Kingpin Extension?

[surfbeetle]

I have a 29" sleeper in the front of my 8' bed. With my old 5th wheel and my slider hitch, it worked fine. We just bought a new 5th wheel and the kingpin is about 12 inches closer to the front of the trailer then it was on the old trailer and it already is an angled kingpin. Obviously, this makes it harder for me to turn. I have looked at the RV5 10 inch extension from Popup as well as the FifthAirborne Sidewinder.



I took measurements and mocked up some drawings on my computer and it appears that I would get the best turn angle from the RV5. I know about the added stress on the trailer, but I don't really have a choice at this point. The only other thing I don't like about it is the fact that it raises the front of the trailer by 3 or 4 inches.



Rather than put the extension at the kingpin, I was thinking that it would be better to bolt on an extension at the back of the kingpin box that would basically move the existing box forward about 12". Also I was thinking that to help eliminate the stress of an extension, I could put on an air ride kingpin box.



So the question is does anyone make such an adapter to extend the kingpin mounting box or will I be forced to have one fabricated myself? Any other ideas?



As always, thanks in advance.

 

[DerekW]

I am sorry I don't know much about the kingpin stuff of the trailers to know the individual parts. but I have installed a few B&W turnover ball hitches in the bed of fords chevys and dodges one kit we installed had a 18 wheeler kind of thing that the camper coupled to. I don't know the name of the part. I wish I knew the benifit of the "king pin" is it? style hitch over the turnover ball. I do know enough common sense to know that you want the weight of the trailer to be directly above the center line of the axle otherwise the trailer has leverage over your truck and can fish tail the rear of the truck easier by pushing the truck around in the corners. I personally can't stand pulling my short trailer (10 foot) after I get so used to pulling a 25 foot flatbed. I personally feel the longer the trailer the easier it is to drive and think they (they few long trailers I have used) handle better over long distance road trips then my 10 foot long trailer. I would suggest for strength and driveability bring your camper to a good machine or welding shop and have them extend it so that you can back you camper up and turn tighter. rememver though when they fabricate that a weld cannot support a load. You want to weld your steel that will handle the load then use a gusset to take the presure off the load. also remember bolting (WHAT THE **** I didn't know it would snow damn I haven't seen snow fall in 3 years) something together can be strong then a welded up thing.

 

[robertyoke]

I'm a little confused but anyway. If your "kingpin is 12 inches closer to the front of the trailer" then why would it be harder to turn?? did you mean it's 12 back form the front of the trailer?

If you have a straight pinbox you can get a extended pin box for your fiver. but like you said it may stress the frame of the coach because of the "twisting" effect of the pin load not bearing straight down on the hitch it would be offset with the extension. you could ask the coach manufacture if they offer a extended pin box for that coach. You could get a fully automatic slider so it would move as you turn.

-robert

 

[surfbeetle]

I'm a little confused but anyway. If your "kingpin is 12 inches closer to the front of the trailer" then why would it be harder to turn?? did you mean it's 12 back form the front of the trailer? ...

-robert

What I meant was that from the kingpin to the frontmost part of the body of the trailer is a shorter distance on the new trailer than on my old one. Yes it already has an angled/extended pin. When I said "harder to turn" I was referring to the clearance issues between the cab and the front of the trailer. I have a manual slider hitch, the automatic won't help me any different other than not having to get out and move the hitch.



What I could use is either the RV5 or fabricate a pinbox extension at the rear of the pinbox rather than the front. I was just wondering if anyone has seen something like this.

 

[StricklandJ]

I have a 2006 MegaCab short bed and pull a older 30 ft fifthwheel trailer that has the king pin about 7 inches behind the front of the trailer. The trailer is a 1991 model and many of the trailers at that time had the pin behind the front of the trailer not extended out in front like most of the new trailers are now. I talked to the people at Pullrite and they figure out with my measurements how to clear my truck and camper in even a 90 degree turn. The 26k superslide did the trick for me.



This hitch had a lot more weight capacity than I needed but the 26K hitch slides back farther in a turn to give more clearance between front of trailer and truck cab.



The Pullrite website give a toll free phone number. Call them and they can help you figure it out. It may not be cheap but it will work like a dream and you will not have any worries about hitting in a turn or over stressing the front of your camper with a extension pin box.



Just for you info. I actually also bought the RV5 extension also just in case I needed it. I didn't and it cost me about $70 to ship it back and restock fees.



I have used my truck and camper several times and the Pullrite works great.

 

[starkmr]

Not to appear a smart aleck, but if you have a 5th wheel, why do you need the sleeper? Seems the easiest fix is to get rid of the sleeper.

 

[surfbeetle]

Not to appear a smart aleck, but if you have a 5th wheel, why do you need the sleeper? Seems the easiest fix is to get rid of the sleeper.

That would seem like the logical thing to do but I have the McKinley custom sleeper that was written up in the TDR last year. The install of it involves cutting away the back of the cab and the front of the bed and basically getting an extra cab with a shorter bed. It is now a permanent part of the truck. I don't use it as a sleeper as much as a back seat for my kids.



With my Reese slider hitch, all was fine with my 1998 Yukon Fifth wheel, the kingpin is 12 inches in front of the trailer. My Sprinter is not. Ultimately, I will get another truck but the finances just won't permit that at this time so I must make do with what I have.



StricklandJ, thanks for the suggestion, I will do that and see what they can come up with. Do you know how far back your hitch slides? My reese goes back 12 inches and I would like more travel. Thanks.