Reese 5th wheel hitch question???
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 268
Likes: 1
From: Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Reese 5th wheel hitch question???
I posted this in the towing section, but thought I would post it here too hoping for more opinions...
I have a Reese 5th wheel hitch I bought used from an individual to pull my camper i bought a few weeks ago. When I bought the camper, it had a gooseneck adapter on it that I used to pull it home with my truck that had a gooseneck hitch already installed. I have read many places that the gooseneck adapter is not recommended to use, so I bought this fifth wheel hitch. However, after I got it I realized that it is not a dual swivel hitch and only swivels front to back. It is a Reese model #30031 14,000 lb hitch. For you guys that have experience pulling fifth wheel campers, my question is:... do I really need a dual swivel hitch, or will this one work just fine? When and where would I need a dual swivel hitch vs a single swivel hitch?
I have a Reese 5th wheel hitch I bought used from an individual to pull my camper i bought a few weeks ago. When I bought the camper, it had a gooseneck adapter on it that I used to pull it home with my truck that had a gooseneck hitch already installed. I have read many places that the gooseneck adapter is not recommended to use, so I bought this fifth wheel hitch. However, after I got it I realized that it is not a dual swivel hitch and only swivels front to back. It is a Reese model #30031 14,000 lb hitch. For you guys that have experience pulling fifth wheel campers, my question is:... do I really need a dual swivel hitch, or will this one work just fine? When and where would I need a dual swivel hitch vs a single swivel hitch?
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 612
Likes: 0
From: Iowa
dad's truck has a single swivel hitch and he gets along ok with it... a dual swivel may give you a bit better ride on rough terrain and highly banked curves...... but you won't be doing much rockcrawling hauling that 5th wheel trailer...
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
I've used both the single swivel and the double swivel. No noticable difference in the connection between the truck and the trailer.
Seems like more to go wrong with the double swivel.
Semi trucks don't have double swivel, just a big flat single swivel hitch.
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IMO goose neck adapters put a lot of strain on the pin box of the trailer, beyond what the frame was designed to handle.
You might get away with it for a while but there are lots of cases where the frames cracked because of using goose neck adapters.
Personally I would never go that route because of that.
Seems like more to go wrong with the double swivel.
Semi trucks don't have double swivel, just a big flat single swivel hitch.
.
IMO goose neck adapters put a lot of strain on the pin box of the trailer, beyond what the frame was designed to handle.
You might get away with it for a while but there are lots of cases where the frames cracked because of using goose neck adapters.
Personally I would never go that route because of that.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,548
Likes: 77
From: Manhattan, KS
I had a reese single swivel hitch and it worked fine. I ran across a good deal on a dual swivel and went ahead and bought it and sold the single swivel. I like it a little better because if you unhitch where there is a side slope and you have leveled the trailer, the double swivel is easier to hook up.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 268
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From: Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Since I don't plan on doing any off roading with my 5th wheel camper attached to my truck, I will go ahead and mount it and use it. I guess I can always get my money back out of it if I decide to go with a dual pivot hitch later since I only paid $150.00 for it complete with all of the hardware and mounting brackets. Thanks for the opinions everyone
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Senior User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Beaver Dam, KY
I have a single swivel and it does okay. I've been told the double swivel helps when you aren't on fairly leve surface and try toconnect or disconnect. I have had a little tension on mine a time or two. I also have a slider on mine, I have a 6ft box, for tight turns for cab clearance. It helps for that, it just doesn't slide easy. David
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 870
Likes: 9
From: Carbondale, CO
These guys are correct. Connecting and disconnecting is easier when there is side slope with a hitch that has side to side pivot. Also, the adapters can be hard on the pin box as Kwik said.
DND58
DND58
Go Bills !
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,778
Likes: 65
From: Buffalo, NY
I have a reese. I believe 51. 4 way pivot. It SUCKS.. The hitch is not that old and slop developed on the thin framing causing the pin to "chuck" in its hole. . Now i get a clunking/clunk/clunking.. With 4 way tilts you got more things to wear out. Might put my HiJacker single pivot hitch back on.
Go Bills !
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,778
Likes: 65
From: Buffalo, NY
My Main center pivot pin. The mount frame wall thickness is only 1/8" wall thickness and when you go or stop you are applying all the load on the top and bottom of the thin wall. Causing it to egg shape. Then the chucking gets worse and worse. I was thinking of welding on bosses on the outside to give it more wall thickness and strength and make a longer pin. If i do it i can take some pics. My hijacker single pivot was solid. No chucking. plus it has an adjustment screw to tighten up the latch connection.. But i liked the idea of having a 4 way from reese, but man, She wore out fast.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 6,708
Likes: 5
From: Kiowa CO
This thread has me rethinking about pursuing a 4-way swivel type. I hitch my 5'er on slopes and hate to throw all the wood under the truck tire to line it up level. Maybe it's not so bad to hassle with that now.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 649
Likes: 0
From: Charleston SC
I used an adapter for 2 years..
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IMO goose neck adapters put a lot of strain on the pin box of the trailer, beyond what the frame was designed to handle.
You might get away with it for a while but there are lots of cases where the frames cracked because of using goose neck adapters.
Personally I would never go that route because of that.
IMO goose neck adapters put a lot of strain on the pin box of the trailer, beyond what the frame was designed to handle.
You might get away with it for a while but there are lots of cases where the frames cracked because of using goose neck adapters.
Personally I would never go that route because of that.
When I had my old V10 gasser 250, I used a goose neck adapter for 2 seasons and put about 21,000 miles on the 9500 pound trailer. I did develop cracks just forward of the wheels on the passenger side frame rail on the camper. Dan, where did you read or hear about frame cracks and where did the develop? I bought my camper new and the dealer installed the adapter so I could drive it off the lot, but when I got my 7.3 F-350 dually, it had a fifth wheel already installed in the bed so I didn't need the adapter anymore and since the factory repaired the cracks, they have not redeveloped. The factory rep that repaired it, said it was because the frame was flexing side to side along with the length of the spring shackles. He put a 2 inch square thick wall tube between the frame rails to prevent flex and welded up the crack and put stiffening plates on each side of the frame rail and so far so good..nearly 15,000 miles since and all is OK......Thanks for any insight on frame cracks..Dave
See the pics of the cracks....As you can see, it is directly above the forward spring shackle on the right frame rail.
FTE Legend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,918
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From: Princeton, BC
I pull with a single pivot now and have not had many issues. I would like to have a double pivot though. The only problem I have encountered is when trying to unhook in some spots that are not nice and level.