Who is the ET Air Ride 5th Wheel Hitch for?

The primary truck for the ET is one that is a heavy-duty (HDT), or a medium-duty (MDT) that will be towing trailers with pin weights that are in our “suggested range” in order to get the best ride possible (see ET specifications for suggested pin weights). Our “overbuilt” design assures the safest, strongest, longest-lasting air-ride 5^th wheel hitch on the market. Trailers that are typically pulled with the ET Hitch are horse trailers, toy haulers, and most of all 5^th wheel travel trailers.

What kind of loads can the ET handle?

The ET Hitch is no slouch! The ET Junior and the ET Senior can both handle trailer Gross Weights of up to 40,000 lbs. and vertical pin weights of up to 9,000 lbs., when built with specific airbags. Pin weight is everything in selecting the correct ET Hitch. Knowing the correct pin weight will allow us to make sure you are selecting the ET that will perform the best for your trailer. It is most important to know this when making your ET selection.

Can I put an ET Air Ride Hitch in my cab and chassis pick-up truck?

Simply said, the ET is just too heavy for your 2500-5500 series cab and chassis trucks. These trucks present other issues when looking at install options. The ET Senior alone weighs nearly 750 lbs, not to mention your added pin weight of your trailer. Also, the ET needs a constant air supply, most cab and chassis trucks can not provide this without modification or add-on equipment. As far as mounting an ET Senior between the frame rails of a cab and chassis….more often than not, the physical space required is just not there to allow fitment of the ET.

Why do I need an air-ride 5^th wheel hitch for my heavy-truck hauler?

Compared to the common 3500 series pickup truck, heavy-duty (HDT) and medium-duty trucks (MDT) are...well, heavy! These trucks have amazing brakes, strong motors, super heavy and capable suspension, tremendous tires and more. You have a lot invested in your trailer. The HDT/MDT is so heavy, that you may not even feel what your trailer is doing when pulling down the road. The trailer needs help absorbing the bumps, the shock, the sway, the jolting, the EVERYTHING that it is going through when pulling down the road. The ET hitch does just that. Not only does the ET handle the vertical (up and down) motion of the trailer nose, it has the unique ability of taking a forward or rearward motion of the trailer and driving that force into the hitch’s airbags. The result is like nothing else. The magic of the parallel suspension arms do their work at all times when towing...starting, stopping, bumps, holes, concrete expansion joints in the road, etc., the ET is absorbing shock, impact, forces and chucking.

What determines if I need a ET Junior, or a ET Senior?

There is a misconception about the ET Junior. Because of the name itself (Junior), it is easy to think that it is not as capable as the ET Senior. This is not correct. When outfitted with the correct air bags, the Junior can handle just as much trailer as the Senior. Although there are several dimensional differences between them, they each have much different install methods.

ET SENIOR Our more common unit is the ET Senior. We sell many more Seniors because it fits the build-criteria more often than not. Simply put, the ET Senior is intended to be mounted between the frame rails of the truck. When you receive a Senior model, you are supplied with the two “mounting angles”. These mounting angles would be bolted to the inside of the truck frame at a predetermined height. Once the angles are installed, the remainder of the Senior (which is 100% fully-assembled), would slide onto the mounting angles, and be fastened to one another. This ET Senior install method leaves the installer with nothing else to fabricate. You don’t have to worry about structure, integrity, or the overall safety of this install.

ET JUNIOR On the other hand, the Junior has a very different mounting system. There are no mounting rails included with the Junior. A typical Junior install places the hitch above the frame rails of the truck, on some other fabricated mounting surface. With the Junior, it is up to the installer to figure out what surface it will be placed on and how it will be attached to the truck. Although the Junior is fully assembled on its ½” thick steel mounting plate, you must create a space for it to be placed on the truck. With this method, it must be determined that the finished install is substantial and structurally sound, and safe. Many Juniors we sell are used to replace another manufacturers hitch that has previously been installed into a given space on the truck.

Contact Us for an Air-Ride 5th Wheel Hitch

To learn more about the Air-Ride 5th Wheel Hitches we offer at Popup Towing Products or to get help finding an installer, please fill out the ET Hitch Inquiry Form or call us today at 800.837.8578