What Position to Set Up Pivot Arms on B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Hitch

Updated 05/27/2020 | Published 05/22/2020

Products Featured in This Question

B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs

(762)

$799.00

Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System

(6609)

$269.36

Question:

Good morning, I am In the process of installing the patriot 18 K hitch on my GMC 2001 2500 heavy duty long bed truck.I have everything installed to this point. I am in the process of trying to figure out the pivot arm location.The trailer I will be pulling is a Jayco 2021 30.5 MLOK. The pin box height from the ground says it is 50.5 inches from the ground.The pivot arms can be mounted in three locations it looks like closest to the cab, 2 inches back from the cab, or 4 inches Farther back from the cab. Is there a better location to mount that on a long bed truck? Should the height of the plate be set so it is right at 50.5 inches or should it be higher to allow for sag of the truck due to the weight of the trailer? Any other information would be helpful. Thank you.

asked by: David D

Expert Reply:

Where you'll attach the pivot arms on the B&W Patriot # BWRVK3255 just depends on how much clearance you need from the cab of the truck, but in most cases you'll be just fine using the closest setting to the cab. You'll want to make sure that the hitch height is in the 50-1/2" area before the trailer is coupled to the 5th wheel hitch; any squat that you're experiencing afterwards should be negligible as long as your suspension system is in good working order.

If you do couple the trailer and notice that you're experiencing a lot of squat, you'll want to add a suspension enhancement like the Timbren # TGMRCK25S to help level everything out and take some of the added stress off of your rear axle. The Timbrens are great because they offer an easy to install and durable solution for fighting squat from a 5th wheel trailer.

I've linked a great review video we did on the Timbren's that I highly recommend checking out, as well as some of our FAQ articles on installing a 5th wheel hitch for the best towing experience.

expert reply by: Erik B