Is anyone familiar with B&H Companion 5th wheel hitch? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Is anyone familiar with B&H Companion 5th wheel hitch?

Camper_Boy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I currently have a B & H companion hitch and love the way it works and the ease of removal when the truck bed is needed fully. My 15yr old is able to remove and replace...really easy, only wish the total capacity was greater. Our 5th wheel weighs upwards of 18,000lbs and this hitch is rated at that. I do believe their factor of safety is typically rated at 25-30% over the capacity and I have had no issues at all. I am no sales person for B&H but we are satified to date. Feel free to ask any other questions...Happy Travels...

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cheryl,

I have never had the B&H, so I can't speak to its reliability or strength. I have certainly heard a good number of folks who speak highly of the system.

Now, having said that, what I don't like about the system is the need to cut a 4" hole in the bed for the use of the hitch. While it is a fairly good sized piece of metal that fits into that cavity and hitch point, it is a single point. Other hitches with the rails use smaller holes to mount the rails and give one four points of pull on the frame of the truck. At trade time (should that occur) there is no huge hole in the bed.

As mentioned by Tom and Marci (CamperBoy) it is limited to an 18,000 lb capacity. As for me, I'm leary of trying to add "cushion" to the capacity of a hitch, so I would pull nothing over the 18,000 lbs. Others may well disagree with me on that and I'll have to defer to their experience since I've not had the B&H.

As for this part of your comments: "DH's business requires carrying a lot of tools and ladders with him and he will require a van or pickup truck. we were thinking of that as a convoy vehicle, but if we could use our tow to do this, it'd save a LOT of money!"

Does this mean that you would be adding the weight as a towed trailer behind the fifth wheel, or would they be in the bed of the truck? If added to a towed trailer, keep that weight in the picture for the capacity needed for a hitch.

Terry

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cheryl,

The B&H Companion 5th Wheel Hitch is just as big as other 5th wheel hitches. It will take up just as much pickup bed room as most other hitches on the market. The difference between the companion and other hitches is when you remove the B&H Companion all that is left is a 4 inch hole in the bed. When you remove others you have the rails and other mounting systems to deal with (which isn't a big problem). In my old truck, that had a rail type mount system, when I removed the hitch, I would lay down a 4X8 piece of plywood to hide the rails and allow items to slide easily in and out.

I kind of thought from your write up you may have thought the B&H Companion hitch took up less room. I carry a lot of stuff in my bed even with the Companion hitch in place. I have a large cross bed toolbox, plus carry a small BBQ, a mobilty scooter, 4 folding chairs, a 5 ft ladder, flag pole, a couple of 36 packs of soda & beer plus other misc items.

About the only option if you want the maximum room in the bed while towing would be to convert your 5th wheel pinbox to a goose neck setup.

The companion hitch is very easy to take out. It does require a wrench. The hitch breaks down into two pieces which are easy for one person to carry.

My old rail type mount would take some effort to remove, especially if it had been in place for a year or so, or if I had been in dirt and dusty conditions.

-- Edited by The Bear II on Monday 23rd of January 2012 09:29:22 AM

-- Edited by The Bear II on Monday 23rd of January 2012 09:33:32 AM

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

have 2 friends that have them and love them. Both tow larger 5th wheels and have had their hitches for 3+ years and no issues.

Bob · RV-Dreams Community Member

We have used the same hitch for about ten years with two different trucks and three different trailers. It has been easy to handle and tows great. Each system is designed for the truck you have so no holes are drilled into the frame of the truck. The system attached to the frame carries the weight of the trailer not the hole in the bed. The hole in the bed can be repaired by a good welder if someone needs it done. The company service was very helpful with the one issue we had and it was my fault we had the problem. You can use the ball hitch and the gooseneck attachment to the trailer instead of the companion hitch but we chose the more traditional 5th wheel hitch. Bob

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bear II - I didn't realize you could fit anything, much less all the things you do, into the tow vehicle with the hitch installed, which is why I was investigating the Companion. What attracted my attention to it was the fact that it could very easily be removed so we could fit the toolboxes, ladder and other misc stuff in it, so DH could go to his jobs with the truck. Are you saying that there would be enough room to put things in the bed, even with the hitch? If so, is it safe to drive that way -- no chance of things flying out without a cover?

I'm not worried about the hole -- we tend to drive our vehicles until they're ready for the graveyard!

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have the B&H, have not had any problems.

Cindy T

Delaine and Lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

If were talking about the B&W turnover ball with the Companion 5th wheel hitch? I have owned the B&W system an highly recommend the system if you want a steel hitch. It very simple to remove and you want have a issue with the 4" hole, the turnover ball fill the hole... And can be removed in 10 minutes or less by one person.. And on GM Trucks it installs in about 1.5 hrs. Good Luck with your decision. The reason I sold mine was I went to a 5th wheel that the weight is over 18,000 lbs. And I wanted the Trailer Saver Air ride hitch.. Happy Trails....

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cheryl,

I have a long bed pickup. 5th wheel hitches are typically mounted directly over the rear axle.

With the B&H Companion and the hitch I previously had made by RBW you have just under 4 feet of clear space in front of the hitch and around 2 feet behind the hitch. The hitch rarely pokes above the bed rails, so it is possible to use a cover when not towing.

Linda & Howard have a custom made vinyl cover for their bed that has a hole in it and zipper to allow the use of the cover even when hitched. It's not 100% water proof but works for what they need.

There are all kinds of boxes made for trucks used to haul 5th wheels. The front crossbed toolboxes come in many different sizes. Mine is 2 feet front to back and is recessed an inch below the bedrails. There are boxes to go behind the hitch, some are flat and low, others are v-shaped to allow room for the pinbox to glide through to the hitch.

If you have the money, I bet there are boxes that would cover every square inch of the bed and still leave the hitch useable. One company is the Highway they have some 5th wheel boxes designs at this page: http://www.800toolbox.com/5thwheel/5thwheel.htm You'll see in the photos just how much room the boxes provide and how much room there still is for other stuff even with the hitch and boxes.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

This is GREAT information! Thanks so much! Now... to just sell the house....!

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bob wrote:
We have used the same hitch for about ten years with two different trucks and three different trailers. It has been easy to handle and tows great. Each system is designed for the truck you have so no holes are drilled into the frame of the truck. The system attached to the frame carries the weight of the trailer not the hole in the bed. The hole in the bed can be repaired by a good welder if someone needs it done. The company service was very helpful with the one issue we had and it was my fault we had the problem. You can use the ball hitch and the gooseneck attachment to the trailer instead of the companion hitch but we chose the more traditional 5th wheel hitch. Bob

Bob,

There is some concern with the gooseneck attachment as that extra length of tube going from the pin box to the ball in the bed has some tendency to add some torque to the front part of the fifth wheel frame that might cause some damage. It all depends on how much weight is involved, but no one has ever spelled out what the "proper" weight should be for that type of hitch.

Since I've not had the B&W, that part under the bed that carries the weight is attached in some way to the frame, at least I hope so. How is that part then attached to the frame if no holes are drilled in the frame?

Terry

Bob · RV-Dreams Community Member

Terry;

Here is the web site. They explain it clearly. http://www.turnoverball.com/

Bob

Edit by Moderator: Activated Link.

-- Edited by Terry and Jo on Tuesday 24th of January 2012 11:57:14 AM

Delaine and Lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

The B&W system attaches to the Frame and there will be no drilling. The B&W system is custom made for the GM Trucks, not sure about the other brands... Actually the install is very easy. Just a comment about the in-bed rails and kits, again if you have a GM Truck the Custom frame rail kit is much better than the Universal kit. And install much easier, no drilling and bolts directly to the Frame. Even though I did in fact use the Universal kit on the new 2012 Chevy I just happen to have it, it was because I had to Customize the bed rails and they bolt directly to the CM Hauler bed I did have the CM bed company add two steal plates from frame rail to frame rail and the Trailer Saver bolts directly to those plates, I have a heavy pin weigh... Happy Trails..

Dathan · RV-Dreams Community Member

We have the B & W turnover hitch and have had no problems and agree with everyone the ease of removing from the bed and tows great too.