Received my Reflection 150 series 220rk today

[johndeerefarmer]

I definitely will and thanks for the help! As you are well aware, Texas heat/humidity is difficult to overcome - especially in July/August. Being in a hot RV doesn't sound like much fun...

Chad aka Ctdecuir

Yes sir, we don't exactly live in a place that is optimum for camping. I do most of my camping mid September- November or December depending upon how cold it gets and then again from March to mid May.

Then come July I head to Colorado for several trips where it's cool.
Donald aka JDF

[Ctdecuir]

JDF - how are things coming along with the hitch issue? I am watching this like a hawk! I really want to go with a 5er when my F150 comes in, and I have been researching different hitches. The Andersen Ultimate looks fantastic, especially with the low price and low weight (can't get enough low weight, right?). I am looking at the 230RL, but still also looking at possibly getting a 29RS given any advantages the F150 HDPP provides. However, I am a little nervous about high winds given that we want to spend summers in Colorado.

[johndeerefarmer]

JDF - how are things coming along with the hitch issue? I am watching this like a hawk! I really want to go with a 5er when my F150 comes in, and I have been researching different hitches. The Andersen Ultimate looks fantastic, especially with the low price and low weight (can't get enough low weight, right?). I am looking at the 230RL, but still also looking at possibly getting a 29RS given any advantages the F150 HDPP provides. However, I am a little nervous about high winds given that we want to spend summers in Colorado.

No word from Andersen and too be honest I don't expect them to call back. I will not be recommending that anybody with a half ton truck use the Andersen. Andersen claims that it only unloads the front axle 80-200 lbs (depends upon which forum poster you believe. All I know is that my truck is a completely different truck with the Companion in it. With the Companion the steering is firm and the truck feels planted. With the Andersen it feels like you are drifting all over the road- all because the front axle is unloaded.
My 29rs weighs about 3000 lbs more than my 220rk. As far as acceleration and passing goes I have no trouble pulling either one. The brakes on the 220rk work way better than those on the 29rs. My 29rs was just starting to get the grease leaks so that wasn't the issue. I think it was the weight of the RV. If you decide to get the 29rs I would definitely put elec/hydraulic brakes on it if you are going to pull it with a half ton.
Then there is the wind. If the wind is light then you can tow the 29rs without issue. If you get into 25+ mph winds you are going to have to either slow down or stop until they subside. Since I haven't towed the 220rk in strong winds yet I can't tell you how much better it is but being 5' shorter it has to be.
With all of the shocks and springs added to my truck I suspect that it tows very similar to what a HDPP will. I know several that tow even longer RV's with half tons but they don't live in windy places like Texas. Maybe Rob can chime in with his experience with the wind.
If I was doing it again, I would have rails installed and get a B&W Patriot slider. I had this in my previous truck but decided to get the Andersen to save weight- which I now know was a major mistake.
It would cost me a fortune to have the B&W turnover hitch removed and the bed welded up, and put rails in it so I will stick with the Companion. Tomorrow I will get it back out and test the turning angle. I also bought one of those i-ball cameras and am going to see if I can place it on the pin and see the corners of the cab when backing

[Ctdecuir]

Thanks for the great response, JDF. I will definitely look into the B&W Patriot slider, but from what I can tell, the 18k version is a 220 lb hitch, not including the weight of the rail kit. If this is the best option for handling and stability, so be it. I just hate eating up ~250 lbs worth of payload! Do you think that the right hitch option can provide better stability (less unloading of the front axle), thereby making the rig less susceptible to the effects of crosswind?

[johndeerefarmer]

Thanks for the great response, JDF. I will definitely look into the B&W Patriot slider, but from what I can tell, the 18k version is a 220 lb hitch, not including the weight of the rail kit. If this is the best option for handling and stability, so be it. I just hate eating up ~250 lbs worth of payload! Do you think that the right hitch option can provide better stability (less unloading of the front axle), thereby making the rig less susceptible to the effects of crosswind?

If you get the 150 series you can use the Patriot that doesn't slide because the pin on the RV revolves at it's axis. This hitch weighs 147 lbs vs the 220 lbs for the slider. If you go with the 29rs then I would recommend the sliding version.
The rails are another 70 lbs or so.

Any of the hitches that put the pin in front of the axle are going to be better all the way around. If the pin was at the very back of your truck you would really be wagging the dog. The farther its moved up the harder it is for it to move. The wind will still affect you but at least the truck and trailer will move in unison, not just the tail wagging which in turn will move the rear of the truck. The advantage of a fifth wheel is better stability in the wind than a travel trailer that's tied to your rear.

[Cate&Rob]

Donald & Chad:

My Reese Titan Slider weighs about 150 lbs. The cast top plate lifts off at about 60 to 70 lbs and the base with slider is manageable at maybe 80 to 90 lbs. The rail and bracket kit was about 100 lbs . . . so in the range of 250 lbs total additional weight. The Titan has large neoprene bushings between the top plate and the base which do a fairly good job at isolating chucking.

I have never encounter a crosswind problem . . . but have probably never towed in more than a 15 to 20 MPH crosswind. I have never felt that the 5er was pushing the truck around in any direction . . . except when braking (before I added the trailer disc brakes).

I too was intrigued by the weight savings possibilities of the Anderson design. I even contacted them to ask if they had ever considered a slider version. The answer was a very simple "no" . . . so I crossed Anderson off my list . . . I really like my manual slider . Sounds like I may have dodged a problem that I didn't even consider, but the concept of putting the trailer pin behind the rear axle rather than over it seems to negate the whole reason for having a 5th wheel setup.

Rob

[Ctdecuir]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate your insights and willingness to share! So here's a question - put yourself in my shoes, but with your current knowledge and experience. I have no previous experience towing, but I am really motivated to do this. I am ordering a new F150 HDPP 6.5' Bed TV which is going to be built (as much as possible) by the Ford factory to be customized for towing. IF you were starting from scratch - what hitch system would you go with knowing that you would be dealing with a 5th wheel trailer that has ~2,000 lbs wet pin weight, is going to be camp-ready at ~9,500 lbs, and is 30 to 32 ft in length?

Based on my research the Andersen Ultimate and Pullrite Superlite seem to be great options because they are so light - but I am also seeing that the pin needs to be over or a little forward of the axle. My brother tows a 36 ft Columbus with a F350 - I don't know what hitch he uses, but he did tell me that the pin is positioned about 1" forward of the rear axle.

Chad

[CWSWine]

If you have a 2000 wet pin you going to need a lot more pay load the 2300 pounds. I toured the F150 factory in KC and I ask the supervisor of weighing what is included in payload stickers and he said it Curb Weight minus GVWR and that includes ZERO people in the truck. He said towing capacity includes the driver but payload has NO driver. So you figure 200 pound driver, 150 pound passenger, and 200 pound hitch you already needing payload of 2550 and that doesn't include bed cover, spray in liner or anything extra you carry in the truck. Your are going to be counting pounds and having to careful of how much you load and where you loaded it.

[Ctdecuir]

Ok - fair enough, CWSWine. Let's say my f150 has a payload of 2800 lbs, and I will only put myself and my wife (335 lbs) and our dog (8 lbs sopping wet) in the truck. Everything else goes in the trailer. The only thing unaccounted for is the hitch and I have well over 250 lbs to fill with a hitch. I guess my question is - how much is hitch weight considered as an important aspect of the total equation, and what hitch is the best to go with in this scenario?

[goducks14]

F250 6.2. No guessing.