5th Wheel Hitch

[SFDavis50]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

That is a possiblility, but the hitch could easily be looked at as part of the trailer, and not a personal item. Not much needed for tools, and good to have them along. I always carry the torque wrench and 15/16" socket for removal and reinstallation of the hitch, and just keep the 1/4" hex head socket on board just in case.

I was thinking that ETI will tow the trailer across the border using a conventional fifth wheel hitch so the Anderson adaptor will need to be mounted after the export. If they also have a pickup with an Anderson hitch it would be nice but I'm not expecting that.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

One advantage of rails is having a place to put the chain loops. (Some jurisdictions require chains because the Anderson has a ball.)

You can see the Curt 16000 Fifth Wheel Safety Chain Loops on the rail next to the hitch pedestal. I have the Anderson chains option and hook onto these.

Planning for the safety chain anchor loops is good, and those Curt loops (or the Cequent equivalent) are a good solution, but you shouldn't need to restrict the mounting choice to "industry standard" lateral rails. Safety chain anchors are a normal part of ball-in-bed-floor hitches.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by ThomasG

I'm considering using an Andersen Ultimate in a F-150 with a 5.5' bed. Does anyone know if this combination will provide enough clearance between the front of the trailer and the back windows of the truck?

Yes... but this assumes a standard mounting point (ball or rails) position centred at or slightly ahead of the axle line, and you need to turn the Andersen mounting frame to the rearward position... and the clearance required for the new (or "2017") design of 5.0TA is not yet known. "Enough clearance" means adequate for normal maneuvers; if you jacknife it far enough in reverse, you can still hit the cab with the trailer using any hitch type or position.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

Since we're on the subject, anyone want to recommend a particular 5th wheel hitch that is light and easy to remove from the bed rails? I've seen lots of positive comments on the Patriot (18k?) but since the 5.0 is so light, I was wondering if anyone had positive comments on a lighter-weight hitch.

Unfortunately, because there are few light fifth-wheel trailers, there are no readily available light-weight fifth-wheel hitches. The lowest capacity I've seen is 15,000 pounds of trailer (and a ton or more of pin weight), and they all use a standard size of pin anyway, so there are only two ways to go lighter:

1. choose a very simple hitch (the cheapest are the simplest), or
2. use a different design of hitch - not a fifth-wheel at all - such as the Andersen Ultimate (which is a ball and socket system).

[SFDavis50]

Anderson Rail Mount:
Lightest weight 5th wheel hitch available - only 40 lbs!
Features new ball-funnel for easy hook up –even 3" off ball center!
Weight rating: 20,000 lbs GTWR, 4,500 tongue
More swivel in every direction of any 5th wheel hitch available.
Trailer can easily be connected or disconnected on any terrain.

Anderson Gooseneck:
Features a patented remote latch/unlatch cable
Rated at 24,000 lbs GTWR and 4,500 lbs tongue weight
The smoothest ride around - owners are saying they can't believe there's no bucking and no chatter compared to other products on the market
Three height adjustments: 16-3/4" lower position, 17-7/8" middle position and 19-1/8" upper position (from bed of truck to top of ball mount)

The Anderson Hitches are lightweight but they are also rated for heaver loads than the equivalent fifth wheel hitches which weigh a lot more.

[Mark&Elaine]

I have a 5.0TA ordered which will be completed in February. I will tow with a 2012 Tundra. I am going with an Andersen aluminum hitch with a B&W gooseneck ball. I am having the B&W hitch installed prior to picking up the trailer. ETI will install the king pin adapter for a fee. Also they have an Andersen hitch that they will deliver the trailer across the boarder. I confirmed this info with Tammy when we were at ETI about a month ago. I chose the Andersen for the light weight as the Tundra's cargo capacity is a little light! It seems that everyone that uses the Andersen like it!!

[Chuckster]

Originally Posted by Mark&Elaine

I have a 5.0TA ordered which will be completed in February. I will tow with a 2012 Tundra. I am going with an Andersen aluminum hitch with a B&W gooseneck ball. I am having the B&W hitch installed prior to picking up the trailer. ETI will install the king pin adapter for a fee. Also they have an Andersen hitch that they will deliver the trailer across the boarder. I confirmed this info with Tammy when we were at ETI about a month ago. I chose the Andersen for the light weight as the Tundra's cargo capacity is a little light! It seems that everyone that uses the Andersen like it!!

Hi Mark,
Can you provide details on the gooseneck connection for the Tundra please? I thought that I was limited to a rail mount for my 2013.
Thanks!
Chuck

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Chuckster

Can you provide details on the gooseneck connection for the Tundra please? I thought that I was limited to a rail mount for my 2013.

You can use any brand of bed-mounted towing ball with the Andersen Ultimate's "gooseneck" version.

B&W's Hitch Finder says that the Turnoverball (model GNRK1257) is available for the 2007-2016 Toyota Tundra (all bed lengths). That's the entire run to date of the second-generation Tundra.

[Mark&Elaine]

Hi Chuckster! Brian is correct. The B&W gooseneck hitch I got is BWGNRK1257. My 2012 Tundra is a double cab with a 6 1/2 ft bed. I think that will work in your 2013 as well.

[Chuckster]

Perfect!
Thanks to both of you.
Chuck

[Kent]

Will have to look harder at the Anderson Ultimate 5th Wheel hitch.

Liking the less weight of hitch itself for two reasons, allows you to carry more and ease of handling the hitch when you need to remove from TV.

Thanks for the feedback!

[Kent]

ReagentGrade, trying to find what rails work with the Anderson 5th wheel hitch. Based on your picture and post the Curt 16k rails will work without modification is that correct?

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

One advantage of rails is having a place to put the chain loops. (Some jurisdictions require chains because the Anderson has a ball.)

You can see the Curt 16000 Fifth Wheel Safety Chain Loops on the rail next to the hitch pedestal. I have the Anderson chains option and hook onto these.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Kent

ReagentGrade, trying to find what rails work with the Anderson 5th wheel hitch. Based on your picture and post the Curt 16k rails will work without modification is that correct?

They're "industry standard" rails: it would probably be hard to find rails that generally look like that and wouldn't work. Yes, the 5th Wheel Base Rails which Curt sells (for any of their fifth-wheel hitches) are an example of this type of rail.

[ThomasG]

Originally Posted by ReagentGrade

I have an Anderson on rails in a 2013 F150 with a 5.5' bed. I love it! It comes out easily and is very light. I covet Jim's with his goose neck install with a disappearing ball, but mine is great.

What are you pulling with your Anderson Ultimate on rails? Your profile says "Trailer: none".

[gmchamplin]

Originally Posted by Mark&Elaine

I have a 5.0TA ordered which will be completed in February. I will tow with a 2012 Tundra. I am going with an Andersen aluminum hitch with a B&W gooseneck ball. I am having the B&W hitch installed prior to picking up the trailer. ETI will install the king pin adapter for a fee.

I'm a little confused.

It looks to me like the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Hitch and the B&W gooseneck ball are alternatives. How are you using them together?

[Mark&Elaine]

The Andersen ultimate hitch comes in 2 versions. They differ in the way they attach to the bed of the truck. One version is attached to bed rails mounted to the truck bed. (See above picture)..The other version attaches to a gooseneck ball mounted to the bed of the truck. If you search You Tube for Andersen Ultimate Hitch there are many good videos showing the installation and use of the hitch.. I chose the gooseneck ball version because it seems more secure and easily removed. The B&W gooseneck ball also is easily removed leaving your pickup bed completely flat. With the rail version, the hitch is removed by 4 pins but the rails remain in the bed. Hope that helps!! Mark

[Mark&Elaine]

The Andersen ultimate hitch comes in 2 versions. They differ in the way they attach to the bed of the truck. One version is attached to bed rails mounted to the truck bed. (See above picture)..The other version attaches to a gooseneck ball mounted to the bed of the truck. If you search You Tube for Andersen Ultimate Hitch there are many good videos showing the installation and use of the hitch.. I chose the gooseneck ball version because it seems more secure and easily removed. The B&W gooseneck ball also is easily removed leaving your pickup bed completely flat. With the rail version, the hitch is removed by 4 pins but the rails remain in the bed. Hope that helps!! Mark

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by gmchamplin

I'm a little confused.

It looks to me like the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Hitch and the B&W gooseneck ball are alternatives. How are you using them together?

You are right that they are two separate hitching systems. If needed, you can use the B&W Turnover Ball as a gooseneck connection only. I have only done this once, towing a friends gooseneck flatbed trailer, and it worked great there.

Like Mark explained there are two versions of the Andersen Hitch, rail mount and gooseneck mount. I installed the B&W Turnover Ball and the corresponding Andersen Ultimate Hitch that works with it over a year ago now, and used that combo with my temp stick built this past year. It has worked out great.

[gmchamplin]

Thanks, Mark and Jim. I think I understand now.

Could you give me the specific part numbers of the Andersen and B&W products that you are using?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gmchamplin

It looks to me like the Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Hitch and the B&W gooseneck ball are alternatives.

As Jim explained, one could use the B&W Turnoverball instead of the Andersen Ultimate system, and that's what B&W intends; however, to tow an Escape 5.0 or 5.0TA that would mean installing a long extension from the trailer's pin, with a socket-type coupler on the end. This is done with other fifth-wheel RV trailers, but it is structurally questionable and is not encouraged for Escapes. So, the Turnoverball is used by Escape owners only as an anchor for another hitch system - either the Andersen Ultimate ball system, or B&W's Companion fifth-wheel.