How many use the turning point feature?

I have been using the Blue Ox slider (gooseball version) with the kingpin locked out on my 220rk for about a year with no issues or interference. I also used it with the AUH several times with no issues. The wedge is a good 8-10" from the pin so there is no interference.

What the manufacturers are saying is that you can't use a rotating hitch with the gooseball mounted fiver hitches if the pin is rotating as long as the wedge is in place there isn't a problem

Yes, thank you for the clarification, you can not use the turning point (rotating) feature of the pin box with those hitches. You can use those hitches if you choose to lock out the turning point feature.
 
Ummm, hate to be the bearer, and probably too late to this thread...but.....
B&W as of a couple of years ago used to explicitly warn against using any extended wedge type pin box with their hitches. I see no reference on their site anymore, but it would really be worth the call....

I had a Reese Revolution, which is almost a duplicate of the Turning Point. Truck had a 6.5 box. I still have ruts in my yard where I inadvertently did 90's while backing into the drive, so it worked very well!
Wedge adjustment is critical - it has to be firm, but it is possible to be too tight, which makes hitching/unhitching hard to very hard to do.
After unhitching, the pin box may be slightly angled off from the trailer. No problem, usually, as long as you back straight in to the pin box, and not the trailer. BUT, if you drop your tailgate, watch the corners. I learned how to repair the fiberglass skin of my fifth after a slight angle back in. After that, I would back in until almost hitched, then put up the tailgate, and finish the backing.
ALWAYS check when picking up the trailer at the dealer (or anyone else who may move it) and make sure the locking bolts are removed. My dealer forgot, and had me drive away when I was a newbie. Kinda bad if the fifth has no way to pivot at all. Dealer had to send a tow truck, replace the entire pin box, replace the hitch, and pay for a frame shop to inspect the truck.

The same thing happened to me. After purchasing the RV (my 1st 5er) I went back to Lazydays for some warranty work. I drove home and unhitched noticed pin box and the hitch are damaged. I then noticed the lock down bolts. Lazydays ended up replacing the turning point pin box and the top portion of the hitch. I learned my lesson. It is now part of my hitch/unhitch check list.
 
When we first got our 290BH I didn't use the turning point setup and just left my slider 5th wheel back all the time. After having issue getting into a camp site I setup the turning point system and used both the turning point and 5th wheel Sid back all the time. There wasn't any where I couldn't get the camper including 90* off driveway between house and wall in back yard with only 1.5 feet to spare on each side. You can hook and unhook at any angle (don't have to be straight to trailer) just line up to hitch not trailer. Also nice to spin hitch around under trailer at camp site so kids don't bang their heads on it

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Surely you don’t mean you towed with your slider back?



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Yes I towed with slider back all the time. I had it pinned back and it wasn't able to be slid ahead. Even though I had a 9.5' bed I had to have 5th wheel slide back to clear back of bed and toolboxes due to where last owner of truck welded hitch rails

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Yes I towed with slider back all the time. I had it pinned back and it wasn't able to be slid ahead. Even though I had a 9.5' bed I had to have 5th wheel slide back to clear back of bed and toolboxes due to where last owner of truck welded hitch rails

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Reason I asked is because on most pickups that would put the pin behind the rear axle, unloading the front axle, which is generally a bad idea.
But since you said you had a 9.5’ bed... what kind of truck was it?


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Yes it did put the pin behind the axle by a few inches but the air ride brought it back up level. Over 100,000 towing all kinds of loads like that and never had an issue. It was a 2005 dodge quad cab 3500

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Yes it did put the pin behind the axle by a few inches but the air ride brought it back up level. Over 100,000 towing all kinds of loads like that and never had an issue. It was a 2005 dodge quad cab 3500

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That’s interesting.
Maybe I’ll tow mine with the slider back, on a short trip, and see if I notice any difference.
Thanks


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That’s interesting.
Maybe I’ll tow mine with the slider back, on a short trip, and see if I notice any difference.
Thanks

Hi Ed,

I don't know what kind of hitch you have, but my Reese instructions are very specific about not towing in the rearward "maneuver" position. I expect that this has to do with how the slide is latched to the slide rails. Note that towdriver says that his was "pinned" in that position . . . that would be different. I would worry about the hitch coming forward in a heavy braking situation at highway speed . . .

Rob
 
Ed,

Towing with the hitch in the rear position will definitely unload your front axle. It most likely will negatively effect handling and braking. A few years ago I had a F250 and a slider hitch. In the rearward position it would negatively effect handling but I had a much heavier trailer than yours. I would only tow mine a few hundred feet at very low speeds in this position. I would be very careful trying it on a highway.

Bob
 
I will admit that in the very early weeks of owning a 5th wheel for the first time and trying to figure everything out, I accidentally towed our 303 back to the dealer (about 60 kms at up to 90 km/h) with the slider in the aft position. Yikes! I can't say that I noticed any handling difference. And . . . this is with an F150! And (as we came to learn later) this was with heavily greased trailer brakes!

Rob
 
That’s interesting.
Maybe I’ll tow mine with the slider back, on a short trip, and see if I notice any difference.
Thanks


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I would highly suggest that you don't tow with it back in the maneuvering position. Mine was modified so it could not be slid ahead without pushing it between two bulldozers lol. It had blocks welded to the slide frame to prevent it from going forward during hard braking, factory the lock is very weak and could break during a hard break causing the hitch to slide ahead probably very violently. My truck also had air ride rear axle so they was no squat when loaded as it just kept adding air to keep it level and maintain front axle loading and steering.
With doing what I did I was voiding every warning and manufacturer recommendation and was taking a huge liability on myself if anything was ever to happen. I knew what I was getting into before I ever set mine up the way I did and knew what I was doing wrong but trusted my setup and welds after being a mechanic and welder for 22 years. I would still be in deep deep ******** though if anything ever did happen. Since then that truck has been replaced with a newer truck and factory installed 5th wheel and I no longer move campers other then my own

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We have a 150 series 290BH, using a standard bed on the 2018 GMC Denali 2500HD TV, and have never used the turning point. The rig is short enough to maneuver into very tight spaces.

We are also using the Anderson Ultimate Hitch (with absolutely no complaints against it, whatsoever!).

I suppose we could use the turning point, but I haven't seen a need, thus far.

How tight can you turn with that hitch. Getting ready to buy a same camper i do a lot of mountain camping off trail.
 
I should follow up with this post (forgot that I started it actually) We towed over 2,000 miles last season with the turning point & loved it! About mid way through the season I replaced the stock wedge with one designed for the B&W with a massive improvement in towing feel. Ends up that the stock wedge was a little undersized for the B&W, during turns the wedge would slide a little causing a clunk until it filled the air gap enough to initiate the turn. Also, there was a binding in my turning point since new so when I brought the trailer in for other warranty issues they removed the plate & repaired the issue. I’m picking the trailer up within the next few weeks so I’ll have a better idea of what needed to be done to rectify the situation.

Overall though I am more than pleased with the performance of the turning point, easy to maneuver while backing up & rock solid stable while driving down the highway.
 
We are new to the GD forums so some questions for the more experienced on the tuning point pinbox... We purchased the 268BH over the weekend and have been looking at hitches for the truck, 2019 F350 CCLB 6.7. My understanding on the pinbox is there is a lockout so to operate as a standard pinbox, correct? I emailed GD about switching out the pinbox during the build (ordered the Dual Pane windows). The reply was the 150 Series turning point pinbox cannot be changed out to a standard box. I had initially looked at the Goosebox GEN 2 but since the turning point is the only box, that went out the window...still looking at hitches also. The Pullright Superlite is attractive as is the Andersen...the Chief will be using the truck/trailer when I am working so the lighter the better..��
 
We are new to the GD forums so some questions for the more experienced on the tuning point pinbox... We purchased the 268BH over the weekend and have been looking at hitches for the truck, 2019 F350 CCLB 6.7. My understanding on the pinbox is there is a lockout so to operate as a standard pinbox, correct? I emailed GD about switching out the pinbox during the build (ordered the Dual Pane windows). The reply was the 150 Series turning point pinbox cannot be changed out to a standard box. I had initially looked at the Goosebox GEN 2 but since the turning point is the only box, that went out the window...still looking at hitches also. The Pullright Superlite is attractive as is the Andersen...the Chief will be using the truck/trailer when I am working so the lighter the better..��

It can be locked out and used with any hitch ... later Frank
 

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