howson ncitro Jlawles2

Found out from my insurer that: "A F-450 is not able to be written on a personal auto policy— requires a commercial policy."

Fair point. I'm not necessarily in a hurry....but orders are taking a while for delivery....I expect fuel prices to be a little nutty for the approximately 2 years; but at that point I expect a sharp decrease in fuel prices. But, your point is well taken...no one has a crystal ball.

That's very helpful...thank you. Will definitely check out that tailgate.

Gotta love that bed access....makes total sense. I LOVE that the truck doesn't have a big hitch...but can you or anyone else compare that a traditional Pin box or other hitches? Take MorRydge's Rubber Pin box....I would expect a Pin box like that to have a lot less chucking and provide a much smoother towing experience. I am making a guess here - I of course have no experience with Pin boxes, 5th wheel hitches, or gooseneck hitches.

That is extremely helpful. I am probably not adverse to the weight of the big hitch or even the size. The ride quality and chucking are important to me. I recently met someone who just installed the MorRyde Rubber pin box....before they did, their closet (Solitude) was completely dumped everywhere when they arrived on location. After install, not only a better ride and little to no chucking - their closet was right where they left it. Their quote and experience - not mine.

bellis Unfortunately neither David nor I have ever towed with a conventional hitch so no help there. The Reese Goosebox I have has an air bag and the Gen Y has a rubber torsion spring. I've got over 10,000 miles on mine with no chucking. Since its a ball and coupler connection I don't think chucking is possible,my understanding is that's only a factor with a kingpin setup. I can say I have left things on the counter and they're usually in place,although I still so everything because we never know what the road will throw at us.

I only have about 1000 miles total on mine and no experience with another hitch, as Neil mentioned, but I've been pretty impressed by the GenY so far. I have heard that the ride is supposed to be slightly rough the first 1k miles on the gen y while the rubber torsion breaks in, but I think it's been very smooth. If it gets smoother than it has been, I'm going to spend a lot of time staring in the rear view to make sure we're still connected! Lol

I have a 1200 mile trip coming up in 2 weeks and a 3500 mile trip at the end of September. I'm very excited to see how it goes.

I think the truck you choose will have a significant affect on the hitch you choose. I was seriously considering a gooseneck hitch (probably due to ncitro Neil’s influence ) but I don’t think a fixed point hitch is viable with a Ford truck. (Either wheel base). I know that Neil makes it work, but my “workbench” is in the front compartment and I want to be able to open this compartment door when hitched to the truck. Thus my choice of a manual slider hitch.

“Chucking” with a traditional 5th wheel hitch is usually “play” within the hitch assembly and maybe between the pin and the hitch jaws. My Reese hitch had three sources of play. Each less than 1/32” . . . but together, they summed to a noticeable amount. Another factor in chucking is trailer braking ability. If the trailer goes from being pulled by the truck to pushing the truck when you apply the brakes, this will result in a significant chucking “clunk”. With my EoH disc trailer brakes, the trailer is pulling back on the truck during braking. This significantly reduces chucking.

Rob

Thanks Cate&Rob WondersAwait ncitro - checking out the Gen Y and Reesegoosebox now.

I am still looking at Ford - haven't had time to look at RAM's and GMC's yet....all in good time. What do most do to overcome the tailgate clearance on the Ford's? Do they change the tailgate? Do they buy a sliding hitch even if they have a long bed to gain more clearance while connecting? (is that dumb?)

I like what I am seeing out of the B&W Companion. I could have a Gooseneck and 5th wheel setup. Keep in mind I am a n00b.
https://www.bwtrailerhitches.com/pro...th-wheel-hitch

But I also like the companion OEM (Puck System).
https://www.bwtrailerhitches.com/product/companion-oem

Is one better than the other? Better to have less holes in your tuck with the first link? What is the Ford prep? A puck system and no spot for the Gooseball?

I know posters have mentioned Reese and Anderson....there is CURT.

Good comparison of B&W and Curt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6hBw6wdLLo

B&W and Anderson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7hezEK_i2E

I like that the Anderson is lighter, but do not like the bigger frame and appears not to be a tool-less hookup when hitching. I do like the B&W, but it is heavy...especially if you have a RAM truck. Ford not so much.

I'm not sure how I am supposed to figure out the distance from tailgate to 5th wheel or concerns about hitting the pinbox on the side walls in tight turns...

I make the tailgate situation work,but it's definitely not ideal. That's why if I had it to do over again I'd skip the factory prep so I could use an offset ball to move the rig back a bit. My front bay is mostly batteries and inverter so it's not a huge loss but still annoying.

This is the B&W offset ball, but note it's a square shank not the round the factory uses (to keep it from rotating), so you need a different hitch under the bed.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hit...WGNXA4085.html

bellis here's my older Reese hitch on an adapter frame that fits the Ford puck system. The larger puck in the center would be for the gooseneck ball. To answer your question both are in the Ford puck setup.

What I like about a regular fifth wheel hitch is the larger contact area. I asked a neighbor that towed gooseneck trailers mostly and has towed regular fifth wheels and he preferred the regular as it had less side to side tilting motion. I have only experience with the regular hitch. Another thought is that if you have an issue on the road you may need a special person or tow company to tow the unit off the road, with a regular hitch anybody can hook up and get you off the road, this is another reason I stayed with the regular hitch as we travel with a group and they have the regular hitch.

Brian

bellis . . . You are researching this extremely well! Causing all of us to think about why we chose the trucks and hitches that we did.

I chose a manual slider as my first 5th wheel hitch because I was unsure of the trailer to cab clearance. I later came to learn the other benefits of being able to move the trailer back in the truck box without unhitching it.

My first hitch was a rail mounted Reese and I put many thousands of miles on that hitch. When I got the new F350 with the puck system I first went with an adapter frame much like TedS . This worked but I could not get the trailer low enough in the front to tow level.

I recently stepped up to a B&W Slider hitch that mounts directly to the Ford pucks. This allows the 5th wheel to tow level and has the added benefit of horizontal adjustment that gets the hitch back a couple of inches in the box (compared to the Reese) so I have gained those inches in tailgate to trailer clearance. I have yet to tow any great distance with this new combination, but the tolerances in the B&W are much tighter than the Reese. There is essentially no play between the truck and the trailer with the B&W hitch.

I know of situations with a goose neck horse trailer and a goose neck 5th wheel where the corner of the truck box has hit the underside of the trailer. Both with at least 8" of clearance between box rails and trailer overhang. So far . . . I have not encountered this interference with a traditional 5th wheel hitch.

The camera systems make alignment for hitching much easier, but I really like looking over my shoulder out the rear window where I can see the hitch and pin coming together. A slider hitch in a long box truck would be a unique configuration. You could be the first LOL!

I have to admit that GM seems to have thought through the whole truck-to-5th wheel connection geometry and access . . . better than Ford has.

See attached pictures of old hitch and adapter frame plus new B&W slider in the OEM pucks.

Rob

Is there room for a toolbox with the 5th wheel prep/hitch? Do you diesel owners tote around a bottle or two of DEF? Where do you stow it?

ncitro and @WondersAwait

I have been noodling on this for the past couple of days. This only gains 4 inches - so maybe it is not significant to sway, but going from 3 to 7" is not enough for me to really be between a 5th wheel and the truck either. A manual slider hitch that can adjust 12" (IE going from 3" to 15" might be the ticket here).

If the rig is further back (space gained is a win for the tailgate) - doesn't this in a small way defeat the purpose of the 5th wheel? I mean, isn't the point to have that load directly over the rear axle to prevent or eliminate all sway? If you move it back a little bit while towing, does that create the possibility of sway? At least a small amount?

Less significant to the above - it also introduces the question of order. Should the spray in bed liner be completed before 5th wheel and gooseball hitch prep or after? OR is it cleaner to have the factory do both? I would love to have the square gooseball shank and be able to turn it upside down - LOVE this. But, that system does not have a puck system which I do like. It seems like spray in liner after hitch prep is probably the way to go if not done by the factory.

---------------

With the right setup is it possible to get 90 degrees truck to 5th wheel when manuvering?

I believe that Chevy does the spray in liner with the fifth wheel/gooseneck option, not sure what the others do, I will go that route when I get another truck someday as it will all be done. My Reese Elite hitch allows placement of the pin 2" ahead of the rear axle allowing for more weight distribution over the whole truck, I would not like to have the weight behind the axle centerline. With my Chevy I can not open the front storage all the way but can open the tailgate but can not pass between the tailgate and the front storage when tailgate down, have not had a need to do that. With the 8' bed I can do a 90 degree turn but have not had the need to do that either but the extra cab clearance is nice. You can use a tool box with the fifth wheel, on top of the bed rails or below there is room with the 8' bed. I have had one that sits on the bed and is below the rails before but found I carry too much stuff that is not needed and there is less room for firewood which I carry most of the time. If going on longer cross country trips I would put the tool box in and carry a couple DEF cans in there along with other needed items, mostly we camp locally and that is not needed. It is good to think ahead but almost impossible to plan for every option or need. Base the truck on the needs or future needs and deal with things as they come and make adjustments.

Brian

Country Campers Brian, guess I'm the oddball. I have an over the rail toolbox with a short bed. I also run the standard profile Deep tub. https://www.uwsta.com/part/TBSD-69


bellis The manual sliders allow you to move the load back for access, not necessarily during towing. One could slide the hitch back for hitching and unhitching also as this would give the most clearance for the tailgate to camper clearance.

​​​​​​​

bellis I don't have a toolbox but have room in front of my pinbox for a "row" that's under my cover somewhat out of the rain. I keep my generator,and a couple storage totes there with water hoses and power extensions in it.

I have not towed with the extension so I'm not sure but I'd be surprised if it made a difference for sway, but four inches would be huge for connecting up when I can't be straight to the rig. Right now that's a dance of the wife holding the tailgate up while I back up to the rig.

Mine with dealer linex (not factory), which was done after the factory fifth wheel prep. A good linex dealer removes all the bed bolts and hardware before spraying so it's all removable. If not going factory I'd do the bed liner last.

Jlawles2 I have a similar toolbox. See post#38

My Ford bed has the factory spray-in liner with the puck system.
Tailgate to trailer clearance is tight. I have bumped the front cargo door. I now back up close to get the pinbox inside the bed then close the tailgate and finish hitching.