Initial settings on B&W Companion hitch 3600 on OEM 2023 RAM 3500?

[Lloyd_TX]

RV newb here. I just self-installed a B&W Companion OEM 3600 on my RAM 3500 towing package, and it slipped into place in the pucks with minimal adjustment. I set the forward-backward placement just forward of the rear axle (since a separate sheet on the 3500 recommended that camper shell's center of gravity be forward of the axle; not the same thing, I know), and the height at the middle setting. Nothing is torqued (goal is 110 ft. lbs.), so not a problem to take apart and re-do.

Measuring the distance between the kingpin and Solitude 310GK edge and comparing that to the hitch center and the cab gives me 2-3" clearance at cab back window.

I imagine that I'll figure the height adjustment empirically once I hitch it up and drive it the first time.

So where does everybody put their forward-backward setting, and is it mostly a clearance thing or a stability/safety issue?

[Steven@147]

RV newb here. I just self-installed a B&W Companion OEM 3600 on my RAM 3500 towing package, and it slipped into place in the pucks with minimal adjustment. I set the forward-backward placement just forward of the rear axle (since a separate sheet on the 3500 recommended that camper shell's center of gravity be forward of the axle; not the same thing, I know), and the height at the middle setting. Nothing is torqued (goal is 110 ft. lbs.), so not a problem to take apart and re-do.

Measuring the distance between the kingpin and Solitude 310GK edge and comparing that to the hitch center and the cab gives me 2-3" clearance at cab back window.

I imagine that I'll figure the height adjustment empirically once I hitch it up and drive it the first time.

So where does everybody put their forward-backward setting, and is it mostly a clearance thing or a stability/safety issue?

The forward / backward position of the hitch arms relative to the rear axle center, could also help to put more or less weight on the front axle. We have been running with the same Companion hitch for almost 5 years now with our 2018 RAM 3500 LB DRW. It's been awhile but as I recall I set the hitch arms so the pin weight was "over the axle", it put a tad more weight back on the front axel. As far as height I believe I bolted the arm height at the middle position and the rig runs level. We have almost 7 inches of clearance between the truck bed and the bottom of the RV. I've never measured it but with our long bed the nose of our Solitude is several feet from the truck back window. Our Solitude pin weight is 3550#.

We also have a big cross bed tool box mounted at the front of the bed, two "Stowaway" fold up bicycles strapped to the middle of the tool box and sometimes we have a 5 gallon can of diesel fuel strapped to the passengers side of the tool box, and a 20# propane tank strapped to the drivers side of the tool box. We also carry a 3500 generator in the passengers side rear corner of the truck bed. All that to say we have no clearance problems with the hitch or the nose of our Solitude.

Each truck hitched to a 5er will be a little different so you may have to fine tune the hitch for your particular set up. Even the type of pin box can affect what setting you use on the Companion. We use a MORryde dampened pin box. We have nothing but good things to say about the Companion hitch. We are fulltime so the hitch never comes out of the bed. About every 6 months I remove the head and grease it and spray some lubricant on the jaw pivot pins.

[Wileykid]

I have my B&W set to the rear for possible clearance issues. I back into my driveway that is about 5-7* uphill, and the nose of the trailer comes down. No problems towing. The height on the hitch is on the lowest, and my pin box is in the middle. My trailer nose is about 1 1/2" nose high, not something I am worried about, and gives me 6 1/2" clearance on the truck rails.

[masterdrago]

We towed with a similar setup and had the 3600 set most forward and lowest. Seemed to work fine for four years. Never had an issue with top of bed clearance.