Modified Companion Hitch

[jelag]

I have been asked 2 or 3 times to post photos of the modification I made to my B&W hitch and the companion hitch... so that it sits farther back on the truck... . I own a 3500 dually and we made this modification so that a fiberglass box would fit against the cab and the truck would jackknife to back into a tight camping spot... . This set back is 12".....

The part shown is made from 3/8" wall tube and 1/2 plate... the rear upright is designed to change over to a ball to connect a goose neck hitch, but to be honest have only used this with my 5th wheel...

In addition I've installed a 2x4x 3/16 wall rectangle tube on the frame of the truck to allow the overloads to come into action sooner than when the truck was stock... . This truck also has a set of pacbrake air bags that I control with a regulator and air pump when I load the 5th wheel trailer... I add air and bring the deck back up to its before loading specification... ...

I'm not saying this is an answer to all mine/your problems... but I can say that after at least 40K miles of towing, there is no difference in the 5th wheel sitting where its designed to sit, or where it sits with this modification... . my 5th wheel weighs a little over 15K lbs.....

You'll also note that my truck has a flat bed we made in the winter of 05 and I prefer something other than a steel deck and on this truck we used a synthetic deck material... . today... 8 years later, and easily 140K miles later its still holding up well... .

This is what has worked for me... . and I'm pleased with the result... . BTW the companion hitch is NOT INSTALLED in the photograph... its just sitting there to show my modified adapter sitting installed on the bed... waiting for the companion hitch to be installed... .

 

[RVTRKN]

I don't see how the B&W hitch sits in the adapter, the B&W companion has the male post and your adapter has the post as the male end, did you modify the Companion to except the male post under it?
Also doesn't that sitting 12" behind the axle cause the front end to raise and cause poor steering?

 

[jelag]

The standard Companion hitch comes with a post that fits into the gooseneck portion of the hitch in the bed... . there are 2 U-bolts on the Companion that clamp to the post. . so my adapter moves the post to the rear 12"... Maybe for those who don't own the B&W hitch, I should have posted the photo of the stock post... .

We've ran this truck across the scales a slot over the years... . this truck used to pull a 20K lb trailer when I owned a business... so the 15K lb trailer is not much of a problem... Actually there is about 75# less on the front axle when the trailer is attached than when the truck is empty... . so not much change... of course all the tongue weight is on the rear axle... .

After all the miles towing... we've not had a problem...

 

[Cummins12V98]

With a one ton I see no problem. A single rear wheel truck I think could have issues.

I personally would have added a pin under the new post location that would have gone into the bed/frame for lateral support. Maybe a solid 1" round bar.

Have you weighed your front axle loaded and unloaded?

I have 4,500# pin weight with my B&W full forward I only add 100# to the front axle.

 

[Newt]

I use a stock B&W Companion hitch. I have moved the hitch to the most rearward stock position.

I tow a 5th wheel trailer that weighs 15,650#. The pin weight is 2,900#.

The truck front axle empty weight is 4,800#. The front axle loaded is 4,610#.

These are SKP's scale weights.

Newt

 

[Cummins12V98]

I use a stock B&W Companion hitch. I have moved the hitch to the most rearward stock position.

I tow a 5th wheel trailer that weighs 15,650#. The pin weight is 2,900#.

The truck front axle empty weight is 4,800#. The front axle loaded is 4,610#.

These are SKP's scale weights.

Newt

With a long bed truck why would you have the hitch set behind the rear axle?

 

[Newt]

With a long bed truck why would you have the hitch set behind the rear axle?

Ii climb into the bed over the rear wheel. This gives me more room without adversely affecting towing.

Newt

 

[jelag]

I'm a big guy and hated to walk between the truck and 5er... . and I had some stuff/junk I wanted to carry close to the cab... . we have a tote, that I made which is fiberglassed to hold some of the items we move around with us when we travel... we're retired and are out for 2 - 3 months at a time... . its just something that works for us...