Fifth wheel hitches
B&W Companion fifth wheel hitch review
A fifth wheel carries its pin weight over the truck rear axle rather than behind it, which is why the pin weight band runs 15 to 25 percent of trailer weight rather than the 10 to 15 percent used for a conventional tongue. All of that pin weight comes directly out of truck payload, and no hitch changes that.
The B&W Companion carries that pin weight through a completely different mounting approach than a rail or puck hitch: it drops into a B&W Turnoverball gooseneck ball hole, which means the bed is completely clear when the hitch is pulled out. This review covers what B&W actually publishes for it, the real prerequisite that catches buyers off guard, and when a rail or puck hitch fits better.
On this page
- What is the B&W Companion, and how does the ball-mounted design work?
- How does the Companion compare against a Ford puck version and two rail-mounted CURT hitches?
- What does B&W actually publish for this specific model?
- What is the catch most buyers do not see coming?
- What are the alternatives if you do not already have a Turnoverball gooseneck?
- What should you check before buying a gooseneck-ball fifth wheel hitch?
What is the B&W Companion, and how does the ball-mounted design work?
The Companion uses a cam action latch that wraps around the kingpin rather than gripping it with jaws, which B&W markets as eliminating the chuck on acceleration that many fifth wheel owners complain about with jaw-style hitches. Polyurethane bushings add a rattle-free ride, and the head fully articulates front to back and side to side. B&W publishes a 20,000 lb GTW and 5,000 lb vertical tongue weight rating for this specific model.
How does the Companion compare against a Ford puck version and two rail-mounted CURT hitches?
The gooseneck-ball mount is what actually sets the Companion apart from most of this category. Put beside its own OEM puck sibling and two rail-mounted CURT hitches, the mounting method is the real difference, not the latch design.
| Published rating | B&W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch | B&W Companion OEM Puck Fifth Wheel Hitch for Ford, 25,000 lb | CURT E16 Fifth Wheel Hitch, 16,000 lb | CURT A16 Fifth Wheel Hitch with Rails, 16,000 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,099.00 | $1,399.00 | $405.99 | $776.95 |
| Gross trailer weight rating | not published | 25,000 lb | 16,000 lb | 16,000 lb |
| Mount type | Gooseneck ball mounted | Puck system | not published | not published |
| Jaw design | Cam action wrap | not published | not published | not published |
| OEM puck system | not published | Ford OEM | not published | not published |
| Rails included | not published | not published | not published | Yes |
Every figure here is the manufacturer's own published rating. A blank is a figure the maker does not publish, and we leave it blank rather than estimating it. The rating stamped on the part you actually receive is what governs.
What does B&W actually publish for this specific model?
B&W rates this Companion for a 20,000 lb gross trailer weight and 5,000 lb vertical tongue weight, mounted to an existing gooseneck ball.
Published standard A published, traceable figure: a standards body, a federal regulation or a manufacturer specification states it.
| Published spec | B&W Companion RVK3500 |
|---|---|
| Gross trailer weight rating | 20,000 lb |
| Vertical tongue weight rating | 5,000 lb |
| Mount type | Gooseneck ball mounted |
| Jaw type | Cam action wrap |
| Bushings | Polyurethane |
These are B&W published figures for this specific model. A truck door jamb sticker and owner manual govern what the vehicle itself can carry.
What is the catch most buyers do not see coming?
The Companion is not a standalone purchase for a bare truck bed. It drops into a B&W Turnoverball gooseneck ball hole, which means a truck without that gooseneck already installed needs to buy and install one first, an entire separate hitch system before the fifth wheel hitch itself goes in. That is a meaningful added cost that a rail or puck buyer does not carry, and it is easy to miss when comparing sticker prices across mounting styles.
This is the same pattern the safety guidance on this site keeps repeating in different hardware: a fifth wheel hitch does not include rails, and rails do not include vehicle-specific brackets. Here, the hitch does not include the gooseneck ball infrastructure it mounts to, either.
What are the alternatives if you do not already have a Turnoverball gooseneck?
A truck with a factory puck system, on a Ford Super Duty or a Chevrolet or GMC heavy duty, avoids the gooseneck prerequisite entirely by using the B&W Companion OEM Puck version instead, which drops straight into the factory pucks with no rails and no drilling. A truck with a bare bed and no pucks at all needs rails either way, and the CURT A16 bundles the rails with the hitch in one purchase rather than requiring two separate orders like a bare-hitch-plus-rails install such as the CURT E16.
What should you check before buying a gooseneck-ball fifth wheel hitch?
Confirm whether a Turnoverball gooseneck is already installed in the bed, and if not, price that hardware and its installation as part of the total cost before comparing this hitch against a rail or puck alternative. Weigh the loaded trailer and check pin weight against the fifth wheel pin weight calculator and the pin weight chart, since all of that weight comes directly out of truck payload rather than trailer capacity.
How we chose
We did not test this hardware in person and we never claim to. Picks are researched from manufacturer specification sheets, published towing standards, and the recurring themes in verified owner reviews. Every pick is matched to a real gross trailer weight rating, a real tongue or pin weight rating, a real receiver size or a real load index rather than to a price bracket, and it is placed in the tier where its published capability actually belongs. We rejected the unbranded flood that dominates the search results in several of these categories, because a weight distribution hitch, a brake controller, a trailer tire and a set of safety chains are all parts whose failure puts a loose trailer on a public road. Where a figure is towing convention rather than a published standard we label it that way, and where a manufacturer does not publish a figure we leave it out instead of estimating it.
Sources
- B&W published specifications for the Companion RVK3500
- B&W published specifications for the Companion OEM Puck for Ford
- CURT published specifications for the E16 and A16
Frequently asked questions
Does the B&W Companion mount to bed rails?
No. This version mounts into a B&W Turnoverball gooseneck ball hole rather than to rails or pucks, which leaves the truck bed completely clear when the hitch is removed. A truck without a Turnoverball gooseneck already installed needs that hardware added first before this hitch fits.
What is the published rating for the B&W Companion RVK3500?
B&W rates this specific model for a 20,000 lb gross trailer weight and 5,000 lb vertical tongue weight. That is a hitch hardware rating, not a statement about what any particular truck can tow, which depends on the vehicle own payload, GVWR and GCWR figures.
Why does the Companion use a cam action latch instead of jaws?
A cam action latch wraps around the kingpin rather than gripping it with jaws, which B&W markets as reducing the chuck felt on acceleration and deceleration that jaw-style hitches are known for. Polyurethane bushings on the same hitch add further noise reduction.
Is a gooseneck-ball fifth wheel hitch cheaper than a rail-mounted one?
Not necessarily, once the full cost is counted. A truck without an existing Turnoverball gooseneck needs that hardware installed first, which adds a real cost a rail or puck buyer skips. Compare total installed cost, not just the fifth wheel hitch sticker price, before choosing a mounting style.
Does the B&W Companion clear the truck bed when removed?
Yes, that is the main advantage of the gooseneck-ball design. Because the hitch drops into the ball hole rather than bolting to rails across the bed, removing it leaves the bed clear for hauling other cargo, unlike a rail-mounted hitch where the rails remain visible even with the head removed.
Can the B&W Companion be moved to a different truck?
The hitch head itself can move, but only to another truck that already has a compatible B&W Turnoverball gooseneck ball installed. Moving it to a truck without that infrastructure means installing the gooseneck hardware first, the same prerequisite as a first-time buyer faces.
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Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published standards, manufacturer towing guides and product specifications, and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Figures described as a rule of thumb are towing convention rather than published standards, and they are labelled that way wherever they appear. Nothing here overrides your own ratings. Work your payload sum before your tow rating, because payload is the limit that actually binds on most half ton trucks and nearly every SUV. Load a conventional trailer to 10 to 15 percent tongue weight and a fifth wheel to 15 to 25 percent pin weight, and never lighter: a tail heavy trailer is what starts sway. Weigh the rig loaded rather than trusting a brochure dry weight. A weight distribution hitch and a set of air bags both restore ride height and control, and neither one raises a single rating. Trailer brakes are required by state law above a threshold that varies by state, and a breakaway battery that has quietly gone flat is the normal condition of most trailers on the road.