Which hitch?


KateyJ

New Member
Hello again -- I'm picking up my 5er in two weeks and need to get a hitch installed in my truck. I got lots of good feedback from this group on my last thread about towing capacity, so here goes again.

I've got the '08 Chevy 3500 HD Duramax/Allison 4x4 DRW, and boy, does it sit up high. My 5th wheel is a 2006 Newmar Cypress, stated kingpin height is 47".

Since I don't have a hitch yet, I thought I should find out which one will be the best. I'm concerned about having enough clearance between the trailer and the bed rails, but also concerned about the trailer being level with the truck so high up. I also want to know how much "extra capacity" you might want in a hitch.. So..

Is there a hitch that tends to work better with taller trucks than others as far as matching up with the trailer?

My truck's tow capacity is 15,900. I don't plan on ever having the 5er loaded past 15,000 (although its capacity is 16,200). Is a 16K hitch enough, or does it make sense to go a bit bigger?

I'm looking at the Reese 18K Signature -- so I won't have rails in the bed. But now's the time for me to find out if there's a particular hitch that will work better for my set-up. I'd rather not get into all that "axle-flipping" stuff I hear about.

Finally, my dealer has a mechanic/technician who can install the hitch. Does this make the most sense, to let him do it and deal with making sure it all comes together? He'll have to order the hitch in advance, I suppose (they're not high-volume sales..)

Any opinions/experience? Am I missing other factors here that enter into this (like air ride hitches or whatever the cushier hitches are called?) thanks. KateyJ

Getting antsy to go get that Cypress!
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Which hitch?



It will come together just fine. My cousin has an identical truck to yours and his 5th looks good. I measured the top of my hitch yesterday for a customer and it measured 50". I have a 18K Signature in my truck.

The Signature is a great hitch, but not the easiest to install. Let someone who knows what they are doing install it.
 

KateyJ

New Member
Re: Which hitch?

Thanks, Ken -- I talked with a local hitch dealer and am looking closely at the Drawtite 18K Select Series -- it has the bigger hitch plate and receiver of the Signature but mounts above the bed with rails. After hearing about the size of the holes needed for the Signature, decided against.

Do air hitches or air ride king pins like 5th Airborne make a REALLLY big difference in the ride?

Joy
 

Grandview Trailer Sa

Senior Member
Re: Which hitch?

Joy,
Reese and Drawtite are the SAME hitch. Both brands are owned by same company. Different lables....same hitch. We sell both.

Not much difference between the Signature and Select....The Select uses rails that stay in the truck all the time. When you remove the Signature, you only have the 4 "Pods". That frees up the bed of the truck cleaner than the rails. That is what sells the Signature.

Both will do the job.
 

TexasClodhopper

Senior Member
Re: Which hitch?

I'm curious, Joy. What does the "size of the holes" have to do with your choice? Are you thinking about future resale of your truck?
 

KateyJ

New Member
Re: Which hitch?

HI, Tex..just being silly about the holes, I guess. And, since we are brand new to this whole thing, there's still the lingering thought in the back of my mind that we may not like this as much as I think we will, and so the truck will get sold down the line...holes and all.

The guys at my local hitch place tack-welded a nice little circle from someone ELSE's Chevy truck bed into mine, today, covering up the hole left by the B&W turnover gooseneck hitch...at the suggestion of the Line-X guy. So tomorrow when I get the bedliner sprayed in, my truck won't have any holes.

As far as which hitch, I just kept going back and forth about whether I really care about whether I have 4 larger holes in the bed, or do I care more about having to deal with the rails in the bed? The Signature is more expensive to install.

Since the whole purpose of this truck is to pull our 5th wheel, removing it for other reasons is secondary.

What I'd REALLY like to know is, are the air hitches all they're advertised to be? Are they worth the cost?

Right now, I'm scheduled to have the Drawtite 18K Select put in next week, right before I go pick up our new trailer. Whoopee!

Thanks, Tex and Ken. maybe I'll see one of you guys out there on the "trail"! KateyJ
 

TexasClodhopper

Senior Member
Re: Which hitch?

Joy, it sounds like you're making all the right decisions.

After gathering data, just stand up, straighten up and pick the one you point to first! :clown:
 
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