Buying a Fifth Wheel Hitch....Questions

[Hamiltonian]

I started a thread last week about us thinking about buying a new 2020 Grand Design 290BH. Looks like a go ahead so I figured I would start a new thread about a new question... The Hitch.

The new trailer has the turning point pin box system on it, so a slider hitch is not necessary.

Therefore my question is....What is the best fifth wheel hitch for my application? I realized this could be an open ended question, but I'm looking for something that is going to last, has a good finish to keep away rust as long as possible and maybe isn't a thousand pounds, so I can actually remove it a couple times a year.

The dealer has quoted me about $2000 to purchase and install one from them, and upon further research I feel quite confident I can install it myself with no issues. They said they would sell me the Husky 16k hitch. (I'm in Canada so remember everything costs us more!)

My set up is this.

2019 F-250 6.2L gasser
No fifth wheel prep package
Trailer is 8100lbs dry/10,200lbs loaded with 1200lbs hitch weight.

I've been perusing on etrailer.com and they seem to have a lot of good options, but they height adjustment also seems to be giving me issues. How much, or what is the range of adjustment I would need would be good to know as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

[backtrack2015]

If you had the puck system I’d recommend the B&W Companion (for Ford pucks). Beautiful hitch. Could not be easier to use. Breaks into two pieces for easy removal.

[HappyCampersJandT]

We have the Anderson Ultimate hitch and love it. Impossible to half connect. It's aluminum so it won't rust. it weighs about 50 lbs. We are hauling a 337 with a long bed truck. In some areas you will need safely chains to be legal.

[backtrack2015]

The major downside of the AUH is that you cannot use the turning point feature of the pin box.

[huntr70]

Keep in mind that if you go with a standard 5th wheel hitch now, down the road you may need to upgrade the pinbox on a new 5th wheel.

If you buy a sliding 5th wheel hitch now, you are set for any 5th wheel.

[BB&LAB]

I started a thread last week about us thinking about buying a new 2020 Grand Design 290BH. Looks like a go ahead so I figured I would start a new thread about a new question... The Hitch.

The new trailer has the turning point pin box system on it, so a slider hitch is not necessary.

Therefore my question is....What is the best fifth wheel hitch for my application? I realized this could be an open ended question, but I'm looking for something that is going to last, has a good finish to keep away rust as long as possible and maybe isn't a thousand pounds, so I can actually remove it a couple times a year.

The dealer has quoted me about $2000 to purchase and install one from them, and upon further research I feel quite confident I can install it myself with no issues. They said they would sell me the Husky 16k hitch. (I'm in Canada so remember everything costs us more!)

My set up is this.

2019 F-250 6.2L gasser
No fifth wheel prep package
Trailer is 8100lbs dry/10,200lbs loaded with 1200lbs hitch weight.

I've been perusing on etrailer.com and they seem to have a lot of good options, but they height adjustment also seems to be giving me issues. How much, or what is the range of adjustment I would need would be good to know as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

To divert from your original question and something you should consider, the 290BH is a lot of trailer for the 3/4 ton truck you show in your signature, unless you are planning to upgrade the truck to a 1-ton, in which case get a long bed DRW and you will not have to worry about a slider hitch, have plenty of payload capacity and will tow better. The 290BH trailer you are considering has a dry pin weight of 2,584 lbs which is at or just over the payload capacity of 3/4 ton trucks, add drivers, passenger, cargo, hitch weights and fully loading the trailer for travel to the payload and you will be well over payload capacity of a 3/4 ton truck/

[BB&LAB]

We have the Anderson Ultimate hitch and love it. Impossible to half connect. It's aluminum so it won't rust. it weighs about 50 lbs. We are hauling a 337 with a long bed truck. In some areas you will need safely chains to be legal.

Yes, we love our AUH and all you say is true except they weigh in at 35 pounds.

[Hamiltonian]

To divert from your original question and something you should consider, the 290BH is a lot of trailer for the 3/4 ton truck you show in your signature, unless you are planning to upgrade the truck to a 1-ton, in which case get a long bed DRW and you will not have to worry about a slider hitch, have plenty of payload capacity and will tow better. The 290BH trailer you are considering has a dry pin weight of 2,584 lbs which is at or just over the payload capacity of 3/4 ton trucks, add drivers, passenger, cargo, hitch weights and fully loading the trailer for travel to the payload and you will be well over payload capacity of a 3/4 ton truck/

The 290BH is in their 150 series meant to be pulled by a half ton truck. As per their website the dry hitch weight is 1280lbs. I'm not sure where you got the 2584lbs. If that were the case I wouldn't be going to that trailer.

[backtrack2015]

The 290BH is in their 150 series meant to be pulled by a half ton truck. As per their website the dry hitch weight is 1280lbs. I'm not sure where you got the 2584lbs. If that were the case I wouldn't be going to that trailer.

I'd speculate that the actual pin-weight will be a bit under 2000 lbs. I have a 28BH and the pin-weight is ~2000 lbs the way we load it (10K total). You won't have the slide in the bedroom so that should shave some pin-weight. The final answer will obviously depend on how you load the rig (everything heavy up front = more pin-weight). Don't believe the hype regarding the 150-series... only the heavy payload package 1/2-tons have a shot at pulling them legally. A 3/4-ton gasser like yours is really where they become realistic for most people. In any case, it's a simple matter for you to do the math for your payload capacity. I think others have reported their true pin-weights on here for the 150-series trailers.

[Cqyqte]

When you haul that 150 series 290BH at it's capacity your pin weight will be about 20% of 10,195 lbs which is 2039 lbs, so it is best to use that number when calculating. I don't want to start an arguement but I have yet to figure out how the manufacturers can get away with calling these rigs F150 towable. I suspect you have a payload in the 3500 to 3800 lbs not knowing your truck configuration so you should be good for the 2039lbs pin weight. I would opt in for a puck system 5th wheel hitch which will tie directly to the truck frame. Some of the newer trucks with the aluminum beds require cross braces if they use some of the other hitches. Just my opinion and others are entitled to theirs as well.