Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > TRAVEL TRAILER, 5th WHEEL & TRUCK CAMPER FORUMS > Toy Haulers Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-25-2011, 06:58 AM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 95
pin box extension on 5th wheel trialer?

anybody with a short bed truck ever use a pin box extension on there 5th wheel trailer? my ford f 250 bed is 6foot 8inch long, which is the longest short bed, if i add a RV5 10inch pin box extension, that should enable me almost 90 degree turn with a 5th wheel trailer that is 8foot wide.
can anyone tell me what % of "pin weight" the extension will shift to the rear of the truck? the only downside i can see is the shfit of weight back 10 inches, which could cause some "sway" in the trailer, like you get with most bumper pull trailers.
aspeyrer is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 02-25-2011, 07:11 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Cypress, Texas USA
Posts: 8,854
Another downside is the increased torque imposed by the longer lever arm of the extended pin box to the frame of the 5th wheel. The longer pin box extension acts like a cheater pipe with the pin weight of the 5th wheel working to twist the pin box off the 5th wheel's frame, especially with increased dynamic cyclic loading on rough roads, dips or bumps. Check with your manufacturer (NOT a dealer) to ensure that the pin box extension you're considering is approved by them, especially if your 5th wheel is still under warranty. I've owned a 5th wheel in the past (Jayco 3610RLTS) where only a vertical pin box was approved by the manufacturer - no extensions or offsets were allowed.

A pin box extension will not make the 5th wheel any narrower. For a 96" wide 5th wheel, anything less than 48" (1/2 of the 5th wheel's width) between the hitch's kingpin bore and the back of the cab will result in contact at 90 degrees. How close you can get to 90 degrees before you have contact is the $64 (actually, much more at current body and glass shop rates!) question.

The obvious solution (and I'm sure you know this) is a sliding 5th wheel hitch or a long bed truck.

Rusty
RustyJC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2011, 07:16 AM   #3
IC2
Senior Member
 
IC2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 3,722
Quote:
Originally Posted by aspeyrer View Post
anybody with a short bed truck ever use a pin box extension on there 5th wheel trailer? my ford f 250 bed is 6foot 8inch long, which is the longest short bed, if i add a RV5 10inch pin box extension, that should enable me almost 90 degree turn with a 5th wheel trailer that is 8foot wide.
can anyone tell me what % of "pin weight" the extension will shift to the rear of the truck? the only downside i can see is the shfit of weight back 10 inches, which could cause some "sway" in the trailer, like you get with most bumper pull trailers.

Any change in the lever arm should be OK'd by the manufacturer not via an opinion or some one else's experience here(unless they have exactly the same trailer and have the OK). You risk frame failure - repairs are expensive!!!

Sorry if I sound negative, but do a search and you will find threads that say it was OK on my Brand 'X' therefore it's OK on your Brand 'Z'. It isn't!!

Now - the flames will begin!!!!
__________________
Dave W
2011 Ford F250 6.7 Lariat CCLB, Gone but not forgotten
2014 Montana High Country 343RL (sold it!)
IC2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-25-2011, 06:28 PM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
 
TXiceman's Avatar
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Bryan, TX when not traveling.
Posts: 22,945
Blog Entries: 21
The extension will put additional stresses on the pin box to frame area. Most trailers are not over designed at this point. Contact the trailer manufacturer and see what they say...again, not the dealer. Be especially careful with any frame by Lippert.

ken
__________________
Amateur Radio Operator (KE5DFR)|No Longer Full-Time! - 2023 Cougar 22MLS toted by 2022 F150, 3.5L EcoBoost Tow Max FX4 Lariat Travel with one Standard Schnauzer and one small Timneh African Gray Parrot, retired mechanical engineer
TXiceman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-26-2011, 12:11 PM   #5
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 95
Palomino Puma is built by Forest River, i think they make there own chassis. I called the factory, of course they say it voids the warranty, but what am i going to do? just bought this truck back in June of 2010. If i had to do it again i would buy a F 450 crew cab 4 by 4 long bed dually, and i still might if i find one for a good price, and if they dont screw me on my trade in that i have woned less than a year.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TXiceman View Post
The extension will put additional stresses on the pin box to frame area. Most trailers are not over designed at this point. Contact the trailer manufacturer and see what they say...again, not the dealer. Be especially careful with any frame by Lippert.

ken
aspeyrer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Short bed or Long bed for 5th wheel? NorCalCamper Trailer Towing and Tow Vehicles Discussion 34 10-05-2010 09:09 AM
Towing 5th wheel TH with lifted truck??? Ryan Toy Haulers Discussion 2 05-18-2008 03:49 AM
Removing the pin box looks fun... ciscofreak 5th Wheel Discussion 7 03-26-2007 07:07 PM
Demco Glide Ride Pin Box Notice! wrongway Excel Owner's Forum 14 01-25-2007 07:22 AM
Need a replacement 5th wheel pin box, Where? Jaybo 5th Wheel Discussion 7 07-28-2006 08:12 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:18 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.