WD Hitch and a 2006 Seapine, HELP!

[cbird]

Just went to pick up my new 2006 seapine and was told by my salesperson that "We have a problem". Uggghhh!

Turns out that the Destiny series, Yuma and Seapine, have  frames in the front that are too wide to be fitted with either a Reese mini 350 or single bar WDH. This was a new discovery for the dealer because they had never installed a WDH on this series. Trailer weight unloaded is about 1780, but I will be towing with a Honda Odeysey minivan and they require WDH at 2000+. I figured I will be pushing this once loaded so want the WDH. The dealer is willing to get extra frame pieces directly from the factory (both Fleetwood and Reese have okayed this mod) and weld essentialy  two parellel pieces running from the front hitch area back to the trailer to accomodate the WDH, for an extra $250.

My question is whether anyone else has run intio this issue and how you solved it. The dealer is claiming they have checked with both fleetwood, reese and other dealers and there is no existing WDH that will fit the 2006 seapine so this mod is unavoidable if I want the WDH.

Please advice...

Thanks in advance.

[zamboni]

Not knowing anything about the Seapine, have you looked into the Equal-i-zer hitch?

Mine mounted very easily (has a bolt-onto-frame option), and you get sway control for free with their WDH system.

Definitely the best WDH I've ever used (the Prodigy Arrow looks cool, but VERY expensive...)

[mike4947]

I'll go along with the Equalizer brand recommendation. The lower rated hitch has a tongue weight rating of from 200 to 600 pounds and while it is more expensive than either the WD350mini or WD400 single bar hitch it would be less than the Cost + the $250 modifications and unlike the WD400 does come with integral sway control.

[cbird]

I'll go along with the Equalizer brand recommendation. The lower rated hitch has a tongue weight rating of from 200 to 600 pounds and while it is more expensive than either the WD350mini or WD400 single bar hitch it would be less than the Cost + the $250 modifications and unlike the WD400 does come with integral sway control.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into this. It would save me the cost of the added sway control as well.

[edwardr132]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into this. It would save me the cost of the added sway control as well.

Cbird, I also own a Seapine and a Honda Odyssey as well.  Did you try the Equilizer hitch?  did it work for your needs?

[cbird]

Cbird, I also own a Seapine and a Honda Odyssey as well.  Did you try the Equilizer hitch?  did it work for your needs?

I finally will be picking up my trailer tomorrow. I spoke with a tech at Fleetwood and he recommended going with the dealer's suggestion so that is what I have done. So I did not try the equalizer hitch. Will see for myself tomorrow if the dealers modification did the trick, both Reese and Fleetwood gave it the thumbs up...

So I take it you are not using a WDH? How is the Odyssey doing without it? Maybe this has all been overkill.

[edwardr132]

I finally will be picking up my trailer tomorrow. I spoke with a tech at Fleetwood and he recommended going with the dealer's suggestion so that is what I have done. So I did not try the equalizer hitch. Will see for myself tomorrow if the dealers modification did the trick, both Reese and Fleetwood gave it the thumbs up...

So I take it you are not using a WDH? How is the Odyssey doing without it? Maybe this has all been overkill.

I just bought the Odyssey a few days ago.  They will be installing the hitch package on it next week some time.  Then I plan to go to a trailor place I know and have them install the Reese mini 350.  I am really hoping it will work on mine without the $250 mod you needed.  Let me know what your total bill comes out to.  I also will be getting electric brakes on mine as well for around $800/so cost including the brake controller.....   not including the Reese hitch.

[aw738]

I just bought the Odyssey a few days ago. They will be installing the hitch package on it next week some time. Then I plan to go to a trailor place I know and have them install the Reese mini 350. I am really hoping it will work on mine without the $250 mod you needed. Let me know what your total bill comes out to. I also will be getting electric brakes on mine as well for around $800/so cost including the brake controller..... not including the Reese hitch.

If I'm reading your post correctly they are installing brakes on your PU for $800? Unless they have change in the last few years all Fleetwood's come standard with electric brakes already installed. All you should need would be a brake controller installed.

[edwardr132]

If I'm reading your post correctly they are installing brakes on your PU for $800? Unless they have change in the last few years all Fleetwood's come standard with electric brakes already installed. All you should need would be a brake controller installed.

They didn't put any brakes on my 2000 Seapine?  I am not exactly sure which one mine is...  I know it was built in July or so of 1999.  I am just hoping I have the right axle to put brakes on it.

[cbird]

I just bought the Odyssey a few days ago.  They will be installing the hitch package on it next week some time.  Then I plan to go to a trailor place I know and have them install the Reese mini 350.  I am really hoping it will work on mine without the $250 mod you needed.  Let me know what your total bill comes out to.  I also will be getting electric brakes on mine as well for around $800/so cost including the brake controller.....   not including the Reese hitch.

Well they did the mod and it looks fine, but they did not charge me for it! Yipee! So total cost, had cooler parts (transmission and power steering) installed by dealer~$680, the remaining hitch parts + work I had installed by the RV dealer (Drawtite classIII weight distribution hitch, Reese 400 single bar weight distributer, Reese single bar sway control, Reese brake controler and all wiring) $912.

I believe that my Honda dealer originally wanted around $1500. for the tow package, which would not have included the sway bar, electric brake controller and wiring or single bar weight distributor. That said, let me tell you what I have learned...

I am not crazy about the Drawtite hitch and if I had it to do again would go factory tow package even though in the long run it would have been several hundred dollars more expensive. My reason for this is the factory hitch I believe will sit at least and inch higher because it is placed  up under the bumper.  I would have still relied on the RV dealer for sway controller, brake controller, WDH etc.

I will be interested to hear if the miniReese works for you. My dealer claimed it would not but then I like the single bar better so I did not push them to hard on this. The single bar is very easy to adjust and get on and off. So is the single bar sway control.

Let me know how it goes. What year is your Seapine? Mine is a 2006 and this may well be an issue for my original WDH problem. I don't know if the frames on earlier models are the same. And I still have not hear directly from anyone with a 2006 who successfull installed a WDH without a mod like mine.

 By the way I was pleased with the tow home, about a forty minute drive, but with the airconditioner on top of the pup can't see the car directly behind me when there is one. My next goal will be to figure out if there is a mirror set up that can correct this.

Stay in touch!

[ody4six]

cbird & edwardr132-

Just thought i'd let you guys know that i too have a '01 odyssey & a new to me '05 sea pine.

I'm not using WD at all.

Instead i had some new monroe reflex shocks installed and i installed airlift 1000 airbags in the rear. The set up works great for me.

As for the hitch; i went to uhaul and had the class III, prodigy brake controller & heavy duty tranny cooler installed. All this plus installation and wiring cost came in at barely under $500. The guy only charged me for 1 1/2 hrs. labor and forgot to charge for the wiring. Shocks were about $140 installed & airlift 1000 was about $70 including delivery from summit racing.

This info may not help you guys now, but i just wanted to let others that have the same combination as us know that there are other options.

Anyway, good luck with your set ups. I'll keep your user names in mind for when I get started with the mods. I hope you do the same.

[cbird]

cbird & edwardr132-

Just thought i'd let you guys know that i too have a '01 odyssey & a new to me '05 sea pine.

I'm not using WD at all.

Instead i had some new monroe reflex shocks installed and i installed airlift 1000 airbags in the rear. The set up works great for me.

As for the hitch; i went to uhaul and had the class III, prodigy brake controller & heavy duty tranny cooler installed. All this plus installation and wiring cost came in at barely under $500. The guy only charged me for 1 1/2 hrs. labor and forgot to charge for the wiring. Shocks were about $140 installed & airlift 1000 was about $70 including delivery from summit racing.

This info may not help you guys now, but i just wanted to let others that have the same combination as us know that there are other options.

Anyway, good luck with your set ups. I'll keep your user names in mind for when I get started with the mods. I hope you do the same.

Sounds like a nice set up. I would like to get these airbags as well only I am not confident about installing them myself and have yet to find a mechanic who will do it for me, very annoying.

The Honda bumper is stepped...does the UHaul hitch fit in the first valley back or the second further towards the front of the vehicle. The further back the less clearance which is what I am facing with my Drawtite. Curious because I may still have the RV dealer try a diferent hitch.

I would like to get pastt this hitch stuff so I can enjoy the trailer!

[ody4six]

Sounds like a nice set up. I would like to get these airbags as well only I am not confident about installing them myself and have yet to find a mechanic who will do it for me, very annoying.

The Honda bumper is stepped...does the UHaul hitch fit in the first valley back or the second further towards the front of the vehicle. The further back the less clearance which is what I am facing with my Drawtite. Curious because I may still have the RV dealer try a diferent hitch.

I would like to get pastt this hitch stuff so I can enjoy the trailer!

I wasn't too confident about it either. Believe me, I am no mechanic. It took me about 4 hrs. Well worth it.

I'm not sure I know what you mean by your clearance problem or where the hitch is placed. I can take a look when I get home this afternoon. But, I haven't ran into any clearance problems. I'm using a Reese 3 1/4" drop drawbar flipped over so that it's a 2" rise.

[cbird]

I wasn't too confident about it either. Believe me, I am no mechanic. It took me about 4 hrs. Well worth it.

I'm not sure I know what you mean by your clearance problem or where the hitch is placed. I can take a look when I get home this afternoon. But, I haven't ran into any clearance problems. I'm using a Reese 3 1/4" drop drawbar flipped over so that it's a 2" rise.

Its tough to describe but it is just a question of how far forward the hitch receiver sits. From what I have been able to see on other Odysseys with Hidden Hitches they sit further back toward the bumper than mine giving about an inch more height clearance.

Anyway the dealer flipped the "L-shaped" drop bar on mine around so that the tall end of the "L" points up and all is fine now. Don't know why they didn't do this to begin with. Maybe next weekend I can actually pop the trailer up, the rest of this weekend is accounted for.

[edwardr132]

Just wanted to report back that I got the Reese 350 weight distribution hitch installed on my 2000 Seapine.  It is the one with the side wheel jack.  (obviously the more expensive one!)  It seems to work perfect with the popup and the minivan.