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Fiver Hitch (Air ride 0r fixed hitch)

5K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  cstones 
#1 ·
Hello Guys

I am in the market for the best Fith Wheel Hitch for our new 450. looking for some great recomendations for this hitch, Thinking of going with air ride hitch, do you recomend going with a fixed hitch and running the air ride on the trailer or instaling a air ride hitch in the truck?

Thanks
Chris
 
#2 ·
I have not felt the need for an "air ride" hitch. I had a 16k Reese on my F-250 and liked it. It never gave me a reason to replace it with something else. I used it to tow a 12k pound fifth wheel. I never felt/heard the "chucking" others speak of. For our F-450, I am going with Reese again, this time a Signature Series 24k. I like the install, not having rails mounted in the bed. I havn't seen any air rides that are rated for our needs, 22k+. While not air ride, I have been impressed with the Mor/ryde pin box that a friend has. Also I can purchase and self install a Signature Series for right at $1k, hitches like the TrailAir are $3k+.
 
#4 ·
Love your tonneau cover, is it a jack rabbit looks like it! if so do you know the part numers for the cartrage & rails. also what make is your mud flaps.

Thanks for the reply
Chris
 
#5 ·
Nice truck Dieselgem!
I have an Escalade by KZ and had a fifth airborne installed and upon completion of the install hauled the coach down the road. Noticed it did not pull like the OEM pin box that came with the coach. Furthermore, the coach rode high in the front and put most of the weight on the back axle. Everything was good with the co that installed the 5th airborne, until I started complaining about the bad rake and did not like the load on the back axle. I was told I needed air bags, and new shocks, and my truck was not big enough to pull this rv. When I purchased the unit, I was told the 2005, F-250 was plenty big enough to pull the rig. The bolts that hold the shock in place were bent after the initial haul, and I was told the unit was made this way, and the bent bolts were made that way.
I stopped into another RV co, and asked them their opinion and they told me the wrong fifth air borne hitch had been installed and the pins or bolts should not be bent, and sounds like the wrong airborne unit had been installed on the rv. I was told I was the first one who ever complained about the airborne hitch. I hope you have had better luck and experince than I have had. Co is putting the OEM back on the unit.
 
#6 ·
[ QUOTE ]
Love your tonneau cover, is it a jack rabbit looks like it! if so do you know the part numers for the cartrage & rails. also what make is your mud flaps.

Thanks for the reply
Chris

[/ QUOTE ]

The Mud Flaps are Go Industries. The top is a pace edwards jack rabitt. I do not know the part number, just had the dealer install it. Thanks for the comp.
 
#7 ·
[ QUOTE ]
Nice truck Dieselgem!
I have an Escalade by KZ and had a fifth airborne installed and upon completion of the install hauled the coach down the road. Noticed it did not pull like the OEM pin box that came with the coach. Furthermore, the coach rode high in the front and put most of the weight on the back axle. Everything was good with the co that installed the 5th airborne, until I started complaining about the bad rake and did not like the load on the back axle. I was told I needed air bags, and new shocks, and my truck was not big enough to pull this rv. When I purchased the unit, I was told the 2005, F-250 was plenty big enough to pull the rig. The bolts that hold the shock in place were bent after the initial haul, and I was told the unit was made this way, and the bent bolts were made that way.
I stopped into another RV co, and asked them their opinion and they told me the wrong fifth air borne hitch had been installed and the pins or bolts should not be bent, and sounds like the wrong airborne unit had been installed on the rv. I was told I was the first one who ever complained about the airborne hitch. I hope you have had better luck and experince than I have had. Co is putting the OEM back on the unit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry to hear about your problems. I had an 04-F250 with a camper package. It was not enough truck for the escalade. That's the reason for the F-450. I don't care who swears by it, there is not F-250 for that trailer. If it could have done it safely I would have kept my old truck. With the old truck I had timbrems and towed a toyhauler with two full size harleys at 11,400 + or -. I could have never handled an escalade which I expect to top out over 19,000 with the 250.
 
#8 ·
I started out with an 18K Reese and the wife complained about the ride even with the Air-Ride Suspension. The fifth-wheel would bounce the truck. If we went over a bump, you could feel the front wheel, rear wheels, and the trailer wheels. Switched to the Trailer Saver II and it made a world of difference. We don't even know the rig is back there, with less jarring and bouncing of both the truck and the fifth-wheel.
 
#9 ·
http://www.mountainmaster.net/
I checked out a lot of air ride hitches because our 17,000 toybox was rough on us old folks. The up and down wasn't bad as I have greatly modified the suspension on our 06 350 dually, but the forward backward jerk and resulting backslap was the biggest problem. This is normal when a trailer outweighs the tow vehicle by 2 or 3 times. Same problem in 18 wheelers. We bought a Mountain Masters hitch. It has a patented fore and aft movement of about 2 inches that is cushioned by rubber bumpers and shock absorbers as well as an airbag and shocks for the up and down. It is not as wide as our old Reese 20,000 lb. (easier to get dirt bikes alongside of when I want to haul them in the back of the truck) but it does drop right into the Reese rails. Also the air bag and shocks are tucked in out of the way where they can't be damaged and mostly out of the direct sunlight. This hitch is built stout, no thin stuff on it. They do have covers available. Todd Piercy and his dad own the company, it is a small co. They are in Phoenix, AZ. They also do towhauler conversions. Call 1-888-686-6278 and ask for Todd. Made a world of difference to us, especially my wife who has a hip problem. Her other problem is when I get rolling, I can't seem to find a stopping spot, so 600-800 mile days are pretty common. Now she makes the days a whole lot easier, and I don't have to stop because she is in too much pain to go further. http://www.mountainmaster.net/
 
#10 ·
I just installed a 20,000 lb. pullrite in truck and fith airborne on 36ft. raptor toy hauler, this setup bucks on my truck funny it did not do that in my 2001 f250 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif
 
#11 ·
[ QUOTE ]
I just installed a 20,000 lb. pullrite in truck and fith airborne on 36ft. raptor toy hauler, this setup bucks on my truck funny it did not do that in my 2001 f250 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smokin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Your airborne is not riding level with your hitch. I am not sure if you have the plate attached or not, but I would call airborne at 1-866-352-7340 and ask them. Bucking is usually caused by the unit not being level. Hope that helps you.
 
#13 ·
We had a Reese 22k hitch installed with rails. Our Reese Drawtite 18k on the Chevy 3500 pulling the same 5er gave us no problems & really liked no rails. But it wasn't quite large enough for the 18.5k 5er. Since Reese works well with the Trail-air pin box we have, we didn't think we needed to change mfgers.
 
#14 ·
I have a Reese Signature series 18k hitch on my 05 F350 single rear wheel. When that truck bit the dust, I had the hitch installed on my new 07 F350 dually KR. I absolutely love this hitch. My new trailer is a KZ Montego Bay and it came with an Airborne hitch pin on it. I love it also. It settles down the trailer nicely. Nothing moves inside the trailer, no matter what type of roads we drive on.

Joe
 
#17 ·
Hello Guy's

Well I have researched our fith wheel hitch, we are going to go with pullRite super rails & super mounting brackets & for the hitch I realy like the TS3 air ride hitch from Trailsaver hitches in MI.
I like the rails to be under the bead or easily removed to clean the bed!

Let me know if any of you are running this set up in your Rig & how do you like it.

Originaly I was thinking about the Super 5th 25k from PullRite & a Mor-Ride pin box, I think the Air ride hitch is the way to go.

If any one has or is using the Trailsaver TS3 with the Holland Binkly head how do you like it????

What suggestions do you recomend for the Air compressor & tank, I am also going to install Big Rig air Horns!

Thanks...........Chris
 
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