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


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-11-2020, 02:03 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
scayne62's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 158
new to fifth wheel towing

Do the following pics look like I have enough clearance? first pic the back of pinbox to tailgate, second pic level with bedrail. I have 8" clearance from the bedrail to the bottom of the fifth wheel
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_3359.jpg
Views:	178
Size:	89.1 KB
ID:	228823   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_3360.jpg
Views:	149
Size:	59.6 KB
ID:	228824  
__________________
scayne62
2020 Heartland Torque 371
2019 Silverado 3500HD DMAX
https://www.epgsoft.com/visited-stat...00&format=jpeg
scayne62 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-11-2020, 07:40 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Brighton, CO
Posts: 180
8" is more than sufficient. I believe 5" is generally considered the minimum. I have about 8" and I have been towing for many years without issue. If you happen to be in a very uneven site, where your truck must go over a steep downhill hump ahead of the trailer, be mindful of watching the clearance above the top of your tailgate as your truck pitches downward. Other than that...enjoy your drive and enjoy pulling that fiver.
__________________
__________________________________________

2014 Spartan 1032
2015 GMC 3500HD Denali 4WD/Duramax
RockyMtnMarty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 08:28 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
scayne62's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by RockyMtnMarty View Post
8" is more than sufficient. I believe 5" is generally considered the minimum. I have about 8" and I have been towing for many years without issue. If you happen to be in a very uneven site, where your truck must go over a steep downhill hump ahead of the trailer, be mindful of watching the clearance above the top of your tailgate as your truck pitches downward. Other than that...enjoy your drive and enjoy pulling that fiver.



I ended up raising the ball on the anderson 1 more notch to give me a little more bed rail clearance if I were in an extreme turn situation. Pulled great yesterday for the first time, the airbag levelers were worth every penny.
__________________
scayne62
2020 Heartland Torque 371
2019 Silverado 3500HD DMAX
https://www.epgsoft.com/visited-stat...00&format=jpeg
scayne62 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 08:41 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Greensboro NC
Posts: 1,140
How level are you? I wouldnt want it to nose high and put extra wear on the rear most tires / bearings. I have about 7" of clearance and have never had any issues
ronheater70 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 08:43 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
scayne62's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by ronheater70 View Post
How level are you? I wouldnt want it to nose high and put extra wear on the rear most tires / bearings. I have about 7" of clearance and have never had any issues

I will have to check it out when I get it back, it is back to the dealer getting fixed right now. I agree I do not want it out of level and will be sure it is not. My issue is with the king pin clearance not the clearance to the camper.
__________________
scayne62
2020 Heartland Torque 371
2019 Silverado 3500HD DMAX
https://www.epgsoft.com/visited-stat...00&format=jpeg
scayne62 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 01:27 PM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Riverview Campground
Posts: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by scayne62 View Post
I will have to check it out when I get it back, it is back to the dealer getting fixed right now. I agree I do not want it out of level and will be sure it is not. My issue is with the king pin clearance not the clearance to the camper.
The pitch of the trailer shouldn’t put uneven weight on the axles as long as they’re equipped with the equalizer on the springs.
Bobh62 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 03:03 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Piedmont SD
Posts: 95
I had the same concern/question with my Andersen set up. Watched an install video at their website. The video shows you points to measure in your truck bed, and at the pin box. Based on those measurements, they recommended that I rotate the pin box adapter( the red plastic thingy) 180 degrees to the rear. That moved the pin box 6/8 inches further away from my tailgate, with still plenty of room left between 5th wheel nose and truck cab. It worked out great for me. I did have to rerout my latch cable to the other side of pin box. Just 2 screws. Hope this helps
Rugman1952 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 07:48 PM   #8
Recently new!
 
Paulie1138's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Arizona, in The Land of Scorch!
Posts: 1,206
Send a message via AIM to Paulie1138
It has the appearance the electrical junction box just might hit your tailgate under extreme articulation front-to-rear. Might just be the camera angle, but look at it while going up or down uneven hills/bumps.

Have fun. You will find the fiver turns and tracks differently than a tow behind, so be careful with your turns and take them wider than you would with a tow behind, or pull out a bit further, as the fiver will track to the inside of your turns. Tires will hit curbs faster than you realize!
__________________
1987 Starcraft Nova tent trailer, purch. '87, sold 8.14
2013 Crusader 290RLT bought new, 8.14 lotsa mods!
2001 Ford F-250 7.3
Loving wife, R.I.P., 6/6/19
and Mason the always dirty dog! R.I.P, 2/19
Paulie1138 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2020, 09:07 PM   #9
New to FR. Old to TT
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SW MI.
Posts: 235
Quote:
Originally Posted by scayne62 View Post
I will have to check it out when I get it back, it is back to the dealer getting fixed right now. I agree I do not want it out of level and will be sure it is not. My issue is with the king pin clearance not the clearance to the camper.
If I understood you have an Andersen 5th wheel hitch, we have the same and had problems with the bottom back edge of the air ride kingpin hiting the top of our tounu cover rail. I turned the Andersen reciver 180 degrees so the orange funnel now points to the rear, closer to the trailer. I was able to lower the hitch ball one hole and still have 6-7" of bed rail clearance. I still have almost 80-85 degrees turning, don't like to on anything but gravel, and only are close with the tailgate down with truck turned but still won't hit the trailer. We have a 6'-8" bed.
Tall frog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2020, 09:19 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
scayne62's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 158
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tall frog View Post
If I understood you have an Andersen 5th wheel hitch, we have the same and had problems with the bottom back edge of the air ride kingpin hiting the top of our tounu cover rail. I turned the Andersen reciver 180 degrees so the orange funnel now points to the rear, closer to the trailer. I was able to lower the hitch ball one hole and still have 6-7" of bed rail clearance. I still have almost 80-85 degrees turning, don't like to on anything but gravel, and only are close with the tailgate down with truck turned but still won't hit the trailer. We have a 6'-8" bed.

When I go get it at the dealer this weekend I am going to spin that around and see if that helps me
__________________
scayne62
2020 Heartland Torque 371
2019 Silverado 3500HD DMAX
https://www.epgsoft.com/visited-stat...00&format=jpeg
scayne62 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
fifth wheel, towing, wheel

Thread Tools
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


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:07 PM.