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Braselton Nomad · 10-14-2013, 09:42 AM

I am looking at a 2013 Jayco 5ver and am in need of a hitch. The dealer is offering a Reese Pro Series 15k with Kwik-Slide at an installed price os $1,292.59.

A quick Google search shows this hitch to cost in the neighborhood of $500 +/-.

Some Amazon reviews do not speak very highly of it...but that is only 3 reviews.

Any feedback from this amazing forum would be greatly appreciated!!

Cost is a factor, but understand, so is my safety!

Hitch is going in 2013 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4x4 Diesel with short bed.
Jayco is just under 10k pounds dry weight and 1400lbs pin weight.

missourijan · 10-14-2013, 11:14 AM

It's a great hitch, we have a 25k because our 5'r weighs 19,400. Is this going to be a new installation? If the hitch cost is really around $500 that seems an excessive amount for installation. I would keep looking.

Mannys5er · 10-14-2013, 12:52 PM

Look at a b&w hitch i have the companion and love it same truck as yours but think they make one just for the new fords.

Cumminsfan · 10-14-2013, 01:56 PM

You can get that hitch for $750.00, so it looks like they're charging $500.00 for a 2hr install.
Fifth Wheel for 2013 Ford F 250 and F 350 Super Duty | etrailer.com

If you already have rails in the truck then deduct $274.00
$1229.00 is way high either way.
I would skip the slide bar style and go to a wrap around jaw like the 16K Pro series.

Braselton Nomad · 10-14-2013, 02:04 PM

Here's the breakdown the sales guy provided...

The hitch is $719
Labor $359.00
7 way Plug $56.99
Install 7 way in bed $89.00
Shop supplies $13.35
Tax $55.25

Any of that seem way out of whack?

quaterhorse · 10-14-2013, 02:40 PM

I think that is too high. But I am able to do all that myself. I installed the same hitch in my truck. Now it did take me about 6 hours to install just the hitch by myself. The hitch and rails cost around 450 from etrailer.com the wiring is not that difficult with all the adapters that are now available for pick ups. The question is are you capable of doing it yourself?

Braselton Nomad · 10-14-2013, 06:50 PM

I appreciate all the advice today! No, I am not able to do it myself...lack of the proper tools, know how...I guess I could figure it out, but...
The salesman finally got tired of me emailing him about the price, so they finally agreed to split the difference. Makes it more tolerable.

They have marked the RV down 30.91% from sticker...does anyone know if that is normal? That seems like a LOT of markup in this particualr model...I'm not really argueing over the price at this point.

golfmedik · 10-14-2013, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braselton Nomad

I appreciate all the advice today! No, I am not able to do it myself...lack of the proper tools, know how...I guess I could figure it out, but...
The salesman finally got tired of me emailing him about the price, so they finally agreed to split the difference. Makes it more tolerable.

They have marked the RV down 30.91% from sticker...does anyone know if that is normal? That seems like a LOT of markup in this particualr model...I'm not really argueing over the price at this point.

Braselton, you are not far from me! The price is dependent on a few things right now. Most is the end of year models trying to get ready for the '14s. Go to RVWarehouse, RVoutlet or RVWholsalers and see what they are selling the same rig for. Also, look on Ebay to see if a dealer has one on there like it.
Good luck!

dayle1 · 10-15-2013, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braselton Nomad

I appreciate all the advice today! No, I am not able to do it myself...lack of the proper tools, know how...I guess I could figure it out, but...
The salesman finally got tired of me emailing him about the price, so they finally agreed to split the difference. Makes it more tolerable.

They have marked the RV down 30.91% from sticker...does anyone know if that is normal? That seems like a LOT of markup in this particualr model...I'm not really argueing over the price at this point.

50-50 on the hitch price is fine, but type of hitch is still an issue. Slide bar type is pretty safe, but with a lot of towing can wear a flat spot on the king pin while a wrap around jaw addresses this issue.

A 30 to 35% mark down from sticker is pretty common in the RV industry, but you need to understand the RV industry is not regulated like the auto industry. Some dealers can (and do) make up an artificial MSRP and then happily give you a big discount. So final selling price is really the question, not discount %. Go online and search the same model/options to see what other dealers are offering, then you will have a better idea if this is a good deal.

SmokeyWren · 10-15-2013, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braselton Nomad

I am looking at a 2013 Jayco 5ver and am in need of a hitch. The dealer is offering a Reese Pro Series 15k with Kwik-Slide at an installed price os $1,292.59.
...
Hitch is going in 2013 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4x4 Diesel with short bed.
Jayco is just under 10k pounds dry weight and 1400lbs pin weight.

Reese makes three different levels of quality for their 5er hitches. The 15k Pro Series is the el cheapo economy model. I threw away one of those years ago and replaced it with the 16k Reese from the series the next level up. Excellent hitch with 4-way tilt. I would advise you to order at least that quality of hitch.

Here's the 15k Pro Series slider you're looking at ($475 not including rail kit):
Fifth Wheel by Pro Series for 2013 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty - PS30094

And here's the better one I would order ($718 not including rail kit):
Fifth Wheel by Reese for 2013 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty - RP30051
16k hitch should be all you need for a 14k trailer, but if you'd prefer bit more
wiggle room, Reese makes that same hitch rated for 20k ($960 plus rail kit):
Fifth Wheel by Reese for 2013 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty - RP30084

Those have in-bed rails. If you don't want the in-bed rails but would prefer under-bed rails, Reese makes that too - in their Elite Series 5er hitch. That's the one that was a factory option on your 2013 SuperDuty. Here it is as an aftermarket hitch (for a bit over $2,000 not including the $500 install kit):
Fifth Wheel by Reese for 2013 F-250 and F-350 Super Duty - RP30144

Reese in-bed rail kits come in both universal for around $130 and custom for about $210. With the universal rail kit, you (or your installer) must drill holes in the frame of the truck. No fun! The custom rail kits come with brackets that bolt into existing holes in the truck frame, so they are a lot easier to install. But they cost about $80 more. That's about $10 per hole you don't have to drill in the frame. To me, that's a bargain. (The F-250 frame is very hard to drill.)

Full disclosure: I needed a 5er hitch for a one-time job of towing my 5er 350 miles with my F-150. I ordered the Pro Series with the custom install brackets for the F-150. I made the trip with el cheapo hitch and the overloaded F-150. But if I needed to tow that trailer more than that one-time good deal, I would have ordered the better Reese hitch.

Braselton Nomad · 10-15-2013, 05:36 PM

As Dad always said, there is a wealth of information here at iRV2!

I appreciate all of your advise! 5er's are new to me!!

So, We haev finally agreed upon terms, and I told them in not so many words they could keep their hitch and I would get that on my own.

So, now the search begins to see about getting one and having it installed this weekend. Too bad I haven't won the lottery this week!

If any one else has .02cents, I am glad to listen!!

road dogs · 10-15-2013, 05:48 PM

Installing a fifth wheel hitch is not a very good place to scrimp. I would look at the new B&W Companion, you will need to install a B&W turnover ball setup to receive it just loke the older one.

B&W Trailer Hitches Boosts Load Capacity of Whisper-Quiet Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch to 20,000 Pounds

SmokeyWren · 10-15-2013, 07:51 PM

B&W makes good stuff, but not cheap. The Companion slider 5er hitch is around $1,400 for just the hitch, plus another few hundred bucks for the B&W Turnover Ball gooseneck hitch which must be installed before the Companion can be inserted into the Turnover Ball hole in the bed.
3400 B&W Companion Slider 5th Wheel RV Gooseneck Hitch Adapter : Amazon.com : Automotive

SmokeyWren · 10-15-2013, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braselton Nomad

So, now the search begins to see about getting one and having it installed this weekend.

Warning! Some hitch installers will not install a hitch you bought somewhere else. So line up the installer first, and make a deal to have the hitch installed, before you spend the money for the parts.