fifth wheel reciever hitch

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Hey fellas, my wife and i just purchased another new 30' fifth wheel camper. As part of the deal i negociated in having a reciever hitch installed on the rear of the fifth wheel so we can pull our boat. Ive made them before but i figured well what the heck if i dont have to crawl under this one to install one all the better! So the dealer sent it to one of our local welding shops in town to have on installed. Just got her back and of course me being a welder i am not sure weather shes stout enough. The fabrication and welding looks fine but i am curious as to what YOU guys would classify this hitch as, as far as weight carrying capacity.This is how they designed it, my camper frame is 2 x 10 x 3/16" tubing so shes a strong frame. Now for the reciever, they have one 3/8" plate 6" x 8" long welded to the 2 x 10 frame on each side, coming below the frame to accept a 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 1/4" square tubing crossmember, where the crossmember is fully welded around on the 3/8" plate. The reciever tube is 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3/16" welded to the main crossmember with gussetry also connecting to the crossmember. Of course we get it back this week, and we head to the lake for our annual 4 week trip, so unfrotunately i dont have time to bring her down to the shop and have a look at it, i will after our trip. My question being what do you guys think this fabricated reciever hitch would classify as? class 2? class 3? How many LBS do you believe it could safely pull in its as fabricated state? We own an 1850 crestliner sportfish with 150 optimax on a tandem axle trailer, looking at roughly 3200-3500lbs of boat/trailer/motor, trolling motor, 3 batteries, half tank of fuel, fishing gear etc. I guess one thing to take into consideration is that its a rolling mass, rather than a blunt 3500LB pull.Last edited by Pressure_Welder; 08-15-2012 at 02:47 PM.
Reply:Pics would help entice someone to read the thread in more detail I think.  Just trying to give you an honest opinion.  Anyone can go onto the internet and look up "numbers" and weight classifications for hitch limitations.  I think combined with the numbers and dimensions you gave, some pics might help form just another opinion.  Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:i did a quick sketch up on paint to give you a visual of what was installed on my fifth wheel, pardon my horrible paint skills! I also added a few pictures of what i am used to making and installing on my campers. Who knows maybe i am just over reacting and the current setup on the camper is fine for pulling a 3500lb+ boat. I just like having piece of mind when i build things. Again the construction of the one by the local weld shop seems to be well thought out. As my friends say sometimes when they see my hitches, your not pulling mount everest! Attached ImagesLast edited by Pressure_Welder; 08-15-2012 at 03:32 PM.
Reply:I don't know what class it is, but it will have no problem with your boat.  That is plenty strong. I Run a recreation area and have seen much less than that pulling much more.  In Ca they have a total length (60'??not sure) and require a class A license to drive two trailers.
Reply:black bart- thanks for your reply, i hope your refering to the first set of pictures? didnt want to confuse people with the hitch i built for previous camper in the last pictures. In manitoba where i am, we have a limit of 71 ft, i am at 70 haha. I have quite a good knowledge of materials and how they react, i just cant seem to pin point weather the setup the local weld shop did was sufficient just because i am used to building things differently. Thanks for your reply again!
Reply:What is the width of the camper frame rails, or the span of the hitch?"Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:dont know off the top of my head kolot, but between 5 1/2 - 6'
Reply:I took these just for an easy reference some time back. Factory hitch maybe similar to what you're describing. Not near the span width you're talking about tho. Attached Images"The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:very very similar sandy, the only difference being is that they didnt put the tubing through the 3/8" plate, they butted it up to it then welded, if i see correctly it looks like thats rated for 5,000lbs?
Reply:That hitch is rated for 10k with weight distribution setup with a tongue weight of 1000 pounds.  If being used as a weight carrying hitch then it is 5k with tongue weight of 500 pounds.  Looks like a ram 2500 setup.Last edited by ProCharger; 08-16-2012 at 08:14 PM.
Reply:Just put a piece of draw bar in there and jump up n down on itEd Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:Originally Posted by Pressure_Weldervery very similar sandy, the only difference being is that they didnt put the tubing through the 3/8" plate, they butted it up to it then welded, if i see correctly it looks like thats rated for 5,000lbs?
Reply:so i suppose it would be somewhat safe to presume that this hitch is CLOSE to 5000lbs capacity. haha i phoned the weld shop that did it yesterday afternoon and asked them what they were thinking. They said we classify it as a class 2 and you could pull a car with it.... It was funny how he was trying to explain all these stress load things to me which were WRONG, until i told him iam a high pressure welder he kind of shut up after that. He basically said if i were to touch it my warrenty on there work would be fudged so i said alright bud! were heading to the lake on saturday i sure hope your confident in your work because im pulling a 40,000$ boat with it. SO yes i will use it for this 800km round trip, and ill add the nessecary parts to the hitch to make it stronger this fall. As said i could be TOTALLY fine and never touch this hitch and not have a problem pulling our 3500lb boat. But then i just wouldnt be a welder now would i!
Reply:well all hooked up again ready to head to the lake for our 4 week holiday. Well see how the hitch on the camper for the boat works out tomorrow! Attached Images
Reply:The only thing I don't like is that it is welded to the frame. I like bolt on. I am not saying it is wrong. I am saying I don't like it. Don't confuse these two. I have made a ton of hitches and mine are put to the test. Not one failure yet. I wanted to reinforce one that I made for a friend, but he said he had used it to pull some big arse tree stumps out and that they didn't need ANY reinforcing. Oh well.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain