B&W Patriot

[3daawgg]

We pick up our 303 next week. I will be using a B&W patriot hitch. I have a 2014 silverado 2500hd lwb crew cab. Does anyone tow with a similar set up. I'm just wondering what position you have your hitch set up at as far as height and front to back. Thanks.

 

[cgoodnight]

I have a Patriot hitch to pull my 337, but I have a short bed, 4X4, F250 so that would not help you much. I guessed at the setup and had to change it once by moving the hitch back and lower by one hole. Not too difficult to change the hitch setting.

 

[luckeyd1]

May not be much help, I have the 303RLS, 2013 F250 LB 4x4, B&W Companion. It is set as far forward as it will go and is down as low as it will go, I the top of hitch is 51.5 inches above ground. Try setting yours to around that height to begin with. Mine is slightly nose high, truck did not squat a bit.

 

[Pjs2500hd]

I have my b&w patriot hitch head height is at 53" from the ground and just in front of the rear axle. it sits almost perfect Maybe a tiny bit nose high. My 05 tows it real nice. Your 14 won't even break a sweat pulling your 303

 

[mageorge]

We tow our 303 with a 2014 Ram 2500 diesel short bed 4x4 with 20" tires and use a B&W Companion hitch. We had the hitch installed with the vertical adjustments as tall as possible and placed as far back as possible towards the tailgate. We did have to adjust the vertical down a notch. If I had two changes to make it wouldn't have anything to do with the hitch, I love it. I would not have left the truck dealership with 20" tires, standard 17" are fine, and my truck might have actually fit into my garage. I would have also checked with the RV dealer and asked about 16" wheels and tires. But as it is, we aren't making anymore changes, just watching our tire pressure and lug nut tightness on the RV.

 

[3daawgg]

Well, I traded my Chevy for a 2014 Ram 2500 short bed. So I'll have to start over. I had it all the way forward in my long bed. I'm thinking I'll have to put it all the way back in the short bed.

 

[mageorge]

You are probably right 3daawgg. Our B&W hitch of course fits over the Turnover Ball setup that is normally used for gooseneck trailer hauling. The B&W Companion hitch has a few slight modification that you can make since it is not a slider. Brackets can adjust a few inches forward or back, and there are like 4 height adjustments. I told the installer to put it as far back as he could, and as high as he could. Once at the dealer, we lowered the brackets one notch, but probably could have lowered it another.

 

[3daawgg]

Well I got everything hooked up. Using the picture frame adapter and the Patriot I'm 4" higher in the front than the back. I have the hitch on its lowest setting and the pin box as high as it will go. I just ordered a Curt 16k that has lower settings than the patriot. I hate to sell the Patriot it's a great hitch, but I'm not comfortable being that much higher in the front.

 

[luckeyd1]

Are you sure you are going the right way with the pin box. You stated you had it as high as it would go, that would explain your nose high trailer. Try lowering it first before spending money on something that is not needed. The hitch on the lowest setting and the pin box lowered should give you better balance front to rear. Of course don't forget your needed clearance between bottom of trailer and top of siderails on truck.

 

[3daawgg]

Are you sure you are going the right way with the pin box. You stated you had it as high as it would go, that would explain your nose high trailer. Try lowering it first before spending money on something that is not needed. The hitch on the lowest setting and the pin box lowered should give you better balance front to rear. Of course don't forget your needed clearance between bottom of trailer and top of siderails on truck.

I gues I should have said kingpin box. Raising the kingpin box lowers the camper. The bolts are in the top holes. I have 8" of bed clearance so I have room.

 

[3daawgg]

Well after some more studying I think I'll stick with what I have for now. I am 4" high, but once we load up with groceries and people in the truck it should come down some. With my last truck we were perfectly level and we weighed fully loaded on our way to Florida. The trailer axles weighed 8240lbs. If equal that would be 4120lbs per axle. Being 4" high would have to shift 1000lbs to the rear axle to overload it. I don't think that's possible and with the equaflex suspension I think we'll be all right. When I get a chance I'll weigh each trailer axle separately to see exactly where I am.

 

[3daawgg]

Btw here's a pic of my new setup.

 

[Glazier]

From that picture you don't look 4" high in the nose, I think that looks just fine.

 

[Bamaman]

I was going to buy a Curt Q16 for my truck, however I'm very impressed with the design and adjustability of the B&W Patriot hitch. And it's available for $391 delivered on Amazon.com--a great deal for a first rate hitch.

I'll still have the rails in the bed, but to go to the B&W Companion and the under deck goose neck hitch is a serious investment.