new to fifth wheels and hitches

[wingnut60]

I've been posting under the subject "Buying a 36TKE" and have received much good advice, making me aware of several items that I will take up with the original selling dealer for warranty work promised but the owner has been unable to get unit back in. I'll be getting possession in about 2 weeks, I hope.

Need to purchase a hitch, my truck is an F350 short bed. Most of the time I will be using it for work, and need the bed space. What are my choices for the ease of removal and least amount of bed disturbance? The unit has an extended pin box, and I am getting a Mor-Ryde extended pin box in the deal. But no hitch. I have looked at hitch pictures til I am cross-eyed and still don't know pros/cons of different brands.

Is the extended pin box enough clearance without a slider?

Also, I am aware I will be one of the guilty ones who tow over limits, but I gotta start somewhere and will be careful until I see how it handles.

Thanks.

Joe

[billr]

Joe,

I also tow with a 6.5' box and with trailair pin box and no slider. No problems for me with clearance. Just have to watch it on sharp turns and backing around corners. Can almost get 90 degrees.

I just changed from a Reese 20K that wore out, following advice of many, I picked up a Trailersaver 25K rigid hitch (non-airide). Hensley Mfg sells them. Google Hensley or Trailersaver. Cost around $1000 shipped. Very good design locking mech and head. Same as big rigs, Holland head.

It mounts to the standard Reese type rails with 4 pins to remove. Is a bit heavy to lift. Great hitch, very happy with it.

I was in the same boat as you with a truck I had to keep for a couple more years. Does the job nicely, but will change to dually as soon as I can.

Cheers,
Bill

[wingnut60]

billr,
Thanks, just got literature in the mail from Hensley. I already tow my Sunnybrook with the Hensley Arrow.

Do you suppose what you have would work as well with the Mor-Ryde pin box?

[billr]

Joe,

It would be fine with any pinbox. I got the non-airride hitch because I had the Trailair pin box. You have a similar product with the Mor-ryde.

Hensley makes a real nice airride hitch as well (same head as the rigid), but don't need both airride pin box and airride hitch. Also quite a bit more $$. They will take the rigid hitch back for full trade value if you decide later to upgrade to the full airride hitch. Not sure how long they honour it, I think a year.

If I was starting from scratch, I think I would go with the airride hitch and use a solid extended pin box. That way the airide stays with you when you trade the trailer.

Cheers,
Bill

[Abbey157]

You can purchase a 10 inch extension hitch that can be mounted to your existing hitch. It will lower your hitch by three inches so you may need to raise the pin box as a result. I put one on my 32 TK3 for the added length. It's simply engineered too close for comfort for my likes.

That will allow you to use a standard hitch. I found favor with the B&W hitch using the campanion hitch. It comes out absolutely clean in a few minutes.

Best hitch I ever owned (20K).

Bob

[wingnut60]

Abbey157

Would you email me at JoeJD@aol.com

Interested in more details.

Joe Dobry

[wingnut60]

I started this thread asking about short beds and hitches. Since then, I had a BW gooseneck ball installed in my short bed truck, and borrowed a Companion hitch. Towed the new purchased trailer to dealer in Lubbock, no problems. Got work done, towed trailer back to home an put in back yard. In between moving the trailer, the truck blew the engine oil cooler and it cost $2700 to fix.
Now I have solved my short bed/hitch problems with a new '07 350 drw. I still plan on using a gooseneck adapter to connect the MS to the truck, just don't have to worry about clearances.
The 6.0 pulled the trailer just fine, no significant problems due to weight, and the pin load did not squat the truck past level. With the new DRW, this will be a lesser problem.
Looking forward to actually using the trailer.