tugging with B&W companion 5th wheel

[lambbill]

I am using a B&W companion 5th wheel to tow a 35' toy hauler. approx. loaded weight is 13000 lbs. My truck is a GMC 3500 dually. I get a tugging feeling going down the road that bothers me. The first time I mounted the B&W companion hitch I didn't have the post all the way into the B&W mount. I noticed a lot of movement from the tower when I was hooking up so I checked the hitch and seated the post deeper into the hitch socket. When I tow I get a tugging feeling from the trailer and I am wondering if that is typical for this type of hitch or if there is something wrong with my setup??

[LindaH]

We have the same hitch and don't notice any tugging, but then, we have a Demco Glide Ride pin box on our fifth wheel.

Are you sure that all of your connections are at the right torque? If everything has been tightened to the correct torque, the hitch assembly shouldn't move at all...except for the head which does, of course, move.

[450Donn]

It sounds like what you are experiencing is one of two things. Firs is slop in the hitch, either between the pin and head or loose fitting parts in the head assembly. Or second and the most likely, is the variations between the truck and trailers wheel bases. As you go down the road the expansion joints/cracks in the road set up a bounce and when the trailers axles hit the bump is bounces at a different rate. Best solution most people have found is an air ride pin box, and something like a Moreride suspension or air ride suspension on the trailer.

[lambbill]

Thank you for your input. I will look into an air ride pin box.