ahab

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Says the guy with a motorhome for sale...

No, I am kidding. I think it'd be much fun to have a motorhome. My boss has a big Class A, and I've driven it a few times. It's really something.

But, then you gotta pull a car or something like that, and motorhomes are inherently more expensive.


Ha! Sold it years ago. I owned 3 of them and enjoyed it a lot. Ended up buying a lake home so she had to go. Still miss some of the “adventure” they provided. The kids could even play in the back or watch movies.

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BTW, if you look hard enough you can find a pretty good rig for 15-20k.
 


tikkalover

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I bought a 2018 Denali HD 3 weeks ago and had a B&W turnover ball hitch installed and bought the B&W Companion 5th wheel and had the plugin installed in the back corner of the box, total cost was $1950.00. Haven't hooked up the camper yet, but when I do I'll let you know how I like it............. Safety chains ;:;rofl................who uses those, been pulling a 5th wheel camper for 14 years and have never used them.
 
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Kickemup

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I have a turn over ball in my pickup with the adapter and would never go back to rails in the box. My pickup and camper has been all over ND for the last 6 years and never had any problems.
 

JayKay

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Safety chains seem redundant and an overkill idea. Kidding.

At work we have a 20 ft flatbed bumper hitch trailer, and a few years ago the tongue came off the ball on the way to SD. Safety chains saved the day. I hadn't given them much thought until then.

It was a double-wiper morning when they became necessary, but when all was said and done (and the heart-rate went back to normal) we were able to keep on truckin'.

Guywhofishes sent me a short video talking about the odd/added stresses on the fifth wheel camper frame, when using the gooseneck adapter and turnover ball. I don't know if it's a considerable change from the original setup or not, but in theory, I can see it. With the Andersen hitch, the connection point is raised - same as a standard fifth wheel hitch. Is this the way to go?

The base model fifth wheel hitch is about $675 installed. I looked at a fifth wheel camper last night, that would include that gooseneck adapter, so if we went that route, all I'd need is the turnover ball installed. Gotta call Glen's this morning to find out what that would cost. I wonder then, how does one install/use safety chains?

Also, my truck has a plastic ribbed bed liner. Do you cut a hole in it for the turnover ball, or the rails if I went with a fifth wheel hitch? Or does that liner just get taken out and junked?

The plot thickens..
 

lazyMlazyK

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My setup is an Anderson “Ranch Hitch” p/n 3100, safety chains p/n 3109, and the B&W turnover ball hitch for a 1987 Chevy p/n GNRK1400
 

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toddy

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Did you buy a camper yet? I've got a 2003 28 footer for sale. PM me if interested. Hitch goes with it.
 


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