Has anyone used an automatic safety hitch? I've never heard of such a thing but i saw an article about it and i am very intrigued. I will contact the company but I am sure their main interest will be in me buying one. We spend 2 to 3 weekends a month in a travel trailer with my family of 5. To have the ability to tow a 5th wheel trailer with the excursion would be a godsend!

http://http://www.automatedsafetyhitch.com/

 

No sagging, I like it.

 

I think that its from this company.


Add an Axle Corp.

 

I remember seeing those a few years ago. I recall people being happy with them, but remarking that backing up was impossible. So if your camper goes into a back in slot, forget it.

 

I clicked on this link hoping somebody had built a bronco style rear roof excursion and was towing a fiver with it

A few have been built but yet to see one towing a 5th

 

Many years ago wehad one of these for about a week .....

 

A truck similar to this is for sale a few blocks from me. They are an interesting truck.

 

We used something like that when I drove semis for UPS pulling double trailers. Very difficult to back up but not impossible. Takes a lot of practice.

 

The Automated Safety Hitch and the old Hitch Buddy are pretty similar, I have actually gotten up close and personal with one a few years ago and briefly contemplated one for our EX. In the end the crazy high price of them, the additional axle toll costs (lots of toll roads back here in the East), the extra weight of it and the additional combination length influenced me to stick with traditional bumper pull campers.
Backing up is not an issue with these extra axle fifth wheel hitches, they connect to the tow vehicle in three spots and they do not pivot, the axle self steers, so backing up isn't much different than normal except for the extra length. That extra axle also has brakes, so you get a little more in that department too.
After spending 4 years with our old 31' toyhauler we decided that we no longer needed the garage bay after our son retired from Quarter Midget racing so we started looking at TTs. We often travel with up 4 of our son's friends, so we wanted a TT that could be comfortable with 7 adults for a couple of weeks. We found that in our Jayco Eagle Premier 338RETS TT, it is essentially a fifth wheel floor plan but in a bumper pull configuration. I think that I'm much happier with our current TT than we would have been with a 5er and and the Hitch Buddy.

 

If I remember hearing correctly, a simple dolly setup is not always legal from state to state. However, the safety hitch, since it mounts to the truck and has steerable wheels, is not considered a dolly and thus is 50 state legal...

I am trying to find where I read about it.

 

what front bumper is that?

 

Yes, very much like those swivel wheel dollies some RVer add to the rear of 5ers to haul their motorcycles. Because they do not articulate and attach to the parent vehicle in multiple spots they are considered frame extensions by the manufactures and thus would not be counted as a trailer legally. Now getting Johnny Law to see it that way on the shoulder of the highway may be a challenge. . The reasons why I decided against one that I mentioned above should be seriously considered by anyone thinking of using one behind an EX.

 

Hitch Buddy is the one I was thinking of. Although I don't remember the hitch buddy having steerable wheels or hooking to the TV in more than one spot. Now that I got the link to work to the one above, it looks far more complex. Pretty neat setup.

 

Tom do you remember about how much t they were? If i go with a fith wheel i will have quite a bit of room as far as cost goes because otherwise I've got to get a f2 or 350 diesel. Obviously resale on the truck will be a lot better than some hitch contraption though. The problem for me is if i go with a long cab truck im full and the kids can't bring a friend unless we bring 2 vehicles. Our current trailer is wonderful so I'm not making a move anytime soon, but the mid bunk house fith wheel designs are really pretty amazing. As much as i drive the tt and despite my mods it is not a wonderful experience. I'm not sure if there would be improved control or not with one of these.

 

It was several years ago and I'm old and suffer from CRS, but from what I can recall it was between 5 and 7.5 grand, not cheap. I was looking at the Hitch Buddy at that time, not the ASH linked to above, and I think the ASH looks even more refined and evolved. That price and those other issues I mentioned tipped the scales and steered us into the giant TT we have now.
What would your overall combined length be with a mid bunkroom 5er, the ASH and your EX? With our 41' TT, the Hensley Arrow and our EX we are right at 61", too long for a couple of states, but I'm an outlaw.