My RV dealer says that the B&W turnover ball Companion 5th wheel hitch may work in my truck and may provide the clearance for my 5th wheel (which has an extended pin) because the companion can be adjusted to be moved back just a bit. Can anyone with one help? Feedback?

I'm also considering just going with the Reese underbed rails and the 18k Elite series Hitch w/Slider. I know it will work.

Just looking for the best options on an underbed rail + slider hitch for my new truck. Thanks.

 

Champ..

I have a B&W Companion setup in my truck. I pull a 2009 Heartland Big Horn 3055RL fifth wheel. It works perfectly. It is an extremely tough and sturdy hitch. The full circle jaws are beefy and when it is closed, it is locked. If you can get the safety pin into the handle, it would be impossible to lose the trailer off the hitch. I load my Honda CT70 pit bike cross ways in the front of the box. I still have enough room to turn 360 degree circles, full lock, without coming close to the trailer. With an extended pin box, you should be fine. You will love the hitch. Removal is simple and you have a clean bed to use. PM me if you want to talk.

Regards

 

Champ, It would be helpful knowing whether your Fifth wheel has a front that is capable of tighter turns. There are some on the market that can be used by a short wheel base truck that can turn up to 88 degrees because they are dished out more than others. If it is then the regular hitch would work fine. If you have a flatter front as mine was, I went with the Reese slider 18K. It was a good hitch, but my only complaint was when you go to use the slider. In the instruction manual it says you are to stop, drop the landing legs to take some of the weight off the hitch and then move the truck to slide the hitch back. I did that most of the time but sometimes you get in a spot and don't want to do it. The hitch gets bound up and doesn't want to move very easily. You need to push on the throttle a bit more to get it to slide and wham, it finally lets go and feels like it's going to come out of the bed. If you went with the Reese I just feel it is important to know this, as no one really spoke of this when I was buying mine. I see people not dropping there landing legs frequently, but it does put a strain on the hitch.

 

Thanks for the info on the Reese. In some of the campgrounds I go to, there is not time to drop the legs.

This is my camper front cap (day I bought it). It does not have the scalloped front cap sides but has the extended pin.

 

I would not worry about a slider with that pin box and radius on the front.

 

On some models the b&w gooseneck portion also has options that allow you to put it farther back (4" in front of axle or right above axle). Even on my longbeds I always put it back farther. This with the adjustments on the companion and radius edge might just work.