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Old 05-06-2022, 12:10 PM   #1
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Hitch…

Got another hitch question if y’all can stand it. I’ve been doing some deep thinking regarding TV and will probably go with a more powerful truck with higher tow and cargo capacities. Previously, I had convinced myself to go with the Andersen because of weight issues. Now, if have greater cargo capacity, is there ANY advantage of the Andersen over any other hitch? Meaning specifically, is there any difference in range of motion, to use a medical term, between the two types of hitches? Will they both provide the same turning capabilities as far as minimum and maximum angle of truck to camper? I know you don’t have to grease the Andersen, which is a plus for me because it’s one less thing to think about as I’m acclimating to a new rig and driving style, but I’m wondering there is ANY difference performance wise? Thanks in advance for your knowledgeable comments!!
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Old 05-06-2022, 02:53 PM   #2
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I think that in theory the Andersen ball-and-socket may allow more 'sideways tilt' than some traditional 5th wheel hitches but given trailer-underside vs top-of-siderail clearance / conflict I'm not sure that's actually meaningful in use.

Turning angle vs cab conflict is mainly a matter of the distance from the cab to the pivot point - that can vary just due to the hitch mounting location of different types and brands of the components (rails or ball) permanently mounted in the bed, not necessarily a function of Andersen vs other hitch installed on those fixtures. You'll have to make rig- and component-specific sketches and measurements to determine those differences and whether they are meaningful (IOW, the answer to that question will always depend on exact case-specifics considering all components used, there's no generic answer). The same holds for tailgate-dropping clearance.

Methinks you can wear yourself out overthinking this - I suspect you already know the many differences/pros/cons from your previous posts, it may be time to make a concise list of those and assign a +/- ranking value to each characteristic based on your situation and preferences as you now understand them, then total the points just to help get to a decision.

IMO there's plenty of evidence that it's hard to go "wrong" with any of the hitch&truck combinations frequently mentioned here. Folks seem to adapt and learn to like what they have with really no or little compromise involved in that (differences, but not really any functional compromises in terms of towing). IOW, they all seem to get the job done and familiarity gained through use yields comfort and confidence.

Have Fun Shopping and Happy Trailering!
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Old 05-06-2022, 03:48 PM   #3
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“Methinks you can wear yourself out overthinking this”

You could be very right, which is unlike me because I’m usually “I can fly by the seat of pants, no problemo” kind of person and I adapt well. I have two years (or maybe a bit less) so plenty of time to “over think.” Yikes!

I do think you had a good suggestion with pros vs. cons. I need to start writing this stuff down, rather than letting ideas randomly come and go in the old noggin.

I was speaking to a 5.0 owner recently about a local campground we were both familiar with and he vehemently stated he wouldn’t be able to get his trailer down there. There a winding, one lane, short downslope to the riverside campground, which is quite small, only about 11 sites, but it does have what I think is sufficient turn around area. I was a bit surprised by his response, so I thought maybe I wasn’t really looking at this approach with a critical eye related to trailering. Just camped there again, and other than the break over angle, I’m not sure why he would find it so off putting…I think if one were to approach that break over correctly,’it shouldn’t be a big deal, but I could be very wrong. Anywho, there was a 25’ foot bumper pull down there last time I visited (max length on CG sign 20’), but I guess a bumper pull is a horse of a different color.

Thanks for your response. I’m actually reading through all your posts pre and post trailer arrival and find them very succinct and helpful, so cheers to you!
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Old 05-06-2022, 04:08 PM   #4
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I know you don’t have to grease the Andersen, which is a plus for me because it’s one less thing to think about as I’m acclimating to a new rig and driving style...
You can avoid lubrication of the plate of a conventional fifth-wheel hitch by using a "lube plate" (which is just a disk of polymer a.k.a. plastic), which is equivalent to the Andersen Ultimate's nylon socket liner. You would still typically have some lubrication of the rest of the fifth-wheel mechanism (which the Andersen Ultimate doesn't have), but that's not something that you need to be concerned with very often.
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Old 05-06-2022, 04:23 PM   #5
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[QUOTE=Brian B-P;419359]You can avoid lubrication of the plate of a conventional fifth-wheel hitch by using a "lube plate" (which is just a disk of polymer a.k.a. plastic)”

Oh, good to know! I no idea and really was not a big fan of greasing/cleaning/re-greasing that coupling area. Plus, there seems to many more “moving parts” to a regular hitch vs an Andersen, but that could be because I’m not familiar with them and haven’t been really researching them. Thanks for your input!
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Old 05-06-2022, 05:43 PM   #6
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Oh, good to know! I no idea and really was not a big fan of greasing/cleaning/re-greasing that coupling area. Plus, there seems to many more “moving parts” to a regular hitch vs an Andersen, but that could be because I’m not familiar with them and haven’t been really researching them.
There are a lot more moving parts in the conventional fifth-wheel hitch, both to handle pivoting in all directions without a ball and for latching, but most of them don't cause any trouble.
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Old 05-06-2022, 07:47 PM   #7
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I went with the Andersen, because the cargo capacity of a GMC Canyon isn’t as high as an HD truck or some of the bigger half tons. I’m happy with it.

That said, if I had more capacity to throw away on a hitch, the true 5th wheel hitches don’t need chains AND you don’t need to raise and lower the trailer to hitch and unhitch. So, if hitching and unhitching frequently is in the cards you should consider that aspect.
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Old 05-06-2022, 08:52 PM   #8
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Thumbs up

“That said, if I had more capacity to throw away on a hitch, the true 5th wheel hitches don’t need chains AND you don’t need to raise and lower the trailer to hitch and unhitch.”

This is great to know! I think I would prefer to ditch the chains even if I have grease up occasionally. Grease is much smaller, lighter, and easier to haul around compared to chains. I’m going to do some YouTube research on regular 5th Wheel hitches to learn more about them. I had to think about the raising/lowering issue for a second before I understood what you were talking about, but I get it now. Also, I have no plans on removing it from the bed of the truck, so lifting it in and out is not an issue for me. Thanks much!
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Old 05-06-2022, 10:00 PM   #9
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Just make sure you look at the payload of the truck. Your first post refers to 'cargo capacity,' I am not entirely certain what that is. It'd be a good idea to share that here to get other perspectives on it.

We have Andersen hitch and are happy with it. I might have gone for B&W if hitch weight were not a consideration in the context of the payload.
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Old 05-06-2022, 10:45 PM   #10
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[QUOTE=kavm;419390]Just make sure you look at the payload of the truck. Your first post refers to 'cargo capacity,' I am not entirely certain what that is.

Understood. In my very first comment/question, I mentioned I’m rethinking my TV, for exactly your concern: too little truck for too much weight. I don’t want to have to worry about potentially nearing max payload with a 1/2 ton. I’m a full timer who travels for work and currently lives out of a converted 2500 van. I have a lot of stuff in my “garage” in the van that will have to be carried in the truck bed. This includes a bike, a heavy duty inflatable kayak, 4 seasons worth of clothes and shoes, tools, 50lb bags of dog food, and miscellaneous minutiae, not to mention the additional weight from RV supplies I will adding to total weight.! Add the doggo, me, and pin weight and I’ll probably be over. I’m currently 1000lb under my vans cargo capacity, which is around 3500, iirc. So, I prefer to have “too much truck” rather than “not enough truck,” hence considering a 3/4 ton truck. Plus, I eventually may end up towing a heavier trailer a few years down the road, we shall see. I’m not concerned about trailer weight as much as I’m concerned about all the stuff I have to haul as a full time traveler. I completely understand your question/concern because I have seen many sketchy loads towed down the road and I do my best to stay FAR away!
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Old 05-06-2022, 11:08 PM   #11
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Obviously, 3/4 ton truck would undoubtedly make pin weight of a 5.0 or payload a non factor. I am, however, wondering about your plans for the truck bed. With fifth wheel, the negative is that you lose more than 50% of the bed. Kayak would have to be quite short to sit over the cab of the truck cab not extend too far back to interfere with the 5th wheel hitch. Bikes would go to the back of the camper and be a non-factor in the payload. Neither of these items should blow your payload requirement too much.

From what I see - a 1/2 ton truck might be more than sufficient for what you need except support easy switch to a bigger camper. Your other stuff from the van will hopefully go into the 5.0 and has small bearing on the payload requirement. So, it depends a bit upon how much payload, how many men and beasts that need to ride the truck but a 1/2 ton truck is fit for purpose, should you go that route.
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Old 05-06-2022, 11:26 PM   #12
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... hence considering a 3/4 ton truck. ...
That opens the possibility of a truck with factory-equipped in-bed 'pucks' for hitch mounting (and a whole new set of aftermarket hitch options designed to use those OE 'pucks').

Ford's current offering, for example (clipped from SuperDuty Build and Price website) ....
5th-Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package $550
Includes:
• Five (5) pickup bed attachment points with plugs
• One (1) frame under-bed cross member
• One (1) integrated 12/7-pin connector on driver's side pickup bed wall
Available on F-250 and F-350 models.
IMO that's a great value for folks who tow a 'fiver' and want an F250/350; an integrated brake controller and even 5th-wheel capable backup assist are separately available options.

The mentioned 12-pin connector supports available Ford accessory trailer tire pressure monitors and trailer mounted rear-cam, all fully integrated in the truck's dashboard displays/warning systems. It all makes for a very nice 5th-wheel rig if you want to go for the whole enchilada.

GM and Ram likely offer competitive packages. Alas, manufacturers aren't yet offering all of those 5th-wheel oriented options for 'half-ton' trucks.

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Old 05-07-2022, 01:17 PM   #13
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“From what I see - a 1/2 ton truck might be more than sufficient for what you need except support easy switch to a bigger camper.”

You are probably correct, but I need to sit down and run some numbers. Obviously, a negative of a larger more powerful truck is the out the door cost increase and less than stellar gas mileage. But, I really want a truck that can pull the load without stressing transmission or engine, along with the ability to pull the trailer out of just about anything. I’m a fairly conservative driver as is, but I’ve been in a couple sketchy situations where luck played a big factor in getting me out of trouble, including heading down a packed dirt county road that deteriorated so quickly that even if there was room to stop and turn around, I would have mired myself as soon as I slowed and stopped. A rare occasion, but still leaves me biting my nails, because a tow out would have cost the earth.
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Old 05-07-2022, 01:21 PM   #14
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[QUOTE=Centex;419399]That opens the possibility of a truck with factory-equipped in-bed 'pucks' for hitch mounting…

Indeed, this is something I’ve put in the PRO category. I like the fact that this would be in factory and I would have no new drilling through the bed that long term could lead to rust issues if not correctly primed and finished before hardware is attached.
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Old 05-07-2022, 02:56 PM   #15
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“From what I see - a 1/2 ton truck might be more than sufficient for what you need except support easy switch to a bigger camper.”

You are probably correct, but I need to sit down and run some numbers. Obviously, a negative of a larger more powerful truck is the out the door cost increase and less than stellar gas mileage. But, I really want a truck that can pull the load without stressing transmission or engine, along with the ability to pull the trailer out of just about anything. I’m a fairly conservative driver as is, but I’ve been in a couple sketchy situations where luck played a big factor in getting me out of trouble, including heading down a packed dirt county road that deteriorated so quickly that even if there was room to stop and turn around, I would have mired myself as soon as I slowed and stopped. A rare occasion, but still leaves me biting my nails, because a tow out would have cost the earth.
Definitely. Do look into PowerBoost engine in F150 as well. It give you the option for a 7.2kW generator built in. The mileage while towing is likely at par with EcoBoost but better when not. It is heavier - and I suppose that make the towing dynamics a bit safer. I too am nervous when driving off-road, though the issue is with tires rather than the anything else.

All the best!
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Old 05-08-2022, 04:38 PM   #16
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Thanks for all your ideas. I learned something new which is never wasted. Have been researching regular 5th Wheel hitches and that’s probably what I’ll go with should I choose a heavier truck. Hoping 5.0 prices don’t go up much more because I have shaved my options to the bone and I’m not sure how much more I’m willing to pay. Time, as always, will tell.
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