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5th wheel chucking

Meade2024
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Dren Show Enthusiast

Dren Show

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I pull a Rockwood 2981bh which is very similar to your fifth wheel.  I was using a GMC 2500 standard bed crew cab with a B&W Companion hitch.  I also feel there was a lot of "chucking" while towing.  I recently had to turn my lease in and purchased a 2025 GMC 3500, but haven't towed with it yet.

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Meade2024
Meade2024

I redid some measurements now that we are loaded and on level ground and found the rail to camper to be 8 inches, dropped the hitch 2 inches, also greased every connection point on the hitch itself an

Dren Show
Dren Show

I did something similar with my B&W hitch.  It used to rattle a bit over bumps in my 2022 2500.  It was installed by the place I bought it from.   When I moved it over to my 2025 3500, I

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Randal Scott Enthusiast

Randal Scott

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How was your hitch Held down in your 2500hd? If it is the puck system, then it may need tighten up. If it was connected to the gooseneck hitch, was it tight?  I'm not familiar with the B&W hitch, is there any adjustments to the Jaws? How level is your fifth wheel when hooked to the truck? 

Dren Show Enthusiast

Dren Show

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21 hours ago, Randal Scott said:

How was your hitch Held down in your 2500hd? If it is the puck system, then it may need tighten up. If it was connected to the gooseneck hitch, was it tight?  I'm not familiar with the B&W hitch, is there any adjustments to the Jaws? How level is your fifth wheel when hooked to the truck? 

Thank you for the suggestions.  The fifth wheel hitch is using the puck system.  I don't think there is any adjustment on the jaws.  I think most everything was tight at the hitch, but it seemed like the trailer was exerting a lot of force on the truck when going over bumps and things like that.

 

The front of the trailer was a touch high.  I remember working with Camping World :) to balance the distance between the bed and the trailer, with how level the trailer was.  To maintain a minimal distance between the bed and trailer, the front of the trailer was an inch or two high.

Randal Scott Enthusiast

Randal Scott

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I would check the tongue weight. If you can add more, I would.  Not a lot. Some of these RV'S have the axles in the middle of the main body, which gives you a big overhang on the rear. That's one of the main reasons of chucking. IMO that's why the need for tongue weight. They put the axles in the middle to reduce the tongue weight for lighter cargo capacity trucks. 

Dren Show Enthusiast

Dren Show

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On 3/6/2025 at 12:37 PM, Randal Scott said:

I would check the tongue weight. If you can add more, I would.  Not a lot. Some of these RV'S have the axles in the middle of the main body, which gives you a big overhang on the rear. That's one of the main reasons of chucking. IMO that's why the need for tongue weight. They put the axles in the middle to reduce the tongue weight for lighter cargo capacity trucks. 

I think your thought might be exactly what I have going on.  The axles are in about the middle of the trailer.  It is the ultra-lite series 5th wheel so I bet they were trying to minimize tongue weight.

Randal Scott Enthusiast

Randal Scott

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Yeah, the 5th wheel I have now and the one I had before. It's like if you could take the front one and put it behind the back one, it would ride better. The campers that I had before these, the axles were back farther. Giving more front overhang. 

Meade2024 Enthusiast

Meade2024

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Took the advice, leveled the camper to the truck better, still a little nose high, but can’t drop the hitch anymore without and still have 5.5 inches of clearance between the bed rails and the camper.  
 

Tightened up the hitch to the rails using rubber spacers, and loosened the bolts on the hitch, put the weight of the camper on it, and retroqued the bolts

 

Things are way better, still can tell im

hauling, but no longer feel like im getting beat up…thank you all

  • 3 weeks later...
Dren Show Enthusiast

Dren Show

Posted
Posted
On 2/18/2025 at 12:17 PM, Randal Scott said:

Does your hitch rock in the bed rails without being hooked to the rv?  You need to get that play fixed.  Loosen the bolts and press on the hitch to get it settled, then slowly tighten the bolts. I have had others tell me to hookup to the rv and then Loosen the bolts. The weight will hold the hitch down to tighten it. Just make sure the tow vehicle and the rv are not pushing or pulling at each other. Need them relaxed. That's why the puck system is a little better. You have adjustments on each corner. 

I did something similar with my B&W hitch.  It used to rattle a bit over bumps in my 2022 2500.  It was installed by the place I bought it from.

 

When I moved it over to my 2025 3500, I tightened the nuts that are on the handles to lock into the puck system.  While the handles require more force to turn now, the hitch doesn't rattle.

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Meade2024 Enthusiast

Meade2024

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Did a long trip down to the smokies..12 hours each way..Pennsylvania roads suck!  Decided to try some sumosprings on the truck..will let you know how it works out for my next trip in June

64BAwagon Senior Enthusiast

64BAwagon

Posted
Posted
On 4/8/2025 at 9:30 AM, Dren Show said:

I did something similar with my B&W hitch.  It used to rattle a bit over bumps in my 2022 2500.  It was installed by the place I bought it from.

 

When I moved it over to my 2025 3500, I tightened the nuts that are on the handles to lock into the puck system.  While the handles require more force to turn now, the hitch doesn't rattle.

Its a bit of a dance to get the cams just tight enough where they dont have any slop in them but still be able to get them to lock in. I put some lube on mine to lock them in easier. 

namtaru Enthusiast

namtaru

Posted
Posted (edited)

I went straight to a GooseBox on our Reflection. Zero chucking. All the space in the bed is nice too.

Edited by namtaru
Scott Surges New Member

Scott Surges

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Posted

Ever consider getting a Gen-Y pin box.  I have the gooseneck version and I don't experience any chucking...

Randal Scott Enthusiast

Randal Scott

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I like the idea of the Goosebox hitch. But they aren't rated as high as it Fifth wheel hitch. Even the towing tag on my 2500hd saids that I can tow a heavier Fifth wheel then a Gooseneck tongued trailer. 

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