Trailer Saver TS3 or B & W Companion Hitch? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

Trailer Saver TS3 or B & W Companion Hitch?

dianneandsteve · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Roy,

I've had the TS3 since 2010 and approx. 40,000 miles of full timing without a problem. My rear camera view shows the trailer floats smoothly over the bumps. The only negative is that it's an expensive hitch.

Good luck!

-- Edited by dianneandsteve on Saturday 12th of April 2014 05:43:13 PM

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have the B&W without an air pinbox, but do have total rear air ride suspension on my truck.

The hitch works great and is relatively easy to remove and replace (one person job). I have the companion so it's great to have the option of towing a gooseneck trailer if needed.

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

One advantage that I see to the B & W is ease of removal of the hitch so I can use one of those big CW 50 gallon water bladders in the flat bed of the truck. I suppose that I could do the same thing with the TrailerSaver if it uses quick disconnect fasteners, and leave the hitch hanging on the pinbox while I fetch water. Am I thinking correctly on this?

Roy

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bump for more advice!

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Both are high quality hitches and will do a good job - but are totally different.

The TS3 (which is actually a 22K+ hitch which they de-rated to get some people to purchase the more expensive model) is obviously an air-ride hitch and better protects the trailer frame drop from verticle impacts. It can, in some cases, keep the frame from cracking. "It depends" on the truck and trailer. It is much heavier than the B&K and you must take that extra weight into consideration as pertains to the rear axle capacity of your truck. "Do the math." It is also quite expensive and does require a source of air to adjust the air bags and re-fill them if you deflate when you unhook. (Keeps the hitch from "jumping up" when the pin weight is removed from the hitch.) Some do this, some don't. YMMV.

The B&K is easier to remove. If you don't need to remove it then this has no impact on the discussion. It is a good hitch, but has no shock absorption capability.

If you pull with an HDT or some, not all, MDT's you must have an air ride hitch. For many one-tons, especially if they have air bags to help cushion the vertical bumps, air-ride is not required but, IMO, always recommended if your truck has the rear axle capacity for the TS3's extra weight.

There are other options available. The Reese "Titan" has shock absorbers in it as does the Curtis. Either of these two hitches, IMO, are middle ground options between the TS3 and the B&W if you want some shock absorption in the hitch but don't want the weight and cost of the TS3. Personally, I'd go with one of these two with a one-ton truck (3500HD / F-350/450) for the reasons stated here with a trailer based on the generic information you provided and knowing nothing as to the truck.

Bill

HighwayRanger · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill, we're looking at a Ram 3500 DRW 4x4, Cummins/Aisin combo. I like the idea of being able to remove the hitch so I can go fetch water with a 50 gallon bladder tank. With the TS3, if I can't leave it hanging on the pin for a few hours while I use the truck bed, that may hamper our boondocking plans. Perhaps we should choose the B & W and a TrailAir pin box so we'll have air bags someplace. Also looking at the optional auto-leveling air bags offered by Dodge for the rear of the truck.

Roy

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

HighwayRanger wrote:
Bill, we're looking at a Ram 3500 DRW 4x4, Cummins/Aisin combo. I like the idea of being able to remove the hitch so I can go fetch water with a 50 gallon bladder tank. With the TS3, if I can't leave it hanging on the pin for a few hours while I use the truck bed, that may hamper our boondocking plans. Perhaps we should choose the B & W and a TrailAir pin box so we'll have air bags someplace. Also looking at the optional auto-leveling air bags offered by Dodge for the rear of the truck.

Roy

Roy:

First, the RAM 3500HD, 4x4, etc. is a very nice truck. I drove one and was very impressed. Not only with the ride but the exhaust / turbo brake was as strong as the one in the GM / Chevy with the Allison transmission. That's saying a lot. Very impressive truck. However, like all the new trucks the bed rails are very tall so make sure you have good bed rail to trailer clearance. You may need to lift the trailer to allow it to run level which is very important as to proper trailer axle loading. You don't want it to run high in the front as that will put excessive weight on the trailer's rear axle.

To the hitch point, I don't think it is practical to leave the TS3 hitch "hanging on the pin." This thing is very large, heavy and cumbersome. Frankly I doubt you could deal with it without a lot of assistance which you may not have boondocking.

As the trailer is at or below 20K loaded I would suggest the following based on your plans. Put in the air bags on the RAM. They do a great job on my truck. They will do a good job dealing with the vertical issues (bounce.) Put a MOR/ryde pin box on the trailer. Don't use the Trail-Air. The MOR/ryde will take best care of the horizontal chucking. Finally put in a Reese "Titan" (20K Hitch) or the Curt Q24K both of which have some shock absorber capability built in. Both will be relatively easy to remove as they can be separated. I've run this combination (air bags - MOR/ryde pin box - hitch) for a lot of miles over a lot of bad roads (which includes Interstates) and it has done really well for me. I've run trailer mounted air ride hitches as well, like the Trail-Air, and this combination is clearly superior IMO. (And Linda's which is naturally the gold standard.)

Maybe this gives you another alternative to your situation and need.

-- Edited by Bill and Linda on Saturday 17th of May 2014 06:14:56 AM