Short box and Companion

[SilverBullet]

I picked up my first 5'er today. I already had a B&W gooseneck installed in my Silverado 2500HD (short bed), so the logical choice for the 5th wheel was the B&W Companion. With 9 positions to pick from on the companion, I opted to start out with in the middle hight and middle front/back adjustment (middle of the road so to speak). You can picture the adjustment grid like a tic-tac-toe board and I am set the middle position. Everything was fine on my 100 mile trip home until it came time to back it down the driveway. I had to come close to 90 degrees to get it into the drive. When I say close I had to stop short for fear of the nose cap hitting the cab of the truck.

I can adjust to the highest position, furtherest back from the cab which raise it 1" and move it back 2". I need a little height to get it level, and would like to do it with the 5th wheel before looking to adjust the pin box. I would like to get every inch I can to help with the turns.

My question is...

Are there any issues which may come from moving the 5th 2" back???

Thanks,
Steve
aka SilverBullet

[FatDog]

i am not sure how/if the dynamics of the B&W gooseneck differ from the slider hitch i had with my shortbed,
but, when the hitch is 'slid' back a few inches to provide me more turning radius, it shifts the weight focal point of the 5'r to behind the truck's rear axle (instead of an inch or two in front of it) and in doing so effects steering and braking.

when my slider was in the forward driving position, the 5'r weight was distributed more evenly to both front and rear truck axles, it is a noticeable difference although in a pinch it is driveable either way

i occaisionally drove around city streets with the slider set back (ie: 25 mph slow) but not on expressways,

how easy is it to set the Companion back and forth ... for either freeway driving and then for backing up sharply curved driveways?

[D&J]

SilverBullet first check and see how far the Turnover Ball is located in front of the axle. If it's in front you should be able to move it back so its on top or maybe a 1" or 2" behind the axle depending on your pin weight. The biggest problem is weight transfer to the rear axle. Even with the hitch 4" in front of the axle you get very little transfer to the front axle but the farther you get behind the rear axle you will start transfering weight form the front to the back causing rear end sag and loss of control on the front axle.

SilverBullet the Campaion is not a slider but it does have adjustment front to back by moving the Turnover pin but it's not something that you can do with the trailer sitting on the hitch.

Denny

[SilverBullet]

Thanks for the replies. I am attaching a couple pics...they have been shrunk a little, but hopefully they are still big enough to see some details.

From my rough measurements, the king pin is sitting a 1"-1.5" in front of the rear axle, so I am going to hold off on moving back 2" for now. If I focus leveling my trailer and making sure the pin box clear the side of the bed then I think I need to look at adjusting the pin box. I am looking at taking the front bottom bolt to the bottom hole on the trailer which should get me 1.5"-2".

Would the tork setting be old school...as tight as I can get it???

I image the pin box is heavy, so what is the best way to go about adjusting it?


Thanks again.

[FatDog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by D&J .... is located in front of the axle. If it's in front you should be able to move it back so its on top or maybe a 1" or 2" behind the axle depending on your pin weight. ....

i think mounting a 5'r hitch behind the rear axle by any amount will create towing problems

[K-Star]

When I had a SB, I had the Reese slider hitch. It was installed so the kingpin was over the axle. When slid back, the kingpin was 2" behind axle. There was a warning sticker on the hitch (and in the user guide) stating not the tow with the hitch slid back (the sliding mechanism locked when slid back). They specifically pointed out that one should not tow with the kingpin behind the axle.

[TEX-CTD]

look into the sidewinder by 5th airborn. it will fix your prob, yes cost $$ but so does a dented cab and busted window.

there are 2 diff kinds one with air on the hitch and one without. it moves the piviot point back. the hitch still hooks to your companion the same way but dosent spin there at that connection it spins under where the pinbox connects to the 5er itself.

[Ray,IN]

With a short-bed and no slider, there are two classes of 5er owners, those that haven't hit the cab and those who haven't-yet. Some 5er brands now round the corners of the front cap to allow using a fixed hitch with a short-bed pickup.
You mentioned http://www.engineershandbook.com/Tables/torque.htm bolt torque specifications.

[SilverBullet]

TEX-CTD - Sidewider was sounding like a good option until I found this...

Note: This unit may damage B&W companion hitches. Please do NOT use this unit if you pull with a B&W companion hitch as damage to the hitch may occur.

Note: This unit will NOT work with Curt Q5 Hitches


Ray, IN - Thanks for the tork info. I think I will start with making the adjustment at the pin box by raising the trailer up 2 holes as soon as I figure out where my bolts are on the tork chart! Hopefully this will fix my nose-low situation and the chance of the pin box hitting the bed when I approach 90 degrees.


Thanks!

[TEX-CTD]

well XXXX..........anyone have a plan B?

anyone know of other pinboxes that are like the sidewinder? i know pop up makes some different things.
http://www.popuphitch.com/rv1.htm

http://www.popuphitch.com/rv5.htm

anyone have input on these and if they are worth a dime or a nickle?
the pics they have for the rv5 looks like the pin box would now be above the bed rail/side and if the trailer droped down during a turn, crunch......

what about the gooseneck converter...RV1,2,3? i have heard both that you can you cant and that it will void the warranty ona new 5er. can someone give me some insite to this?

Edited language ADIM

[TEX-CTD]

any input on these?

http://www.colibert.com/indexbw.asp

[SilverBullet]

My dealer told me a g/n converter will only void the warranty on the frame.

[TEX-CTD]

any of u gurus have any input on the 5er w gooseneck hitch? good.............bad?

bc that could solve quite a few probs and save some coin also.

[SilverBullet]

I have a friend who uses one with no issues. He is pulling a Keystone Cougar. He has taken it from Dallas to central Colorado several times with no issues. I am not sure which brand/model he is using.