Air Hitches

[TEAMTJ]

I want to buy an air hitch, but am just starting my research. So far I've looked at:
- Air Ride (Air Ride Hitch),
- Air Safe (25K 5th Wheel Air Hitch) and
- TrailerSaver (Gooseneck Hitches - Gooseneck Trailer Hitches for Medium Duty Trucks).

Any experts out there that can educate me? Thanks!

Btw, I'll be pulling a 2012 WC 41GKE.

TJ

[Endeavor2BnC]

Originally Posted by timbuktu78

I want to buy an air hitch, but am just starting my research. So far I've looked at:
- Air Ride (Air Ride Hitch),
- Air Safe (25K 5th Wheel Air Hitch) and
- TrailerSaver (Gooseneck Hitches - Gooseneck Trailer Hitches for Medium Duty Trucks).

Any experts out there that can educate me? Thanks!

Btw, I'll be pulling a 2012 WC 41GKE.

TJ

What is your tow vehicle? It makes a difference.

[TEAMTJ]

2012 GMC 3500, Crew Cab, DRW, Duramax w/ Allison, with factory exhaust brake. Rated to tow 23,000lb fifth wheel.

[Still Working "NOT"]

Originally Posted by timbuktu78

2012 GMC 3500, Crew Cab, DRW, Duramax w/ Allison, with factory exhaust brake. Rated to tow 23,000lb fifth wheel.

I hope you have not bought the truck yet. While the GMC is rated to tow a 23,000 lb. fifth wheel, I would also be concerned about being able to stop it in an emergency. I don't care who you are, at some point in time your trailer brakes will fail. The 1 ton pickups will not stop you in time. A MDT or HDT are the best tow vehicles going with the large fifth wheels.

As for the air ride hitch. The TrailerSaver will do you the best job of the three hitches you are looking at. Rated at 32,000 lbs. Over kill on the air hitch is great. Do not use a goose neck hitch adapter. Stay with a fifth wheel hitch. Excel will not warranty any fifth wheel with goose neck adapters that cause damage to the hitch.

There is one other air hitch out there but the producer of it has 0 product liability. Which means if the hitch fails you are on your own to repair the damages to your fifth wheel and whatever else gets damaged.

I know this is a short answer but this can get to be a long conversation when you get into the details of everything to consider. PM me with a phone number if you like.

[Bruce and Jenna]

Originally Posted by Still Working "NOT"

I don't care who you are, at some point in time your trailer brakes will fail.

What Larry said. My trailer brakes have failed twice in four years.

Get the right truck for that job. Bigger.

[Billieg]

I'm looking for an air hitch too so this should be good. About the truck and brakes, when I bought my 40' 5th wheel and towed it home (80) miles, the truck didn't seem to stop all that well but it did stop. I had no problems stopping from 60 mph just had to press the brake harder than I normally do. After getting it home I was playing with the brake box on the dash trying to set it and found out the trailer brakes weren't working at all. The blue wire in the pin box was disconnected.

So, if you listen to some people they will have you buying a twin screw Peterbuilt to pull your 5th wheel but for the (maybe) few times your trailer brakes quit working your truck will stop it alright you will just need to hit the brakes harder.

Hope we get some good advice on the air hitch.

[Endeavor2BnC]

Originally Posted by Billieg

I'm looking for an air hitch too so this should be good. About the truck and brakes, when I bought my 40' 5th wheel and towed it home (80) miles, the truck didn't seem to stop all that well but it did stop. I had no problems stopping from 60 mph just had to press the brake harder than I normally do. After getting it home I was playing with the brake box on the dash trying to set it and found out the trailer brakes weren't working at all. The blue wire in the pin box was disconnected.

So, if you listen to some people they will have you buying a twin screw Peterbuilt to pull your 5th wheel but for the (maybe) few times your trailer brakes quit working your truck will stop it alright you will just need to hit the brakes harder.

Hope we get some good advice on the air hitch.

The following are my humble opinions and are open for discussion.

There are two issues at play here.

First is the hitch question. I currently tow with the TrailerSaver Air Hitch. I'm very pleased with it's operation and the ride that the trailer has. Things in the 5th wheel move very infrequently. The main time things move is when I take fast corners or make quick stops. Rough roads have NOT caused a lot of movement. The TS3 Air Ride Hitch for Reese Rails looks like a good deal for the Excel line. I would prefer a 25,000 lbs hitch though. That said, IMHO you'd do well with the TrailerSaver TS3 with a pickup truck.

Now for the second part in consideration, stopping power. Towing rating of a truck does NOT relate to stopping power in emergencies. It all boils down to what risk are you willing to take with your life, others in your vehicle and in the other vehicle outside your control. DW says it's "What's your "pucker factor quotient (PFQ)?" I like to ere on the side of safe within the limits of my pocketbook and keep DW happy..

Remember that the Excel can get heavy. The higher the weight, the harder to stop.

The least expensive option and IMHO the safest is going with a used HDT. The cost of our truck, '06 Volvo 670 , custom bed and Smart car is less than the cost of a new 2012 Chev 3500 DRW long bed. So far, after 2 years, the cost of operation is less than what our Chev was costing us by about $115/month. PFQ - 2.

Next least expensive was our Chev 3500. PFQ in the Rockies came in at 8 a couple of times coming down some of the hills. Cost of operation higher than current setup and sometimes inconvenient.

Most expensive option is the 4500 to M-2 selections. I'm going to ASSUME that the PFQ would be in the 4 - 6 range. Operating costs - unknown but again assumed to be higher than pickup.

There is something for everyone's taste and budget. I feel that as long as you are safe along with everyone else you meet on the road, we should all have a great time.

I hope this info helps some people make their decisions

[rockintom]

Originally Posted by Endeavor2BnC

The following are my humble opinions and are open for discussion.

There are two issues at play here.

First is the hitch question. I currently tow with the TrailerSaver Air Hitch. I'm very pleased with it's operation and the ride that the trailer has. Things in the 5th wheel move very infrequently. The main time things move is when I take fast corners or make quick stops. Rough roads have NOT caused a lot of movement. The TS3 Air Ride Hitch for Reese Rails looks like a good deal for the Excel line. I would prefer a 25,000 lbs hitch though. That said, IMHO you'd do well with the TrailerSaver TS3 with a pickup truck.

Now for the second part in consideration, stopping power. Towing rating of a truck does NOT relate to stopping power in emergencies. It all boils down to what risk are you willing to take with your life, others in your vehicle and in the other vehicle outside your control. DW says it's "What's your "pucker factor quotient (PFQ)?" I like to ere on the side of safe within the limits of my pocketbook and keep DW happy..

Remember that the Excel can get heavy. The higher the weight, the harder to stop.

The least expensive option and IMHO the safest is going with a used HDT. The cost of our truck, '06 Volvo 670 , custom bed and Smart car is less than the cost of a new 2012 Chev 3500 DRW long bed. So far, after 2 years, the cost of operation is less than what our Chev was costing us by about $115/month. PFQ - 2.

Next least expensive was our Chev 3500. PFQ in the Rockies came in at 8 a couple of times coming down some of the hills. Cost of operation higher than current setup and sometimes inconvenient.

Most expensive option is the 4500 to M-2 selections. I'm going to ASSUME that the PFQ would be in the 4 - 6 range. Operating costs - unknown but again assumed to be higher than pickup.

There is something for everyone's taste and budget. I feel that as long as you are safe along with everyone else you meet on the road, we should all have a great time.

I hope this info helps some people make their decisions

Excellent analogy 99.....you've really put some thought into this!! Thanks for sharing!

[TEAMTJ]

I ended up getting the TSLB2H (medium duty truck application) but since I have a 3500 I had to buy rails which drops its weight rating down to 26,000lbs according to TS. Thank y'all for your input and guidance, all opinions are appreciated!