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Air ride hitch


jenandjon

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I guess I need an air ride hitch so I don't tear my trailer up. Something I didn't account for when I bought the truck. I got some good info off the Facebook group but I thought I would ask here too.  We are on a budget and I don't want to do a whole lot of fab. I don't want to extend my frame rails out. I want to set it right on top of the frame. If I have to straighten the part that angles off then fine. Move the tail lights no problem. I have to some more measuring but the 8 ft flat bed I have should come to just the front of the fenders. So the hitch can mount anywhere behind that.  If I could find a hitch dealer in my area that would be great. I'm in northeastern Nebraska. I can take the truck over there and show them what I have and what I want. I eventually want to install a western hauler type bed. 

Another question I have is the brake controller. Where do you purchase the one that operates off the air brakes. I cant remember what its called.                                                         

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Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic

Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.

 

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My original Idea was to install a B&W turn over ball. Weld in some 1/4 inch plate steel to simulate a truck bed on either side of it and use my B&W Companion. Then just get an air ride pin box.

This way I can pull the goose neck trailers also.

Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic

Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.

 

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I have an ET hitch. Mounts between frame rails. If you want to see one I am in Hastings,ne. Do some research before you buy. I haven't bought yet but some on the forum like the direct link brake controller as.

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I know you mentioned that you want an air ride hitch, but have to had a change to look at the ComfortRide hitch?  Also, for brake controllers, you want to consider the Hayes Air/Electric or Directlink controllers.

Dan & Bree

2010 Freightliner Cascadia 125, DD15, 455hp, UltraShift (Yetti, For Sale)

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Comfortride air hitch is gaining popularity. It appears to be a good hitch. Now a couple on here were rerended by a motorhome some years back. They had the hdt, et air hitch and it stayed hooked as they were drove thru the intersection. I question if any other hitch would have. Now a camper driven into rear of cab from a failed hitch would be bad. Knowing of this, I got the ET hitch.

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3 hours ago, jenandjon said:

My original Idea was to install a B&W turn over ball. Weld in some 1/4 inch plate steel to simulate a truck bed on either side of it and use my B&W Companion. Then just get an air ride pin box.

This way I can pull the goose neck trailers also.

I for one started with the ET hitch, I sold it to a member here and have the ComfortRide now, the ComfortRide has more adjustability in heights, and does not use air. 

I am very happy with my new hitch and will not look back, if you would like to discuss this on the phone I will, just PM me and I will provide my number or send me yours, I look forward to talking to you on this subject.

Roger 

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you'll have to drop it down between the frame rails to get proper height. ET, Comfort Ride, and trailer saver will fit between rails. You can mount gooseneck ball behind the air ride hitch and pull fine. the gooseneck ball needs to be at 41 inches, the 5th wheel plate needs to be ~48 inches depending on your trailer. Unfortunately, good air ride hitches are not cheap. You can find them used sometimes. The cheapest will be a used Trailer Saver, although probably the least desirable air ride hitch (and I have snd use one). Depending on your pin weight, you will need to add a 3rd air bag and shocks to the trailer saver hitch to make it liveable. ET is the rolls royce IMO.

Hayes controller is air over electric. 

https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Hayes/HA100400C.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAiA15vTBRAHEiwA7Snfc9rjGt2vLDkawTtzEoJd4N-1Zo80epemCcKtFMU3UZOvxk-AnjS67RoC37IQAvD_BwE

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The Hayes Brake controller https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Hayes/HA100400C.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAiA15vTBRAHEiwA7SnfcxR913jqCy6VetHjlAmKP8IBwOxHi_apS5ZVaDMiEcdq76zFPYSORRoCjv4QAvD_BwE

My Trailersaver TSLB2H sites on top of my frame rails and bolts into the original angle that the commercial hitch bolted too. It puts the head at 48-1/2 tall.  My RV does sit nose high while hooked up by 2".

The Comfort Ride hitch has several heights for the head and swing arm to be adjusted too.  It might be a better fit for you since your axle is at the back of the frame rails.

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

The Hayes Brake controller https://www.etrailer.com/Brake-Controller/Hayes/HA100400C.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAiA15vTBRAHEiwA7SnfcxR913jqCy6VetHjlAmKP8IBwOxHi_apS5ZVaDMiEcdq76zFPYSORRoCjv4QAvD_BwE

My Trailersaver TSLB2H sites on top of my frame rails and bolts into the original angle that the commercial hitch bolted too. It puts the head at 48-1/2 tall.  My RV does sit nose high while hooked up by 2".

The Comfort Ride hitch has several heights for the head and swing arm to be adjusted too.  It might be a better fit for you since your axle is at the back of the frame rails.

 

 

 

My camper rides a couple inches nose high anyway. Just to clear the box rails.

Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic

Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.

 

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My Trailer Saver TS3 air ride hitch is bolted to a steel plate that is mounted on top of my frame rails and the TS3 actually sits a bit higher than the TSLB2H because of the truck rails that are used vs bolting down straight to the plate. I was worried about being nose high, but when I was weighed, my front wheels had the most weight suggesting I was still a tad nose low. I think my Raptor Toy Hauler has a pretty tall hitch height. 

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Dan (Class of 2017) - 2012 Ram 3500 & 2005 Alpenlite Valhalla 29RK
Contact me at rvsolarconsulting.com or Two Wheel Ramblin

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Does your trailer have an adjustable pin box?      My truck has a Trailer Saver TSLB mounted on 5/8 plate and the pin is 50 1/2" high.     My Teton has adjustments to 51" on the pin box.   

 

I think the TLSB or ET Junior are the lowest height air hitches available both around 11" from the base to pin.    From the picture it looks like there is not enough room on the rails to mount a sunken hitch without a frame extension.     Honestly, with the rear axle as far back as yours is, perhaps mount the hitch ahead of the axle?    

 

Steve

2005 Peterbilt 387-112 Baby Cat 9 speed U-shift

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12 hours ago, BlueLghtning said:

My Trailer Saver TS3 air ride hitch is bolted to a steel plate that is mounted on top of my frame rails and the TS3 actually sits a bit higher than the TSLB2H because of the truck rails that are used vs bolting down straight to the plate. I was worried about being nose high, but when I was weighed, my front wheels had the most weight suggesting I was still a tad nose low. I think my Raptor Toy Hauler has a pretty tall hitch height. 

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I am going to have to something like that. There is no room between the frame rails. I cant put it in front of the axle. I could but I don't want to. That interferes with the flat bed. I cant notch it out because its not mine. I'm just using it until I figure out what I want permanently.

Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic

Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.

 

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I use an AirSafe hitch . It has two bags and seems to work just fine. I also have installed a air control valve and gauge in the drivers lower compartment to adjust the air / dump / run level going down the road.. There are a lot of good hitches out there. So research is a good thing. 

http://airsafehitch.com/airsafe-32k-commercial-grade/

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  • 2 weeks later...

I missed what trailer you have.  But the newer DRVs are coming out with 50" hitch height.  My old Teton with air suspension was 49.5".  My hitch is also mounted on top of frame rails.  The Comfort hitch looks like it may fit your needs.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
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2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
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On 2/4/2018 at 4:19 PM, GlennWest said:

Don't understand how you doing that. My hitch on top of rails, my Teton wound drag in rear.

Teton had Air Suspension.  Would raise the ride height about 7 inches.  Was real nice for clearing everything.

Rocky & Sheri Rhoades
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2016 DRV Mobile Suites, Houston
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I just ordered a comfort ride 245. There has been some bad weather but I hope it gets here by the end of the week. I want to mock it up over the weekend and see how she looks.

Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic

Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead
I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.

 

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Comfort hitch is popular over Trailersaver these days. I had Trailersaver installed in 2002. No airbag is a plus for Comfort Hitch. The price had gone up from $2200 then to $3000 if I remember correctly. We raised our trailer 3 inches from the factory to accommodate the hitch that sits on the top of the truck rail. In 2002, there wasn't much HDT information. We were part of the MDT.

I like ET hitch, Henry makes great product. It seems like overkill unless the trailer is much heavier both in pin weight and gross weight. Like those custom build Spacecraft or large Horizon. Just my thought.

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