Towing a 5th Wheel with this?

[TwoDog]

Hey all!
I am in search of a truck now to tow my new (to me) Heartland Road Warrior, and I am looking at different kinds of beds. However in used trucks there are a lot of different beds. I want to go with a flatbed or hauler bed, and I have seen several that would work.

However, I see others that have longer flatbeds on them. Is it possible to fit a 5th wheel to say...and 11 foot flatbed? I REALLY don't want to accidentally buy a truck that won't hitch to my trailer.
I know the 5th wheel hitch is supposed to sit right over the rear axle but how much tail can a truck usually have behind the rear axle before it starts to interfere?
Are there any ways to extend the 5th wheel's neck to allow for a longer truck bed?
Are there any pitfalls to buying a truck that result in not being able to hitch it up?

Any direction much appreciated. Here is one that I am looking at, but I am concerned that it has too much behind the rear axle.
Cars for Sale: Used 2008 Ford F450 in 4x4 Crew Cab Super Duty, Hattiesburg MS: 39402 Details - Truck - Autotrader

[cwsqbm]

Originally Posted by TwoDog

Hey all!
I am in search of a truck now to tow my new (to me) Heartland Road Warrior, and I am looking at different kinds of beds. However in used trucks there are a lot of different beds. I want to go with a flatbed or hauler bed, and I have seen several that would work.

However, I see others that have longer flatbeds on them. Is it possible to fit a 5th wheel to say...and 11 foot flatbed? I REALLY don't want to accidentally buy a truck that won't hitch to my trailer.
I know the 5th wheel hitch is supposed to sit right over the rear axle but how much tail can a truck usually have behind the rear axle before it starts to interfere?
Are there any ways to extend the 5th wheel's neck to allow for a longer truck bed?
Are there any pitfalls to buying a truck that result in not being able to hitch it up?

Any direction much appreciated. Here is one that I am looking at, but I am concerned that it has too much behind the rear axle.
Cars for Sale: Used 2008 Ford F450 in 4x4 Crew Cab Super Duty, Hattiesburg MS: 39402 Details - Truck - Autotrader

If you look at that truck, it is a 84 CA model. What that means is it's 84 inches from the back of the cab to the center of the rear axle. The shorter version is a 60 CA. With a 60 CA, a 9' bed is common and gives the exact amount of rear overhang.

A normal long bed pickup truck is a 56 CA. Add in the thickness of the tailgate and its about the same distance from the center of the rear axle to the end of the truck. No need to modify the fifth wheel or mount the hitch anywhere but over the axle.

While the above posted truck would work (looks like its setup for a gooseneck), realize the wheelbase is 28" longer than a normal crew cab long bed truck (200" vs 172").

[TwoDog]

Hey thanks for the info.

It's places like this where my own ignorance really shines :-)

So it seems like this bed...is almost the same length from the rear axle to the tail, as a regular ford long box. The extra length in the bed seems to have come from an extra 28 inches up near the cab to allow for that fuel tank (or whatever it is) A regular 5th wheel setup over the rear axle would allow me to hitch up properly?

Why are all these trucks 1000 miles away :(

Thanks!
Dave

[cwsqbm]

Personally I suggest finding a different truck. Even a normal 8' pickup has room in front of the hitch for a big auxiliary fuel tank.

[Gordon Dewald]

We are out camping now and the truck and 5er are at home. Will try to remember to measure the distance from the 5er pin to the trailer and from the truck 5 wheel to the rear bumper. Out truck bumper just clears the trailer during a turn by a couple inches. Would not want it any tighter.

The truck is a 450 cab and chassis. The frame behind the axle is longer than a regular box by a few inches. Much discussion and measuring was done to get the 5 wheel over the axle.