Why a TrailSaver Air Hitch and Which One?

In my opinion after owning two Trailer Savers there is no down side. Frankly I don't think the price is a down side. The Mobile Suite cost lots of $$$$ and you could have gotten a 5er that cost less but then again you want the best...........
 
"now just need a truck"....

Don't skimp, research thoroughly.... the proper truck is every bit as important as the RV. Don't be misled by sales people, know your requirements, your facts and figures and purchase accordingly.

Regards
Gemstone
 
Beachgirl said:
So what are the down sides to a TrailerSaver hitch, other than price!

And thank you for the info on bedliners- we had no idea.

We finalized our MS order today- now just need a truck, and a hitch! :D

Dh is reading all your posts with interest...but hasn't gotten the time to research some more...thus the silence in the face of such excellent replies...
Click to expand...

Congrats on the order! Exciting times!!

If there are downsides to the TS hitch I guess it would be the wt and the space it takes in the truck (pickup) If the bed space is not an issue or you have no real plans to use the truck for hauling or work then no reason to remove the hitch too often.

There is no comparison of a non-airide hitch to an airide one in application. You won't be sorry you went with one. I didn't and now I have to eventually do it all over again and buy one. Where if I had listened more, and done my research I would have skipped the 2 hitches I have gone through (a Reese 22K, which wore flat out!) and the rigid TS I have now. When I bought the Rigid TS I got the benefit of the Binkly head but no airide. I should have spent the extra $2K and had the airide.

I had a Pickup at the time and didn't think I needed the airide. Now that I have the HDT I need it. So you never know what you may end up with. My DW is always telling me not to buy stuff twice. I don't always listen...ha

Like a few others have said, do your research on your future TV. It is every bit as important if not more than your trailer choice. A lot of folks will tell you don't worry about using marginal or under sized truck. I can tell you from my own experience, it will cost you $ in the end to go through the steps of up sizing the truck later, and you will!! Just ask most of those driving a F450, 550, MDT or HDT. Most started with a pickup of some type until the trailers outgrew the trucks and they for one reason or another moved up.

If I was going to start today and for whatever reason did not want to go with an MDT or HDT, the only choice IMHO for me would be the F450. I'm a Chevy fan but they just don't compare unless they have done a huge re-build this year to match the frame, brakes, capacities of the Ford. Instead of just raising the specs to compete. Again, IMHO.

We have no intention of returning to a Pick up. We love the HDT and what it offers us. For sure its not for everyone. Thats why there are a zillion other choices!

Unlike a lot of us that already had a pickup when they upgraded or bought a heavy trailer, you don't, so you're starting off fresh!
Shop wise and have fun too!

Bill
 
This is Beachgirl's hubby. For a TV, looks like we're going with a Chevy 3500 Dooly with the Duramax/Allison. Might go with a GMC if we like the cab better, but the vehicles are pretty much the same and the 2011's are supposed to tow 21,000 lbs. We're going to look at them Wednesday and finalize our decision this week.

Also pretty much decided on the TS air hitch. The only thing that bothers me is not being able to take it out of the truck when not towing, especially when we're staying home for several months. I'd like to use my truck bed occasionally, so my question is: just how heavy is that hitch? Just watched a video that showed one man installing the hitch, so is my concern valid?

Really appreciate everyone's inputs - this helps a lot!

Capt Ducks
 
Quote: The only thing that bothers me is not being able to take it out of the truck when not towing, especially when we're staying home for several months".
........................................................
Regarding the weight of the TrailerSaver hitch, any 5er hitch worth having to keep you and your 5er safe, for the Suites weights, is going to be on the heavy side. I picked the TrailerSaver because I wanted a hitch made out of thick steel plate (not bent-up sheet metal).

Capt Ducks, are you going to have a nice tool box in the bed of your truck (ie. a nice storage place for more of your tools, and stuff)?? If you have a long bed, you can get bed boxes wide enough to lay folding chairs flat, or will fit four golf bags, with room to spare - lot of storage space, but takes up a little more of your "truck bed".

Quite frankly, I would not be with out a nice bed storage box for the RV lifestyle. But in our nearly 5 years of fulltiming, I never had a desire/need to remove the TrailerSaver hitch, nor the bed box. With those items in, there is still room to put stuff along the sides of the hitch, and in the rear of the bed. Of course with the tailgate down, there is more room for hauling stuff, when not towing, if needed.

Are you really sure that you will have an actual need to remove the hitch from the bed?? ---------- If I were going to be doing this at a "home", I would simply get a cheap engine type lift to handle getting the hitch out, and for putting it back in - no big deal!!

Robert
 
Pretty much agree with Rdunk. However, if I recall correctly, Beachgirl and Capt. Ducks are not going to be full-timing, so that is the reason for the desire to remove the hitch from the bed and in having a fairly small "footprint" of additional hitch "hardware".

Capt. Ducks,

In regards to that video that you watched, was it for the TrailSaver air hitch or one of the other, non-air hitches that one man removed or installed? If the weight is an issue, the idea of a "cherry-picker" winch system for lifting and removing/installing would be a great idea. A lot of those are on rollers, so the hitch could be removed, the cherry-picker rolled into a garage, and the hitch stored on a pallet or on boards.

Also, I think it was the TrailSaver TS3 (or something like that) that will attach to two parallel "Reese-type" rails attached to the bed crossways of the bed. If you remove the hitch, those rails only stand up about 1 inch or so. Thus, the bed is still fairly usable for hauling other things.

Also, don't rely solely on the tow weight. Keep in mind Gross Combined Vehicle Weight. That is the total weight of the trailer with everything in it (plus fluids in holding tanks) plus the total weight of the pickup with full fuel, hitch, passengers, and other cargo. I've seen situations where the truck was sufficient for "tow weight" but overweight on GCVW. If I remember correctly, the GM 3500 Dually has a GCVW rating of 29,200 lbs. If the Mobile Suites is 18,500 lbs, that only leave you with being allowed 10,700 lbs for the truck and everything in it.
 
Capt. Ducks,
Before you take the plunge on the Chevy/GMC you really need to check with DRV and Trailare regarding the camper suspension height to the truck. I have run into a couple of people who have had to have the suspension modified on the camper to allow for level towing. This is a result of the newer Chevy beds being higher and the hitch height being effected. Good luck!
 
As you can see from my signature I have the trailair sys as well as a air safe hitch, which differs from the hitch being discussed.

I have to air the trailair pin box all the way up so that it is locked out otherwise it interferres with the hitch.

Since you have the trailAir and the tri glide You DO NOT need an air hitch.
The triGlide will eliminate the "chucking" that ocurs and the trail air pin box will take care of the ride in the truck.
 
Just a thought for those who still use their pickup truck other than towing like we do sometimes. We normally leave the hitch in the truck, but when we need to remove it for a few hours to carry something else, we hitch to our 5th wheel, pull the pins, and raise the trailer until the hitch clears the bed. We then drive the truck out from under the hitch and lower the trailer back to level, leaving the hitch to hang off the king pin until we are done. Then just reverse the process to put it back in. I do not store it for long periods this way, but have left it over night before re-installing it. I would think this should also work with a air hitch but probably need to release the air to take the stress off the bags when hanging it but other that have air hitches can answer better than I.
 
Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 8:42 am Post subject:

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As you can see from my signature I have the trailair sys as well as a air safe hitch, which differs from the hitch being discussed.

I have to air the trailair pin box all the way up so that it is locked out otherwise it interferres with the hitch.

Since you have the trailAir and the tri glide You DO NOT need an air hitch.
The triGlide will eliminate the "chucking" that ocurs and the trail air pin box will take care of the ride in the truck.
 
hitch question

Hey Rick, this may be a dumb question, but why would it be a bad idea to leave the hitch hanging for long periods of time? I have done this and if I shouldnt please let me know. Thank You. and may u all have a Very Happy New Year.
 
when you "hang" the hitch from the pin box you are put a pressure down on it. It was designed to to set on the hitch and in essence ride on it.

I dought very much if the pin box company would honor the warrenty knowing that that kind of weight was hung for extended periods.

I assure you they will be able to twll. jmho
 
Re: hitch question

matsonelite69 said:
Hey Rick, this may be a dumb question, but why would it be a bad idea to leave the hitch hanging for long periods of time? I have done this and if I shouldnt please let me know. Thank You. and may u all have a Very Happy New Year.
Click to expand...

Like Ponch said, I do not think leaving allot of downward weight on the king pin would be good for the pin box. I know allot of people store their hitches hanging on the pin and have not had any issues, but I do not like to leave this weight there for very long. Probably also depends on the weight of the hitch and the type of pin box. We use the MoreRyde pin box and a standard Reese 20K hitch. So the downward weight is not as much as an air ride hitch and the kingpin has no vertical moving parts like an air ride pin box would.

I have the Firestone air bags on the truck suspension to cushion the trailer. They can be adjusted easily from the inside the truck depending on road conditions. IMHO this is just easier than having to change pressure in the king pin or the hitch through valves and hoses.
 
FWIW - Most pinboxes are made of fairly heavy steel, and are rated for umpteen thousands of pounds for all of the impacts of towing, so, I probably wouldn't be as concerned about the adverse effects of a "hanging hitch" on the pinbox, as I would be for the nose structure of the 5er. I have no expertise in this area, but, should there be consideration for possible nose structural impacts while having up to several hundred pounds of static downward force hanging on the pin for days, weeks, or months???

May be no problem, but, we should assume that the 5er mfgrs. are putting no more structure in the nose than is absolutely necessary, for weight and overall cost considerations. Would that include structural allowance in their weights and stress calculations for a hitch hanging on the pinbox??? Probably not! Does that mean negative impact? Who knows?

On this element of this thread, the pinbox mfgr. should be able to answer any question relative to the pinbox, and DRV should be able to give an answer relative to any possible impact upon the structural integrity of the 5er nose, from a "hanging hitch". Might be worth asking!

Robert
 
Thanks for the input, I just took it for granted after seeing hitches hanging that it wouldnt be an issue. Its like the Ole saying goes you dont know unless you ask. I have the trail-aire king pin and a Husky 20k hitch in the truck, I assumed on this and you all know what that stands for. Thank you again, as always you guys are top notch. I hope all of you have a Happy New Year with safe travels.
 
I can't believe that hanging 300 pounds off the pin box could ever give the structure any problem. Especially when you think it is supporting 3 or 4000lbs when hooked to the truck. I don't think the structure even knows the hitch is even hanging there. That hitch would equate to 10% or 13% of what the hitch would normally have as a loaded weight. At least that is how I see it, but could be wrong.
 
hanging the hitch

Thats the way I see it, also. Unless there is something in the hitch mechanism that stretches out (rubber donuts?) when hung, then there shouldn't be any problem hanging it on the pin.
Joe
 
I agree, 300-350 static lbs hanging is really not an issue. The 3000-4000 lbs of static pin loads translate into a lot of dynamic load when you're humming down the road regardless of the hitch or pin box type one has. In addition, pin boxes and frames are designed with significant safety factors, my guess would be 2-3 to one at least.

I see no problem hanging the hitch from the pin box when you're standing still.
 
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