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Old 10-11-2016, 11:11 AM   #1
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Question seeking automated safety hitch experience, opinions

hi folks - i'm new here. looking to purchase a voltage 4150 toy hauler - 5ver. any opinions on this model welcome too!

but, my reason for starting this thread. i will be a woman full-timing, solo most of the time, 60+ (but still kickin' axx!). i am researching hitches. not fond of the hitch in truck bed option although i know that's the standard.

looking for personal experience, opinions on the Automated Safety Hitch (The Automated Safety Hitch | Trailer Hitch | Gooseneck Horse Trailers | 5th Wheel RVs | Flatbed Goosenecks | Fifth Wheel). there seem to be a number of opinions on the internet from folks with NO direct experience of this hitch - i'm not interested in these.

if you have direct experience, own one of these hitches and could share, i would be grateful.

thanks!
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Old 10-13-2016, 09:36 PM   #2
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Welcome!

I have not seen the hitch in question before. Anytime I see something I always wonder what the problem is they are trying to convince us that we didn't know we had.

I have never had a problem with a conventional fifth wheel hitch as long it was sized properly for the truck and the trailer. Most of my experience has been with goose neck equipment and stock trailers though. I did have a small/medium sized Cardinal fifth wheel for a few years and never had an issue with the hitch on it.

Aaron
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Old 10-13-2016, 10:00 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
Anytime I see something I always wonder what the problem is they are trying to convince us that we didn't know we had.
I think it would be good if you have a 5th wheel or gooseneck that is very low in the front. Mean you wouldn't have to flip the axles on the trailer which reduces stability. Of course, most current RVs don't have this problem unless you've lifted your truck.

No good for my rig - too lightweight. My tag along hitch maxes out at 15000 and my 5er is 19000.
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Old 10-14-2016, 09:19 PM   #4
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It looks like another set of tires to worry about and a third source of sway.

Matt
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Old 10-14-2016, 10:15 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc View Post
Welcome!

I have not seen the hitch in question before. Anytime I see something I always wonder what the problem is they are trying to convince us that we didn't know we had.

I have never had a problem with a conventional fifth wheel hitch as long it was sized properly for the truck and the trailer. Most of my experience has been with goose neck equipment and stock trailers though. I did have a small/medium sized Cardinal fifth wheel for a few years and never had an issue with the hitch on it.

Aaron
That setup makes me think of a Hensley, along the same idea just a 3 point mount instead of one.

Certainly beats having half the box taken up with hitch, but now it's 2 things to maintain.
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Old 10-14-2016, 11:52 PM   #6
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A friend of mine just did this setup. He's very happy with it and it its very lite so easy to install and remove. :Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection
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Old 10-15-2016, 02:20 AM   #7
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I don't trust the frame on my 3050 enough to add the extra stress of a gooseneck hookup.
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Old 10-15-2016, 05:57 PM   #8
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After what i have read and seen on this forum and others I would NOT trust any of these frames to a goose neck.. they are not designed or engineered for a goose neck and you probably will end up with front end frame weld cracking or breaking. A goose neck puts tremendous stress on the front of the frame components.
Like was mentioned earlier get a good automatic reversing hitch.. I thin in the long run you will be safer and happier..
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Old 10-21-2016, 02:59 PM   #9
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ottergirl,

So are you looking to pull a 5th wheel behind something other than a pickup truck?

Is that the interest in this system?

My engineer sense says that putting the hitch load, for a big 5th, more than 3000 lbs is going to be too much for this device. If the ball of this device pops off the ball on the back of your vehicle...man are you going to have a problem. The front of the 5th, behind the overhead, is going to hit the ground and destroy a lot of important equipment, the generator, the batteries, the hydraulic for the jacks, if you have the Lippert Components self leveling system.

Curious.

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Old 10-24-2016, 10:13 PM   #10
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First Hand Knowledge of one

New member here and in all honesty I joined only to comment on the topic of the Automated Safety Hitch.

In 2014, I was directly involved in the purchase of an Automated Safety Hitch Unit. Possibly the worst decision we ever made. I'll give you the cliff notes version of the entire ordeal.

It took almost a year to get the unit. During this time there were many delays and excuses given, as well as several missed completion/pick up dates. When I went to Sanger to pick it up only after spending 14 hours waiting because the unit still wasn’t ready to go, was I able to start the return trip back to El Paso, Texas. I was just towing the Safety Hitch with no trailer attached to it.

I started having problems with the unit almost from the start. A listing of the malfunctions includes, but is not limited to:

• Outside of Abilene, Texas the Safety Hitch signal/taillights started malfunctioning and were working erratically.
• Outside of Van Horn, Texas, two welds on the left fender on the Safety Hitch broke causing the fender to drop onto the tire throwing the truck and hitch into a skid at highway speeds.
• The braking system on the Safety Hitch never worked properly and did not supply power to the 5th wheel trailer brakes. As a result, there were no working brakes either on the Safety Hitch or trailer when attached; all braking was done by the truck only.
• Due to the braking system errors, the onboard braking controls used to connect/disconnect the Safety Hitch from the truck did not function properly. The Safety Hitch could not be held in place when necessary during the procedure without using chock blocks on the tires.
• The landing gear on the Safety Hitch did not function properly and it collapsed on the very first usage and every use thereafter.
• The system that locks/unlocks the axle would unlock on its own, big problem when backing up. Tires going every direction.
• Several body parts were not attached correctly or at all; bolts were found with loose or missing nuts.
• The fender-mounted indicator light was never hooked up at the shop as they didn’t have the correct parts. The promise of a new one being sent for me to install did not materialize.
• Modifications were improperly done to the truck’s receiver hitch by ASH Inc. The hitch points were uneven, at wrong angles, and not straight, resulting in a difficult connecting/disconnecting procedure and causing the hitch to sit at a slight angle resulting in uneven wear on the hitch components.

A lot more to this story but we were never able to get the problems resolved and even the promise of a new replacement unit from the company never materialized. We were forced to start a proceeding against the company that resulted in a settlement agreement Aug of 2015. Sorry can't divulge the contents of that.

Since the summer of 2015 I have come across several other purchasers at least 5 that have had similar or worse experiences with Joe Jamieson and ASH Inc. Run a search on FB for "Automated Safety Hitch" (there a 4 different pages ). You'll have to dig a little but you can find the negative comments. Also check the Dallas BBB there is one there as well.

IMO the company over promises and under delivers on their product. Its a good idea on paper reality proved to be something different for us. Not worth the time or money that was spent.

Hopefully this helps out and maybe keeps somebody from making the same mistake we did.

Robert

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Old 10-25-2016, 01:38 AM   #11
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Thanks for taking the time and making the effort for sharing your experience with us. You didn't have to do that.

Buyer beware information is what makes consumer research so much better in these modern times.
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Old 10-25-2016, 05:06 PM   #12
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Too Bad

That's too bad. I looked at all the videos on their website and it looked like a good product. I think its a bit complicated to use the turn signals to get the steering to unlock. If we every got a bigger coach, I was hoping not to upgrade to a dually. I liked the idea of having an extra set of brakes too. If it creates more problems than it solves, then not for me. Oh well....
-Jeff
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