5er hitch height

[SWC]

What is the average height of the kingpin on fifth wheel campers? I plan to haul campers this winter. As you can see in my sig. I have a deck on my truck and I have a fifthwheel mounted right on the deck. I mostly pull a gooseneck livestock trailer and grain trailer. I believe I will have to raise the fifth wheel to get the campers to ride level.

Thanks.

Stan

 

[andrewkoperdak]

SWC.

I will be interested to see what people give you for numbers. I have a standard cab. I have a 5th hitch in the back. For me to increase my truck to trialer clearance I have to add 400 pounds of rock to get my truck down. My truck and trailer have struck each other a few times going over moderate bumps or driveways. My bed haa a dent in it on the drivers side from contact. Nothing serious mind you but I don't like any damage.

Andy

 

[RustyJC]

5ver pin boxes are generally adjustable for height. The rule of thumb is that you need a minimum of 6" between the bottom of the 5ver and the top of the pickup's bed rails - 8" or 9" is better but probably not realistic with a 4x4.



The dealer didn't adjust the pin box on our first 5ver, and we didn't know any better. We probably had 3" or 4" clearance. After a $680 repair of our pickup bed on our 1996 3500, we learned this lesson the hard way!



Rusty

 

[Dkevdog]

You can adjust pin box hieghts and hitch hieghts, but if you push the trailer out of towing level, those adjustments won't do any good. They'll just create more problems. I had to raise the axles on my Sunnybrook by moving the shackle bolts on the springs. Not much fun. Mine now sits at about 52" from the ground, to the center of the physical pin. I'd actually like a little more clearance(right now have about 7. 5") between the bed and trailer, but I can't do it easily. Much better than the 5" I used to have.





Kev

 

[kluther]

i have the levevling kit on the frt. and the rear is stock. i run 305 tires and only had 4 1/2 inch clearance. being a 4x4 with a toy box 5ver. i opt. to flip the axles on the 5ver and now have 8 + inch clearance. with articulating turns i still have 3 inches to spare. now i need to get some m/t tires on the trailer to match the truck.

 

[andrewkoperdak]

I appreciate everyone's input. My hitch is adjusted for all she's got. I can't get anymore clearance out of it. I could lower the 5th wheel yolk on the trailer but I think that would make matters worse. My trialer is short at 19' plus the overhang. So my trailer has a bit of an up angle. I am a 2X4 and have 265X75X16 tires.

Rocks were the cheapest thing to do.

R

Andy

 

[SWC]

Thanks for the replys. I guess the question I should have asked is how high is the fifth wheel plate above the truck deck. I know on some of the campers the king pin can be adjusted. Maybe Barry the tailer guru could give some ideas.

Thanks again.

Stan

 

[GAmes]

The plate of my Husky 16K hitch is 16 inches up from the pick-up bed. It is adjustable. The pin plate of my 5er is 12. 5 inches below the overhang. It is adjustable also. There is approx 8 inches between my bed rails and the overhang when it is hooked up. Did that help?

 

[SWC]

GAmes, thats the information I was looking for.

Thanks.

Stan