Questions For The "5er" Guys

[k_williams1982]

I got a 5th wheel hitch from a friend and my truck has had a 5th wheel hitch in it by the PO, but what is the best way to install it and is this hitch even worth installing? It's a Class V with a rolling capacity of 12,000# and a vertical load of 6,120#. My questions are, 1) Do I install that hitch directly over the axle, or just to the front of it? and 2) Do I have this "facing" the right way? I'm trying to figure out if the long or short incline goes towards the front or the back of the vehicle? Thanks for any help, and if someone has a number I can call them at to talk about how to safely install this, please PM me your number. I've installed receiver hitches and pulled with gooseneck hitches (already installed by PO's), but I'm a "5th Wheel ******".

 

[Austin idi 7.3]

you wanna put it right over the rear axel thats 4 shur thats y they slid so u can ajust the load to make it ride nice and so u don't smash up ur cad when u turn tight and belive me 1c u tow a fith wheel u will never wanna pull a bumper pull agan....not shur on them brackets thow but i'll talk to some ppl 4 u and see

 

[RLDSL]

Somewhere there is a formula, but you don't want it directly over the axle, you want it just a little forward of the rear axle to distribute the load evenly otherwise you will be squatting. If you dig around some websites of some new 5th wheel hitches, you should find plenty of install instructions to come up with a balanced setup from.

 

[icanfixall]

Don'tinstall that hitch.... It can't be adjusted in any direction. It looks like an early RBWS. they need to be adjustable forwards and backwards. Mine is 2 inches in front of the rear axle and it pulls great but. I can place it 2 inches farther forwards or backwards. It also is adjustable up and down. Look at what Camping World sells and you will understand. They don't mount directly to the frame. They have several places to either bolt in or weld in. Mine has 2 6 inch by 1/2 inch plate mounted to the frame and then spacers up to the bed. The spacers are very important. Without them and you crush the bed to the frame... Not good at all...

 

[pafixitman]

Correct with the above. Just in front of the rear axle.

One thing I notice, it appears to be an older set up that only pivots front to rear, not side to side. That will put an increase stress on the truck and trailer (I would think).

I can't tell you a whole lot about the install. I paid the coin to have my hitch dealer install mine!

 

[Ironman03R]

I have a hitch like that, The lack of pivoting is not a problem, my thought is no side to side pivot is better unless your on unlevel ground. Big rigs dont pivot side to side. I've never had a problem hooking and unhooking with it. As for the sliding, in a pickup the only real reason for a slider is for a shortbed truck, yes it can help distribute the weight but most campers dont need it.
The only problem I have with mine is its hard to get in and out, it slides into rails, not like the new ones that drop into holes in the rail and are pinned in place.
I would mount it with the long slope facing back from looking at the pics, but it looks like your missing a piece between the 2 ends that would keep it from twisting.
Heres some pics of what I use, I cant get a pic of the Rails or how it mounts to the frame cause the trucks not here right now.

 

[k_williams1982]

It has two brackets that come off the side plates and bolt to the fenderwell. I don't think that's enough support though for any "side to side" play.

 

[Austin idi 7.3]

sory about this miss info when i got my truck the hitch was in it and it looks like it right over the rear axel but after i read some of the other messages i look at my truck closer and yes it is foward of the rear axel.....gess i learned somthing new

 

[Ironman03R]

It would probibly hold it fine, from the pics it looks like good thick steel, I know mine is. Sounds like you have more of a permanent mount hitch setup. I used to leave mine in alot cause its a pain to remove but it sucks not having the bed space.

 

[OLDBULL8]

You don't even want to install that junk. There is no adjustment up or down. You must have at least 5" of clearance between the bottom of the 5er and the bed rails. The later ones like that had the pin saddle with an adjustable height. You can also adjust the pin on the 5er up or down, but you want the 5er level. If you are going to install it, the U saddle must be a minimum of 2" forward of the axle center, 3" is better. The mounting bolts to the frame must go into the frame with spacers between the frame and bed or an angle mounted to the frame. Use nothing less than grade 8 bolts.

You do have it facing the correct direction. Yes the side bolts do go thru the fender for sideway's stability.

Another thing is that hitch is hard to see if it's locked, heaven forbid that it's not when hitched, (CRUSHED RAILS).

You should have 54" from 5er front to cab for 90* turns. If the 5er is 102" wide you need more.

 

[k_williams1982]

It would probibly hold it fine, from the pics it looks like good thick steel, I know mine is. Sounds like you have more of a permanent mount hitch setup. I used to leave mine in alot cause its a pain to remove but it sucks not having the bed space.

The side rails have "pins" that hole the center section. You can removed the pins and lift the center part out, but the side brackets are still bolted in. I found out that this truck used to have a set of rails that bolted flat into the bed and then a hitch slid in and out of them and "locked" into place. The style of hitch that it originally had was supposed to allow some adjustment forward or back, but not sure about up and down. I'm just going to try to sell this hitch and find another one later... I have a different idea brewing in my mind right now... Can you pull a 5th wheel with dual 5" stacks?

 

[RLDSL]

. Can you pull a 5th wheel with dual 5" stacks?

See Oldbull's comment about clearance again. There's no way around it.Well almost. You can get a slider and if you have a good memory, you can slide the thing back a ways for manuvering when you go to park so you don't whack the stacks, you wouldn't normally be turning that tight, but it would require keeping on your toes if you pulled into a fuel station and had to back up and **** the thing to poke it in, you might end up flattening your stacks if not careful

 

[Fozz]

You don't need a slider with a long bed truck. The slider 5ths slide only backwards to create more room between the 5er and the truck cab on short bed trucks. And you only slide it back when manuvering your trailer, you don't tow with it that way. Proper set up is for the pin to be 3 inches forward of the axle, and it should be mounted to the truck's frame. I would look around for a good used one. The newer ones have adjustability designed into them so you can adjust for a level trailer. Your problem is going to be that your truck sits pretty high. You will probably have to swap the axle mounting on any 5er you buy to put the axles under the springs to try get it level. The stacks would work and look cool, but you'll be cussing at them when you're up on a ladder trying to clean off the exhaust soot. It's a pain just getting it off the side of mine.

 

[k_williams1982]

Thank you everyone for your input and answers. I don't need the hitch right now, so I guess that I'll sell this one and save up for a newer hitch. I found me two 5" chrome stacks that are 6' long with the angled (miter-cut) tops. The guy is even throwing in the cross pipe to connect the two stacks. I'm picking them up tomorrow for $50! I'll cut the stacks down so that they aren't so tall, and get everything welded together. I need to get a piece of pipe that will allow flex to come up through the bed and get everything installed. I'll add the hitch later when I find a good one. With the height of my truck, should I avoid a 5th wheel and just stick to bumper pull?

 

[RLDSL]

Thank you everyone for your input and answers. I don't need the hitch right now, so I guess that I'll sell this one and save up for a newer hitch. I found me two 5" chrome stacks that are 6' long with the angled (miter-cut) tops. The guy is even throwing in the cross pipe to connect the two stacks. I'm picking them up tomorrow for $50! I'll cut the stacks down so that they aren't so tall, and get everything welded together. I need to get a piece of pipe that will allow flex to come up through the bed and get everything installed. I'll add the hitch later when I find a good one. With the height of my truck, should I avoid a 5th wheel and just stick to bumper pull?

A 5th wheel is definitly the way to go if you are planning on towing any kind of weight, personally, I would avoid the stacks, but if you gotta have them, a slider would allow you to manouver without whacking them. There will be times where you will get cut tight enough where you would wand that slider.
If you look at my sig pic the headache rack sides stickout about the same as a set of stacks, but I have a gooseneck ball and not a 5th wheel, so no slider possible, so I'm rigging my trailer with an extension kingpin box to drop the trailer back a couple feet after whacking it on the thing pulling into a rather nasty campsite last year