Community Forums

Cleticcampers · 08-05-2006, 05:52 PM

We are looking at going to a fifth wheel toy hauler. But, we have a problem. We need the TV to have seats for 7. Right now we are using an excursion. A guy sent me a link to www.hitch-buddy.com . It is a tag axle that goes into your class five hitch and has a bar on each side of the vehicle. It would allow us to tow a 5er with the excursion. I posted on another site and could not find anyone that used or is using one. The product has been made for seven years and I thought that someone would be using one. Have any of you used one?

Cleticcampers · 08-05-2006, 05:52 PM

We are looking at going to a fifth wheel toy hauler. But, we have a problem. We need the TV to have seats for 7. Right now we are using an excursion. A guy sent me a link to www.hitch-buddy.com . It is a tag axle that goes into your class five hitch and has a bar on each side of the vehicle. It would allow us to tow a 5er with the excursion. I posted on another site and could not find anyone that used or is using one. The product has been made for seven years and I thought that someone would be using one. Have any of you used one?

teenagersintow · 08-06-2006, 04:00 AM

I have never seen one, and have been on the road for the last 30 years. Looking at the website some things to think about, How much fun that would be to back up.(then add a 5vr) Looks like it would just flip right out from under the 5vr. How much more weight does that add (subtract from towable weight). This brings me to the biggest question - (I just went with my first 5vr) How much can your excursion tow? Now subtract 7 people, the hitch buddy. I would be willing to say that you would be left with a 5vr too small to sit 7, let alone sleep them. When I was looking I needed sleeping for 7, to do it comfortably had to go with a rear bunk (says sleeping for 10 - I would hate to try that - beds are there but, maybe young, small kids) The size and weight of the lightest one we found needed a f250 or ram 2500, by the charts and everyone on a forum . The ecursion is not rated anywhere near that. I pull mine with a ram1500 with upgraded tires, rims, oil cooler, tranny cooler and leafsprings-shocks and that is the largest I would even attempt. So after all this rambling on. First look at your towing capacity and the try to find something that would fit in that range. If you can find one then consider the other things.

Cleticcampers · 08-06-2006, 05:50 AM

The hitch buddy is attached to the truck by the class five hitch and two control arms. It is only supposed to transfer 30% of the pin weight to the tow vehicle. The guy that owns the CO has an excursion with a V10 gas and hauls a denali. It also gives you another axle for weight and braking. I think we are going to go with a tractor conversion with the dinette and the bed above. The dinette turns into a bed also and the upper bunk has a net so the person will not fall out. If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know. The reason we want to go to the fifth wheel toy hauler is both boys will be racing soon and the kayak and canoes. We love our SKY but when the boys are both racing we will need more room.

charliez · 08-09-2006, 02:11 PM

You asked for an opinion. I wouldn't use anything like that if you paid me. They claim the air force uses them. For what? Moving trailers 10 feet into a stall? Why would the military need anything like this? They have bigger trucks than anyone on the planet.

Someone's going to get killed using one of these.

Roam America · 08-10-2006, 07:46 AM

I've seen something simlar for attaching a lift for a motorcycle behind a 5er. I would use something like that for my motorcycle. I, for sure, would not use one of these hitch buddy's for puling a 5er down the highway.

just MOHO

SuperGewl · 08-10-2006, 09:02 PM

I think you will be way over your max towing with a 5vr of that size. YOu are looking at about 18k which is over most 1ton pickups max weight. You may be SOL or have to get a medium duty truck and have it modified to seat 7 if yo want to be LEGAL.

Frankie · 08-11-2006, 12:12 AM

Looks to me like they are turning a simple thing like towing a 5er and complicating the heck out of it. Go with a tractor or get yourself a class c Endura garage model,now thats a toy hauler.

Frankenstien · 08-11-2006, 01:58 PM

This could be the answer to some folks delema, In wahsington we are not allowed to double tow, ie 5thwheel, and a small boat, unless you have "Gear" to support second trailer.

RCW 46.44.037
Combination of units "” Lawful operations.

Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 46.44.036 and subject to such rules and regulations governing their operation as may be adopted by the state department of transportation, operation of the following combinations is lawful:

(1) A combination consisting of a truck tractor, a semitrailer, and another semitrailer or a full trailer. In this combination a converter gear used to convert a semitrailer into a full trailer shall be considered to be a part of the full trailer and not a separate vehicle. A converter gear being pulled without load and not used to convert a semitrailer into a full trailer may be substituted in lieu of a full trailer or a semitrailer in any lawful combination;

RCW 46.44.036
Combination of units "” Limitation.

Except as provided in RCW 46.44.037, it is unlawful for any person to operate upon the public highways of this state any combination of vehicles consisting of more than two vehicles. For the purposes of this section a truck tractor-semitrailer or pole trailer combination will be considered as two vehicles but the addition of another axle to the tractor of a truck tractor-semitrailer or pole trailer combination in such a way that it supports a proportional share of the load of the semitrailer or pole trailer shall not be deemed a separate vehicle but shall be considered a part of the truck tractor. For the purposes of this section a converter gear used in converting a semitrailer to a full trailer shall not be deemed a separate vehicle but shall be considered a part of the trailer.

brushfire21 · 09-21-2006, 08:10 PM

How is this device any different than the converter dolly's used by semi's? They have thousands of miles put on them every year. Pintle hitch versus a semi-ridgid attachement to class V hitch.....

I will say that you need to watch the weights of the TV and trailer. Just becuase its something new or something you haven't tried or seen up close, doesn't mean you need to throw sticks and stones at it....

Personally I think its a great idea for someone that wants to pull a small 5-er with a truck that cannot support a hitch. Whats the big deal? There is alot more crap going on that we need to worry about then this. Example, a 1/2ton truck with a 5th wheel hitch pulling a 35ft TH full of quads, gas, water etc. Seen it done, and it scares the crap out of me, much more than this dolly.

Not my first choice for pulling a trailer, but would make a great conversation starter at the dunes!

powerboatr · 09-25-2006, 04:44 AM

DONT KNOW if you watched all the video
but the first one on the excursion turning sharply then backing up..
good thing he was on sand, did you notice how much stress was being put on the drive axle because the buddy wheels dont turn the stay straight so something has to slide either the drive wheels or the buddy wheels, in his big turn the buddy was slipping the sand , but backing up just as he stopped to go forward you could tell the rear drive axle was struggling with sideways stress and and i bet if we had sound it was awful. plus the amount of sidewall roll was excessive. yep having the pin weight on the buddy vice the ex, could make for some intersting handling in a less traction situation.
i bet the rear leaf springs and shackles take a beating in turns and backing into spots. we all know the life of getting into a spot often involves backing up and in tight turns. Imagine the rubber getting torn off if that had been a concrete or asphalt surface. asphalt woul dhave easily dug up and then you wouldnt be a friendly camper anymore .
wow

Armycamper · 10-04-2006, 03:20 PM

You know, I am no expert in towing a 5th wheel by any means. Just the look of something like this going down the highway would be scary. The principal behind it is good, you are towing in the same format as a semi truck. But as others have mentioned the drive axle is going to take a beating. The buddy's axle is set to far behind the tow vehicle to do any good as far as turning goes.I have put alot of mileson the hiway, both work and plesure and have never seen on and hope I never do.