Is this right for you? Product Expert Kathleen M says:
Yes, if you:
Appreciate the all-American craftsmanship that B&W is known for - this hitch is easy to use and looks good for years
Get nervous with automatic sliders and want total control over how and when the slider activates
Take the time to make sure you hitch is in the optimal spot and like having adjustments not only for the height but also forward and back
No, if you:
Navigate around tight corners often enough that getting out to operate the slider every time you need clearance gets to be a pain
Use your truck bed for hauling other things where you'll be lifting the hitch in and out regularly - all told, this hitch weighs about 220 lbs
Travel over very rough roads and want extra cushion in the head to absorb road shock
The built-in slider on this sturdy 5th-wheel hitch helps eliminate clearance concerns during slow-speed turns. Dual jaws offer a secure connection. Durable polyurethane bushings limit rattle and vibration. Rails sold separately. 1-800-940-8924 to order B and W fifth wheel hitch part number BWRVK3270 or order online at etrailer.com. Free expert support on all B and W products. Great prices and Fastest Shipping for B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs. Fifth Wheel Hitch reviews from real customers.
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Reviews (307)
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Why etrailer?
B and W Fifth Wheel Hitch
- BWRVK3270
Sliding Fifth Wheel
B and W
18000 lbs GTW
Above Bed Rails
Double Pivot
Standard - Double Jaw
4500 lbs Vertical Load
17 - 19 Inch Tall
12 Inch Fore/Aft Travel
The built-in slider on this sturdy 5th-wheel hitch helps eliminate clearance concerns during slow-speed turns. Dual jaws offer a secure connection. Durable polyurethane bushings limit rattle and vibration. Rails sold separately.
Features:
5th-Wheel hitch mounts in your truck bed so you can tow your 5th-wheel trailer
Built-in slider provides clearance required for your short-bed pickup to turn safely at slow speeds
3/4" Thick dual jaws provide 360-degree jaw-to-king-pin contact
Less rattle and more security than slide-bar jaws
Cam-action latching handle helps prevent binding
Simple to release, even on unlevel terrain
Lockable to secure trailer to hitch - padlock sold separately
Fully articulating head eases hookup and helps to limit chucking
Pivots front-to-back and side-to-side
3 Height settings to fit your application
Quiet, rattle-free ride with polyurethane bushings
Gray powder coated steel is corrosion resistant
Base rails and installation kit sold separately
Compatible with industry-standard, above-bed rails - B&W, Curt, Draw-Tite, Hidden Hitch, Pro Series, Reese, and Valley
Simplify installation with a semi-custom bracket kit (not available for all applications)
Made in the USA
Specs:
Gross towing weight: 18,000 lbs
Vertical load limit: 4,500 lbs
Hitch height: 17" - 19"
Travel: 12" front to back
Footprint: 31-3/4" wide x 33-1/2" deep
Limited lifetime warranty
Note: Due to the size of this item, it ships via truck freight.
Quiet, Secure Ride
The 3/4" thick jaw on the Patriot is precision machined to provide a tight, sturdy connection. And unlike slide-bar models, the rounded 2-piece jaw on this fifth-wheel trailer hitch inhibits rattle and movement by securely wrapping around your trailer's king pin, resulting in easier hookup and a safer, quieter ride.
In addition to the sturdy jaw, the Patriot has durable polyurethane bushings built in to provide a smoother, more comfortable towing experience. These bushings sit on top of the pivot arms that support the fifth-wheel head. Because the head is resting on padded area, it is able to pivot without clanking. The ability of the head to pivot - both front to back and side to side - along with the trailer also helps to limit the chucking that may occur with a more static hitch.
Non-Binding Latch Handle
The dual jaw on the Patriot is operated by a simple-to-use cam-action handle. This handle allows you to quickly and easily release the jaws on the hitch, even if you are on uneven terrain. If any binding does occur between your truck and trailer, the jaws may remain closed after you move the handle to the open position. But because the handle is unlatched, there is nothing keeping the jaws closed except for the binding pressure. Therefore, simply driving your truck forward will be enough to force the jaws to open.
The cam-action handle is held in the closed position with the included pin and clip. For extra security, you can replace the pin with a sturdy padlock. The shackle on the lock you choose should have a diameter of 5/16", height of 3", and a width of 2-1/4".
Easily Adjustable Design
The B&W Patriot can be adjusted up and down for optimal positioning. As a result, this hitch can easily accommodate the height of your trailer.
Built-In Slider
Most often used on trucks with 6' beds, a slider helps to eliminate clearance problems during slow-speed turns. When you are towing a fifth-wheel trailer, your hitch must be situated on the cab side of your truck's rear axle. However, at slow speeds you can use a slider to slide the fifth-wheel hitch (and the trailer) toward your truck's tailgate and past the rear axle, creating enough space between the cab of your truck and the trailer to permit less-restricted turning.
The slider that is built into the base of the Patriot allows for 12" of fore and aft travel to give you the clearance you need.
RVK3270 B and W Patriot Slider Fifth Wheel RV Hitch - 18,000 lbs
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including Nickel, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.p65warnings.ca.gov.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (307 Customer Reviews)
The built-in slider on this sturdy 5th-wheel hitch helps eliminate clearance concerns during slow-speed turns. Dual jaws offer a secure connection. Durable polyurethane bushings limit rattle and vibration. Rails sold separately.
by: Dave08/11/2022
Great hitch in my 2015 Ram 2500 Short Bed. I had to contact B&W due to a concern with tightening the mounting bolts. The threads in the holes are painted, B&W said to run a tap through the threads. Also I was missing a few bolts on previously installed mounting kit. B&W sent me the whole bolt kit overnight for free. Awesome American company proudly supporting their products. I highly recommend their products. Also etrailer sent this hitch to me in a timely manner at a great price. I would use etrailer again. Thank you!1353471
I’ve had 2 Reese hitches before this b&w and this puts them to shame I absolutely love the ease of hooking and unhooking and it is totally quiet it fit my rail system perfectly1414581
Very happy with. Heavy duty American made. My old one didn’t even pivot right to left and was sloppy/clunky. I know this is going to be amazing and save me from backing trailer into truck when turning sharp with my short bed ram 2500.1315782
Easy installation and we pulled our 45' fifth wheel camper over 6000 miles this year. Works great!1224245
Comments
Works great! Its quiet and hookup is smooth.
Rick - 12/16/2022
154835
by: Craig10/03/2022
The B&W exceeded expectation when towing the 5th wheel. Pound for pound one of the best hitches out there. It would have been a 5 star rating, however the Lippert Never Fail Whisper Disk Lube Plate ordered with hitch is subpar, as it does not stay on the hitch pin and customer service could not help and deferred me to Lippert.1435598
by: Michael06/13/2022
Well designed for easy use. Heavy duty. Operates flawlessly. We decided on the B&W Patriot w/slider as we have a short-bed pickup and we carry 10' kayak's on top of the cab that extend over the bed space. The kayak's make turning with the fifth-wheel a bet more challenging and the easy to use slider option was very attractive. I am concerned with the actual hitch sits about 6 inches further back in my truck than my previous Reese Pro Series 15K slider hitch, using the same mounting rails. I've not run my truck & trailer over scales yet to determine the impact of this mounting difference. Also, the kingpin bracket is very close to my tailgate when slid back. Gonna have to watch that!1312230
by: Sean03/02/2020
Tech assistance with questions and ordering process was great. I will use etrailer again and will recommend them to others.
Unit is solid and well built, just as advertised. Assembly and installation was straightforward but prepare for lifting help as the base unit is quite heavy.
This is a replacement upgrade and I can't wait for weather to get better and go camping.762384
After a full year I am very satisfied with this B&W 5th wheel hitch, solid latching and quiet, no slop operation.
Sean - 03/03/2021
109484
by: Tom 09/29/2022
Excellent help and service, delivery was on time and hitch and parts all in good condition1429592
by: David 07/08/2022
The hitch performed as advertised. It was easy to install, fitting my current rails perfectly. It is heavy and requires a minimum of two young strong people to install it. I was very pleased with eTrailer.1322325
by: Scot06/10/2022
Hitch arrived undamaged and on time. Easy to install. Can’t ask for more than that.1311125
So far so good. Hitch appears to be good quality. It was easy to install after installing the mounting kit. I haven't used it yet so I can't comment on how it handles when pulling a camper.1472957
by: Dave03/02/2022
etrailer has been great. Website is the best I've seen. Tech support had been ideal. I'm getting into 5th wheeling without a clue. Bought 5th wheel first, then the F250. Then the process of figuring out how to attach trailer to truck. Website, tech support and videos walked me right through the process. Kyle D has been a great help and now I just have to install the puck system onto my truck since it didn't have it. Thanks again etrailer and Kyle in particular.1267985
by: Steve02/10/2022
This hitch works great. I use the slider when hooking up it allows me to see the hitch from the drivers seat. Which with a F250 crew cab short bed you can't see the hitch in the tow position. B&W products are well built and perform flawlessly.1261159
by: David02/19/2022
Great product, very well made. Only complaint is the top release handle’s Do Not have any safety pins like the larger weighted hitches do. Wish B&W would have made that a standard for all their hitches. Thinking about drilling my own but I am not sure if it will compromise the integrity of the steel.1264346
by: Timothy 07/16/2022
Very good hitch rugged and precise. I would recommend this hitch.1330255
by: Thomas04/03/2018
Excellent hitch! We go camping about every 4 to 6 weeks (year round) for 3 to 5 days at a time. This hitch is so easy to operate!492263
The dealer suggested I install the Reese 16K hitch when I purchased my fifth wheel RV. After two years of chucking and aggravation I decided to sell the fifth wheel. While I was shopping for a smaller conventional tow trailer, I ran across reviews of the B&W hitch. The Patriot 5th wheel hitch w/Slider eliminated most of my chucking issues. Thanks to etrailer and reviews from customers!!! My wife and I have decided to keep our fifth wheel RV.1202541
by: Michael05/12/2022
Just finished the installation, great instructions easy to follow. Very impressed with the construction, built solid. Have not hooked it up to the camper as of yet, so more to come.1297257
by: Clyde S12/14/2021
The B & W Patriot is a great looking & solidly built 5th wheel hitch! The installation only took about 1 hour. The most difficult part of the install was getting the hitch base lifted into the bed of my truck.1224454
by: Pete F08/25/2020
Product outstanding, customer relationship most professional. The product is exactly as advertised. All of its characteristics have been utilized and work well. Definitely met my expectations and looking to use the Patriot 18K for years to come. It far and away out performs my previous 5th wheel. Great value.868188
Comments
Excellent!!!
Peter G - 08/26/2021
119835
by: Wayne 12/06/2022
Rail installation went well. Solid unit and parts fit my Ram.1479640
by: Bob03/19/2020
Very nice and solid 5th wheel hitch. Very quiet when towing. One important comment: I have a 2019 Chevrolet Crew Cab with 6ft 6 in bed. I am towing a 2019 Grand Design Reflection 5th wheel. Dealership installed the hitch. I seem to have clearance between the cab and 5th wheel when 90 degrees from one another. The 5th wheel hitch overhang will hit the tailgate of the truck when sliding back to locking position. I think its about a 3 inch interference, Make sure you check this by lowering your tailgate before sliding into parking position. 767625
The hitch is a well-built unit, and e-tailer as always is wonderful to work with.1473132
by: Rick01/21/2023
The hitch appears to be well built and sturdy. The assembly was straight forward and simple, and the directions were clear. The base is fairly heavy, so I'd recommend having a buddy there to help with lifting it in. I haven't pulled with it yet so I can't give an opinion on that yet. Looking things over I don't anticipate any issues.1503121
Yes, the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch # BWRVK3270 will fit the Curt custom 5th wheel installation kit and rails you have in your 2002 Ford F-250 short bed. The rails are industry standard rails meaning they have mounting slot spacing that is compatible with the vast majority of 5th wheel hitches. And the Patriot was designed to fit industry standard rails! view full answer...
The B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part # BWRVK3270 is what you'll need to use on a truck with above bed base rails. The B&W Compnaion will not work with the above bed base rails. They are both excellent options which represent B&W's quality. view full answer...
The Husky 32354 uses the head unit 31313, which is not compatible with the 31574. The play in the head is normal for this style of Fifth Wheel hitch, but you could try putting shims in the front or back, or both, to tighten up the fit and limit the movement a little.
If you wanted to upgrade to a more heavy duty sliding Fifth Wheel, I suggest going with B&W Patriot # BWRVK3270. It is rated to 18,000 pounds and though it does have a fully articulating head, it is very robust and built to... view full answer...
Yes, you can remove just the head on the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs Item # BWRVK3270 to make it easier to remove and reinstall. B&W makes a great hitch so you will like the Patriot! view full answer...
The B and W Slider hitch that will fit the Reese fifth wheel rails you have installed in your truck bed is the B and W Patriot part # BWRVK3270 which is a confirmed fit and designed for that style of fifth wheel rail. view full answer...
I spoke with my contact at B&W who confirmed that the slider rods on the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider # BWRVK3270 do need to be lubricated after they are clean.
You will also want to lubricate the top surface of the coupler, grease the saddle, and grease the jaws as per the Helpful Tips section in your instructions. view full answer...
Any time you release a slider from the position it's in you want to have the emergency brake pedal engaged so that if there is pressure between the truck and trailer the truck or the trailer doesn't suddenly move when you release the slider of the hitch.
If you are on level ground when parking you might put your vehicle in neutral for a second and release the brake before sliding the shifter into park to help remove any pressure between the truck and the trailer though. view full answer...
I have attached the complete installation instructions for the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider # BWRVK3270 for you to check out. The instructions include detailed steps for the installation and assembly process for the hitch upon delivery. I have also attached an installation video that you might find helpful.
You will start by placing the Patriot base over the attachment point on the bed rails on your truck, lowering it until the pin tabs pass through the attachment points.... view full answer...
The B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch # BWRVK3270 that you referenced weighs 220 lbs total. It comes apart in a few sections though to make install and removal a bit easier. I attached a review video for more info on the hitch as well. view full answer...
With trailer tires you need to keep them inflated to their max PSI rating at all times otherwise you diminish their weight capacity and also run risk of them failing due to heat build up. I'd try inflating the tires to the max rating first as that could possibly be the issue and is basically free!
The B and W hitches are not known for chucking so this is interesting to us. Is the trailer sitting perfectly level?
Can you have a passenger watch the hitch while you are towing and notice... view full answer...
Total weight for the B and W Patriot Slider hitch part # BWRVK3270 is 221 lbs.
The slider base on it's own weighs 169 lbs and the head weighs 52 lbs. view full answer...
Trailer hitch manufacturers are responsible for the testing and rating of hitches. Most all hitches are built to comply with safety specifications and requirements for connecting devices and towing systems of the state of New York, V.E.S.C. Regulation V-5 as well as SAE (society of automotive engineers) J684. This is for regular trailer hitches.
For 5th wheel and gooseneck hitches most are built to SAE J2638 standards. Some companies such as Reese (Draw-Tite) do additional testing beyond... view full answer...
There are two horizontal positions that the B and W Patriot Slider part # BWRVK3270 can be in when installing in a set of fifth wheel rails. The forward-most position of the hitch head will get you the closest to the center between the rails. It will be 1/2 inch behind the centerline of between the fifth wheel rails. The other position will be 2-1/2 inches in front of the center line.
SInce typically fifth wheel rails are installed the the center between the two rails being also the axle... view full answer...
The B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch # BWRVK3700 is perfectly compatible with cushioned pin boxes like your MORryde RP072-1621HD, so the clunking you're experiencing isn't related to the two components being incompatible. With that being said, the Companion 5th Wheel Hitches feature one of the nicest jaw designed on the market, so this clunking during starts and stops isn't exactly normal, either.
One thing I might check first is that the brakes are engaging properly on the trailer.... view full answer...
In regards to the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part # BWRVK3270, the head can be removed from the pivot arms by pulling both saddle handles up simultaneously and rocking the head back and forth. That said, there is no locking mechanism for the saddle handles aside from the fact that both must be pulled up at the same time in order to remove the head. Please note, there is some force required to lift the head off as well so this should not really be something you should be worried... view full answer...
The B and W Patriot part # BWRVK3270 that you referenced is designed to fit Valley fifth wheel rails like what you have so it would work well for you. view full answer...
I have some good news for you. The B&W Patriot 5th wheel trailer hitch # BWRVK3270 fits in industry standard above the bed rails. If your rails have mounting slots on the tops that are spaced like those in the picture I have included then the hitch will fit the rails you have. If the rails have different spacing then the Patriot will not fit. But it is very likely that the rails you have are industry standard rails. view full answer...
We have just what you need. The B and W Companion Slider part # BRVK3400 is the correct slider hitch to fit the B and W Turnoverball hitch you have installed in your 2012 Chevy Silverado.
This hitch is designed to fit the square shank of your gooseneck hitch and will work well. view full answer...
The B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider part # BWRVK3270 does not use pins to slide in and keep the handles from raising up. In this design they decided they were not needed as when the head is slid down onto the base the handles rotate down securing it. Similar to the Companion but in this case not necessary.
I linked the full review if you want to check it out. view full answer...
Yes, the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part # BWRVK3270 can be left attached to the pin box for removal. That said, you'd need to adjust the landing gear on the trailer to release tension from the pins as well as lift the trailer even further once the pins are removed to better help maneuver the hitch from the truck bed.
In most cases, it's easier to just pop the head off and then remove the base rather than playing with the trailer height. view full answer...
The clearance issue you mentioned is basically unheard of. The 12 inches of sliding clearance that the B and W Patriot Slider part # BWRVK3270 provides is a very standard amount of clearance and does not have reputation of causing tailgate interference at all. Especially on a longer short bed truck like yours that is 6-1/2 feet long. This works well on short bed trucks that are also 6 feet long too. view full answer...
The B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part # BWRVK3270 has a hitch head height setting of 17"-19" which is measured from the base of the unit to top of the skid plate on the hitch. Therefore, this will be a variable number depending on which setting you have selected and the height of the rails must be factored in as well at 1-1/8" tall. The max amount that you will need to account for is 20-1/8". This should not be a problem for most truck bed and tonneau cover options but it will need... view full answer...
We've actually done a video of the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs # BWRVK3270 that shows how the slider works; it's really just a lever on the base that releases and allows the hitch head to slide freely towards the rear. The Patriot slider will provide you with 12" of additional clearance from your truck cab when installed. I've also linked a photo of this lever, but I don't have any photos of the actual manner that it holds the hitch head in place.... view full answer...
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