If you intend to use your truck as a truck and not just a tow vehicle ... and your trailer weighs less than 16K ... you might want to look into a Reece Goosebox (I think that's the name). It allows the use of a gooseneck ball without introducing all those funky stress forces that a "regular" Gooseneck adapter causes. It is approved by Lippert (I think they sell them on their website) so the stress thing has been evaluated and approved.  Remove the goose ball and viola!, you have a clean truck bed.

-- Edited by RonC on Wednesday 25th of July 2018 02:09:22 PM

-- Edited by RonC on Wednesday 25th of July 2018 05:21:48 PM

Puck system hands down as you are connected directly to the frame not some stamped out piece of steel that your hitch will rattle around in. Curt 5er hitches are Made In China along with REESE and others. Curt's head pivot point is several inches below kingpin connection and causes chucking as reported by many people, also they are very hard to unhitch if TV and RV are on different planes.

B&W hitches are US Made and are a simple solid no question if you are hitched or not design.

Puck and B&W is the very best conventional setup you can buy. 3 years full time use of mine towing a combined 33-35K.

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While I've not had quite the experience of Bill, especially with respect to RV's, I've also not had any problems with towing with Reese hitches, or with hooking up and unhooking.  But then, I'm almost fanatical about the security of our hitch's connecting correctly.  I even went to the trouble of closing the hitch jaws and painting the back-facing part of them with white paint.  Even in low light, I can be assured that the jaws are completely closed.  In addition, after hooking up, the wife and I BOTH look at the hitch to verify closure.

I also went with Reese because, at the time, B&W's hitches weren't up to the weights that I knew our RV would weigh and allowing for some "cushion" in the weights.  Even with rail mounts, we don't get much chucking, but a lot of that is because our RV has both air suspension and the Tri-Glide pin box by Trail-Air.

Terry

Terry and Jo wrote:

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To expand a bit from rail or puck systems, I feel the need to really stress that when choosing a truck that one NOT get a short bed with the need to have a slider hitch.

When we were at the RV park in Kanab, we had two different occasions when folks showed up with short beds and sliders.  I don't know that this is a problem with the configuration of the hitches or as a problem with the "operators," but in both cases they told me that they HAD to be PERFECTLY straight with the RV or their hitches wouldn't unhook or hook back up correctly.  Sorry, but as one that has driven 18-wheelers and a fair bit of towing fifth wheel RV's, I couldn't get my head around that issue.  But, I also didn't want to alienate anyone by questioning why there was a problem.

Terry

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 Terry I will echo, loudly, the recommendation not to purchase a short bed truck for towing.  I.e. get an 8 foot bed.  Slider hitches, besides sometimes being "cantankerous," just exacerbate the chucking problem (more slop in the connection to the truck) among other bad things.

From my experience most connecting and dis-connecting problems are due to two issues: 

1) not having enough or too much weight on the hitch when sliding the pin into the receiver when connecting

2) when disconnecting the too much or not enough weight on the hitch is still true but one needs, once the landing legs are down and some weight is off the truck, not all, slightly back up the truck - that is just a pinch of rearward movement to release the pressure off the hitch claws.

Do these things correctly and one doesn't have an issue. (Sometimes the reward movement isn't necessary but we just do it to make the hitch release with minimum effort.)

I have no idea the hundreds of times Linda and I have connected and dis-connected trucks from trailers.  But I know the above works. There is just no problem.  I've had some hitches that "work" better then others.  But none have been a issue if operated with the above in mind. 

Do what works for you but if you are having an issue try the above suggestion.  Once it is mastered things go very smoothly.

BTW, ALWAYS do a pull test before retracting the legs fully.

Pull test?:  Once connected - lift the landing legs about an inch off the ground so they can't drag.  Use the manual trailer brake controller and put on full trailer brakes. Put the truck in gear. With the left foot on but not pressing the truck brake pedal gently try to pull the trailer.  If the truck is connected the rig shouldn't move being held by the trailer brakes. I also gently backup a pinch, still holding the trailer brakes on manually, then do a forward pull test a second time.  If all good, retract the legs fully and press on. 

I keep my left foot right above the brake pedal so IF the trailer is not connected I can immediately stop the truck. Worst case, the trailer drops 1" and it will be loud but will not damage the truck or trailer from that 1" drop.  The trailer has endured far worse on bad roads.

This may not work as well without trailer disc brakes as the old style trailer brakes don't "grab" immediately like disc brakes.  But a pull test is always a good idea.  Professional semi-drivers do this every time as well albeit with a slightly different procedure but with the same idea in mine.

My 4 cents.

Bill

Second Chance wrote:

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OK... so I'll throw a little wrench in the works, here. There are actually three systems: 1) factory puck system, 2) rail-mount system, and 3) turnover/gooseneck ball mount (NOT a gooseneck hitch - this is where the conventional fifth wheel hitch mounts to the truck bed using an existing gooseneck ball in the bed). Ball-and-socket systems are a bit harder to line up when hitching up (I've used them a lot).

This said, I have towed with a rail-mount hitch and, though my current truck is equipped with both a gooseneck ball and the factory puck system, I'm using a hitch that utilizes the factory puck system. I am very happy with it. Though we towed our first 13K miles full-timing with a 6.5' bed and a non-sliding hitch (just had to be a little careful), life is more stress-free and flexible with an 8' bed.

Rob

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 Rob, all true. But that "just had to be a little careful" is the reason for an 8' bed as you are aware.  Many reading this forum for information say "they will be careful."  There are pictures on the internet that can be found of what happens when a turning situation occurs, especially with a manual sliding hitch, and the driver can't be careful.  They are forced into a turn and the trailer cap and the truck back window pay the price.  Hopefully nothing worse.

I say all this in a attempt to inform (warn) those who are new to the RV game and would like a heads up before they make a costly mistake. 

Craig,

We have a Ford and went with the B&W Companion RVK3300 (20k).  The coupler comes off separately and weighs 75 pounds, the base weighs 78 pounds.  Neither are light but I can move them separately with a little effort! :) 

CraigAs wrote:

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Bill, thanks for your input. You have said pretty much what I have been thinking. I have a 2017 F50 Super Duty crew cab, long box and from everything I have read, the puck system let's me use my truck for other things. I have seen several hitch companies talk about how their fifth wheel hitch comes apart so that it is easier (lighter) to unload. How heavy is your hitch? 

 

Craig

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 Craig, our hitch weighs about 325lbs. It's a Trailer Saver TSL2B 32,000 trailer w\ 7,500 lb pin.  But that #325 doesn't include the relatively massive steel plate Classy Chassis installs into which the hitch is bolted under the bed and then bolted tot the truck frame. (Remember, we have a Class V MDT with the Ram 5500HD.) It, IMO, has turned out to be an excellent hitch.  It can be rail mounted but, IMO, one needs to carefully "do the math" and make sure your truck's rear axle (regardless of brand) can handle that extra hitch weigh when coupled with pin weight, tools, fuel, etc.  (You didn't type the first letter of the F?50.  It it's a 350 it has more rear axle capacity then the F-450.)

Trailer Saver does make a similar hitch rated at 25,000 lbs and a 4,500 lb pin the TS3.  It is no less robust for its ratings but with just two air-bags they have to limit the pin to 4,500 lbs.  Don't recall its weight but its relatively heavy.  It can be rail mounted.  It is not, IMO, a convenient hitch to take out and reinstall even via rails. 

Following up on the "operational" issue with hitches; on a trip to the NWT in Canada I was not pleased to see how much trouble someone was having with the Trailer Saver hitch and it concerned me.  Well, it was all user, "****pit trouble."  Once Linda and I operated the hitch about 3 times it became clear what the individual's issues were.  We don't have them.  All operational mistakes.  Not the hitch's fault.

As an aside, if one can't have an air-ride hitch then I would definitely have an air-ride pin box if at all possible if the trailer is in the mid-weight class.  It really reduces the strain on the trailer's frame.  I have a friend who broke his and IMO with an air-ride pin-box or hitch that would not have happened.  Just my opinion.  The MORryde pinbox does a good job as well at reducing "chucking."  I'd recommend that as well FWIW.  It's all about total design, not just one thing.

PM me if you would like to discuss.  I really don't have a particular favorite. It's about specs and total system design based on the specific truck and trailer's capacities and weights.  Not just brand.

Bill