How To Mount & Hook Up A 5th Wheel Hitch On Your Truck
What could be easier?... Back up until you hear the handle snap back, and you're good to go!
Boy, if that’s how you hook up your fifth wheel trailer, you're going to have some problems (...sooner rather than later).
First, Why 5th Wheel Trailers Are Great
Fifth wheel RVs are the best handling, most secure recreational trailers on the road. They handle so much better than a standard travel trailer, there just is no comparison. With a properly set up fifth wheel, you can pull a 15,000-pound trailer all day long in comfort. You’ll rapidly get to the point where you will almost forget that your monster 3-axle, multi-slideout luxury condo is riding along behind you.
This easy towing might give one the opportunity for complacency in getting ready to hit the road.
But the last thing you want to see is your $75,000 trailer skittering down the highway on its own after the hitch popped open, turning it loose from your truck. Don’t laugh, it does happen, and if it happens to you, it will be expensive!
Here are some things you need to know about mounting and hooking up a fifth wheel hitch...
Mounting A 5th Wheel Hitch
When mounting a fifth wheel hitch in the bed of your pickup truck yourself, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations closely.
The location of the hitch should be such that the pin of the trailer is located just an inch or so ahead of the center point of the rear axle of your truck.
If you are mounting a secondhand hitch, be sure you have all of the mounting pieces. This includes the brackets that bolt under the box of your truck and tie the hitch directly to the frame of the truck. A pickup box is not designed to handle the load and stress of pulling a trailer.
Once you have everything mounted, the wiring hooked up, and you're ready to hitch up the trailer, then you need to address how the trailer should be adjusted to match the truck height.
Most fifth wheel hitches are adjustable for height. Most fifth wheel trailer pins are also adjustable for height. It will require moving bolts to different locations to adjust the pin box up or down. Your goal should be to have the trailer nice and level when it’s hitched to the truck.
In some situations when a high ground clearance 4x4 truck is used, the axles of the trailer are removed and reinstalled on the underside of the springs. In my opinion, that's not the wisest idea. Yes, it will level out the trailer, but it’s not how the axles were designed to be used. And, access into the trailer will be awkward as well. I would prefer selling the high truck and buying something better suited to towing your RV trailer.
Be concerned about how much clearance you have between the box of your truck and the underside of the upper portion of your trailer. If you have too little clearance, when you're maneuvering over uneven terrain, the trailer may hit the sides of the truck.
How To Hook Up A 5th Wheel Hitch
Okay, now we’re ready to hitch up and hit the road.
A wise investment would be to replace the standard tailgate on your truck with one that is cut down so you can hitch up with the tailgate closed. Or you could even use a mesh cloth gate. Otherwise, the first time you forget to open your standard tailgate... after you pull ahead a foot, you will have ruined it by striking the 5th wheel pin of the trailer.
Before you back into the hitch, pull the release handle out to cock the hitch in the open position. As you back in and lightly tap it home, or all the way in, the handle will snap closed automatically.
The most important step is next: Get out of the truck, walk under the front of the trailer and visually confirm the jaws or bar (depending on which brand of hitch you have) snapped all the way shut.
The very next step is to lock down the safety lock on the hitch. This is critical, as the hitch -- even when properly closed -- can and will open unless the safety lock is in place.
My own experience with this came when I was moving my trailer just around the block to store it. As I pulled up the driveway and cleared the crest of the hill, the hitch popped open and the trailer dropped out of the hitch.
I was very lucky as my truck was a flat bed. I put a nice dent in the surface of the bed where the pin hit, but damaged nothing else. Many pickup boxes have been ruined when a fifth wheel trailer drops, as it will crush the sides of the box.
As far as the likelihood of your hitch breaking loose on the highway... your breakaway brakes are supposed to stop it. Unless you forgot to hook up the little cable. If that's the case, when the hitch opens up, you've got a runaway rig!
Always think safety first. Don’t be afraid to check things over twice before you pull away. Take it from me. Been there, done that.
Elois, Good call, sounds perfectly normal to me. I think you have found a simple solution.
When I hook or unhook my firth wheel camper, I have to block the camper wheels and either pull the pickup forward or backward slightly to relieve the pressure on the hitch so the locking bar is free to lock or unlock. Is this normal? Took me awhile to figure this out, after many times when the locking bar appeared to be "stuck" and would not release or lock.
Jeremiah, Generally it is accepted practice to mount a 5th wheel centered or slightly forward of the center of the axle. I believe an inch or so would be plenty. 5 inches seems a bit extreme as it would transfer a lot of weight to the front axle. I personally have mounted a 5th wheel as far as a foot behind axle center and towed a 37' trailer with no ill affect. Some times you have to do what you have to do to make it work.
i have a 1990 ford f 350 with no box, i have a 3/8th steel plate that my fifth wheel sits on. i heard that its not advisable to center your king pin directly over the rear axle but to move it up tp 5 inches fom center of the axle toward the front of the cab, to put more weight on the front end, is this true?
JD, I've seen an occasional trailer where the axles have been moved from on top of the springs to mounting them under the springs. This will give the trailer a good 3" or better lift in most cases. I have no idea how this affects handling and it may very well void warranties as well. Sadly not all trucks and trailers are suitable matches. All the more reason to do your homework before buying either. Beware the salesman who will tell you "Sure it will work... sort a."
I have a 2007 GMC Duramax 2 wheel drive crew cab, Not a dually. The truck is 100% stock. I pull a 2007 Ledgend fith wheel dual axle weight is 10k. The hitch is a Husky 16K. The hitch is adjusted all the way up to its max. The trailer does not sit level when hooked up. The nose is high. I just lowered the rear of the truck 3 inches with adjustable shackles. That was too much because the truck then bottomed out on the axle with the rubber bump stops on the frame. I am going to raise the truck back up. The trailer has an additional hole for the leaf springs to be mounted to that would raise the trailer about one inch. I was told that I could do that. Is that safe? but it still would not level up my rig. I can't lower the hitch because it would not allow enough clearance between the top of the bed and the camper. Any suggestions?? Doesn't that put excessive wieght on the rear axle by the trailer not being level??
The best mounting is such that the pin of your trailer will be located centered over the rear axle of your truck when it is hitched up. Variation from this mounting position is usually caused by clearance issues when turning with some trailers. There is no set measurement as such, you need to check that you'll have enough clearance to make sharp turns without the trailer hitting the truck cab.
I recently purchased a 1985 ford f250 and have a 1993 fifth wheel camper that i recently purchased.My guestion is were do i get the measurments to mount the hitch.Thank you Tony
Bob, The most accurate answer is "Sometimes". There are a couple ways to make it work. There are 5th wheel hitches that mount on slides that will allow a short box truck haul a standard 5th wheel. There are also some 5th wheel trailers that are designed to be used with short box trucks. Don't assume every trailer will work with a short box truck, it will take more homework on your part to make sure your particular combination is possible. Talk to the RV dealer of your choice to make sure the combination your considering will function. You will do serious damage to both if your rig doesn't provide the correct clearances.
We are thinking of buying a toyhauler 5th wheel trailer Trucks right now are bottoming out on price but mostly short boxes will that work with a 5th wheel trailer?
Kim, I'm not personally familiar with the Husky hitch. What I could find on the internet indicates it has dual safety locking devices. I recommend you go to your nearest RV dealer and have them explain the proper operation of the hitch. On the Reese hitch there is a fold over locking tab that allows you to snap a padlock on which locks the pull handle in place. I just don't know what locking system the Husky uses, but it is critical that the safety locks are in place. Before you use the hitch again this is something you must investigate further.
I'm not sure we have a "safety lock" we have only hooked up twice have a Husky 16K but I just back in
and it shuts, then hook up light and safety brake that is all we have, what or where is safety lock?
new at this only been out twice.
Dave, Every situation is different. Take a measurement from the hitch point on the truck and the corner of the bed, add about 6" and thats will be how much space you'll need.
Thanks for making the info available. My interest also is, how much on a flat deck, such as yours can one leave between the 5th wheel and front of trailer? Is there a suggested universal distance to allow for turning without the corner of he deck hitting the trailer? Thanks again. Dave