I just picked up a used-once Companion hitch for my '03 Dually Quad-Cab Dodge, and was wondering, aside from the height to keep my 5er level w/ the ground and 6" min above my bed rails, what the IDEAL fore/aft position for the king pin is.
There are 3 positions available for the brackets (tilted forward or aft to move the pivot point).
My B&W Turn-over ball is fixed a few inches forward of the rear axle, and since I have a long bed, there is no clearance problem, so the position that provides the best balance ride, and handling would be the one I'd choose.
I'm just not sure whether adjusting the pivot forward of the ball, or behind it, would provide the best ride and handling (or the easiest handling when backing up*).
The 5er is a light (7000# dry weight) 25ft Wildcat single slide unit, so is not a challenge pin or overall weight for the truck.
Also, B&W says that a drop-in bedliner requires removal, or a full cutout so the Companion rails contact the steel bed is necessary, yet I've heard that mounting on a bedliner, or a bedliner with a heavy rubber mat (as I use) is fine as long as the mounting is properly torqued down to 40ft-lbs prior to tightening the "U" bolts to the hitch frame. Anyone tried towing w/ a bedliner, and/or heavy rubber mat in place?
Suggestions?
Thanks,
Bob
*With a long WB truck, and a short king-pin-to-trailer wheelbase, backing has to be done carefully as beyond a very moderate angle, it's easy to run out of steering to where one cannot straighten the rig, and jack-knifing in reverse is all-too-easy,
The further forward the king pin is in relation to the truck's rear axle, the more pin weight the truck's front axle will help share. As long as the king pin position is anywhere ahead of the rear axle, you will be fine. You just don't want the king pin behind the axle, since that unloads weight from the truck's front axle.
You should turn the truck at a 45* angle to the trailer and check for clearance between the end of the bumper and the lower front wall of the trailer. That is the clearance that is affected by placing the king pin too far forward of the axle. You can place the king pin as far forward of the axle as you want, so long as you have adequate clearance to turn the trailer and not hit the lower front wall with the bumper, or the front corner of the overhang with the back of the cab.
What a coincidence! You just asked every question I needed to ask! Just installed a B&W companion hitch in my truck a week ago towed with it to the lake last weekend and wanted to move mine to the forward most position, putting more weight on the front end. I also have a rubber bed mat, did not want to cut it or remove it per B&W recomendations, so it is currently sitting on the mat. Will check and re-torque the bolt that snugs the unit to the latch, see if it compresses the mat, and I'm not going to worry about it any more unless someone else convinces me otherwise!
Will follow this post, see what others suggest,
Larry
I have the B&W Companion hitch and love it. My thought would be that if they recommend not installing it over a rubber mat, I wouldn't install it over a rubber mat. I would certainly call them and inquire as to the reason for not mounting over a rubber mat/bed liner.
This is a quality unit and I don't think they would recommend something without a good reason behind it. JMO of course.
eldee wrote: What a coincidence! You just asked every question I needed to ask! Just installed a B&W companion hitch in my truck a week ago towed with it to the lake last weekend and wanted to move mine to the forward most position, putting more weight on the front end. I also have a rubber bed mat, did not want to cut it or remove it per B&W recomendations, so it is currently sitting on the mat. Will check and re-torque the bolt that snugs the unit to the latch, see if it compresses the mat, and I'm not going to worry about it any more unless someone else convinces me otherwise!
Will follow this post, see what others suggest,
Larry
shhhh...do not tell anyone...a very large and respected B&W hitch installer put my hitch in with the drop in liner in place. He said they do it all the time. My 2004, bought used, had the same setup. I have towed the Big Horn a total of 16000 miles with this arrangement, 12000 miles with the 2011 truck.
Regards
Ricatic
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My last Truck had a rubber mat in it and I towed with the companion for 2 years,it will be fine just tighten it to 40 lbs. I would set it in the middle position and tow with it to see how it does. With a long bed hitting the cab will not be an issue.I would see how your rear bumper and dropping your tailgate does.
2011 Dodge 3500/Crew DRW laramie-Cummins Turbo,B&W Companion. 2011 Cedar Creek 34RLSA
I have mine adjusted as far back from the cab as possible and it tows great. I can't see any reason installing it over the rubber mat would effect anything.
AZ T&T
2012 Jayco Eagle Super Lite 29.5RKS
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B&W Companion Hitch - Firestone Ride-Rite Air Bags
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I've been using a Gooseneck adapter w/ the turn-over ball, which puts the king pin directly over the ball (the ball is almost 5" in front of the axle), and the bumper clears the 5er by about 6" on turns, and the nose door clears the bed when opened by about 2" (meaning that one has to be aligned perfectly to open it at all).
Even at its most forward position using the different mounting holes for the brackets, the king pin will be BEHIND the ball, and barely over the axle, so I should GAIN bumper clearance no matter what I do w/ the brackets.
I guess I will adjust them for their MOST forward position and see how everything goes.
The reason I am trying the Companion is because on less-than-smooth roads (and transitions like between roads and bridge lips, and changes of pavement surfaces), I get considerable "chucking" where the 5er kind of "shakes" the dually, which I am hoping will cease w/ a proper 5er hitch.
I only have about 4000mi towing a 5er compared to 100k miles towing conventional trailers, and I am hoping that this "chucking" was only a consequence of using the gooseneck adapter (which in all other regards I LOVED). I am sure a cushioned 5er hitch would eliminate chucking completely, but am reluctant to spend thousands for such a hitch.
I admit to having spent such sums for PullRites and a Hensley Arrow for conventional trailers, but there at least I could justify the expenditures in the name of eliminating trailer sway, which unlike chucking, can cause accidents.
Glad to know bed liners and rubber mats haven't done anything evil. I'll try the Companion over them before going to the trouble of removing the liner (which I DO like for utility when not towing). I was concerned that the movement of the Companion as the liner compressed/decompressed might allow enough movement of the hitch to where you'd feel "shaking" as the 5er flexed the liner a bit.
If I feel such shaking, I guess I'll just remove the liner and try again.
Having never experienced how a 5er SHOULD feel w/ a "proper" hitch, I am just trying to anticipate what to expect.
I removed the plastic "bath tub" liner from my truck because it could crack and compress over time. It's nearly an inch thick due to the ribs and I think that is a little too much for the forces it will be exposed to. I have used my Companion in two trucks with a rubber bed mat. Just be sure to suck it down tight to it. No problems with either so far. The rubber mat won't compress enough to worry about and is a pretty tough material, so just cut out what you need for the companion insert to go into.
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When I had my B&W companion installed They would not do it without cutting my rubber mat. I asked if it was mandatory, as I know of couple of people who didn't, but they installed their own, and the dealer wouldn't do it, as per B&W instructions.
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