Fifth wheel/tow vehicle clearance

[Flametheus6]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but can't find it. When I hitch my 5'ver to my pickup how much clearance should there be between the 5'ver and the truck sides so if I was on level ground at a 45 angle what is normal clearance?

[Flametheus6]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but can't find it. When I hitch my 5'ver to my pickup how much clearance should there be between the 5'ver and the truck sides so if I was on level ground at a 45 angle what is normal clearance?

[TXiceman]

Do you mean one on level ground and one at a 45 degree angle.... Where will you encounter this. I don't think there is any way to accomodate this much difference.

Normally you need a minimum of 6" between the bed rail and the trailer. We had 5" on our last 5er and never had a problem, but it was close a few times.

Ken

[The Big Kid]

concur with above:

6 inches - good
5 inches - workable be careful
4 inches - be really careful

I have some done some damage, but I have gone to some obscure locations, and put myself into some awfully disjointed angles.

[Dieselgem]

Less than 6" you need to be alert. You will need at least that much if you have a 5th airborne pin box.

[450Donn]

Me thinkest the OP is asking about turning clearances, not clearance between the truck bed rails and trailer. If that is the case it all depends on the truck and trailer. On a short bed truck without a slider hitch you will likely hit, with a long bed you should have more than 6 inches.

[TXiceman]

If he is turning and is trying to say that the truck is 45 degrees off to the left or right of straight ahead, then there should be plenty of room.

With our 5er and the long bed truck, it can actually get a bit over 90 degrees if you want to go that far. With a short bed...you have to be careful and really see how far you can go before the cab and the trailer meet. A lot depends on the pin extension and the design on the front corners of the trailer.

Ken

[Flametheus6]

So, if you have 5inches what are your options to make it 6inches?

[K-Star]

Not only do you want 6", but you also want the trailer to sit level. If the trailer is riding nose high you will be putting more weight on the rear axle than the front. Just the opposite if you are riding nose low.

What can you do? You can raise or lower the hitch in your tow vehicle. Most have bolt holes that hold the hitch head onto the bracket and each hole represents a 1" increment. You can also move the pinbox up or down using the multiple mounting holes. If you elect to do this, make sure you have help. The pinbox can be heavy. If you have any doubts, take it to your dealer. I had no problem adjusting the hitch height. But when it came to moving the pinbox, I took it to my dealer. Check the hitch first. Moving one hole shouldn't make that much difference on the overall level of the trailer.

If your rig is sitting level with 5", you'll probably be good in >95% of the cases. You will need to be aware of where you are driving.

The only other option would be to "flip" the axles which means moving the trailer axles from the top side of the spring to the bottom side of the spring. This raises the entire trailer a few inches. In my mind it is last resort as the entire trailer will be sitting higher.

[RustyJC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K-Star:
Not only do you want 6", but you also want the trailer to sit level. If the trailer is riding nose high you will be putting more weight on the rear axle than the front. Just the opposite if you are riding nose low. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That is true with non-equalized suspensions such as the Dexter TorFlex. An equalized suspension, however, will balance the weight between the axles within the range of movement of the equalizer links.

Many 5th wheels provide height adjustment with multiple spring/hanger/equalizer link mounting holes. If available, these can be used to trim the trailer height and level before moving the axles below the springs is necessary.

Rusty

[Flametheus6]

Good, fast, logical answers...that is why I joined this group...even if it was against my belief that I should never join an organization that would have me as a member.