Towing Arctic Wolf 285 with short bed?

[Artspe]

I have a 285 and have an F250 short bed on order so my question for anyone with this combination is: do you use the wedge and rotate at the trailer or do you let it pivot at the hitch?

[Mr Towed]

Originally Posted by Artspe

I have a 285 and have an F250 short bed on order so my question for anyone with this combination is: do you use the wedge and rotate at the trailer or do you let it pivot at the hitch?

I honestly have no idea what you mean by "the wedge". I'm interested to see what this is all about, though.

[NMWildcat]

If it was me, I would get a wedge for your specific hitch and USE it! The universal may work, but hitch specific ones seem to work better with your Revolution.

We have had two sidewinders and love them. No worries about any tight turns. One less thing to worry about.

[itat]

Originally Posted by Mr Towed

I honestly have no idea what you mean by "the wedge". I'm interested to see what this is all about, though.

It looks like the OP's Arctic Wolf 285 has the Reese Revolution pinbox that moves the pivot point back about 22". Its the OEM version of the Reese Sidewinder.

Revolution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3dLBe3eMLU

Sidewinder
https://www.etrailer.com/Fifth-Wheel...e/RP61420.html


If the factory put one on, I'd definitely use it with a wedge custom made for the 5th wheel hitch in the bed of your truck.

[Grapehound]

We pull a Rockwood 5-er with a short-bed RAM dually and we use the wedge so we wouldn't take out our rear window on tight turns. We did buy a custom wedge though made specifically for our B&W Patriot hitch and replace the generic wedge that came with our Rockwood. Rockwood has to provide a generic wedge since there are many brands of fifth wheel hitch.

Mr. Towed: The wedge mounts around the trailer hitch pin to prevent the trailer hitch from pivoting on top of the hitch (as normal fifth wheels do). Instead, one removes two bolts from the back of the Sidewinder or revolution hitch so that by locking the front kingpin in place, the hitch pivots about 22" further back from hitch pin. This makes sure the nose of the trailer is pushed back about 22" further from the cab on tight turns and prevents it from pivoting into the cab. Here's a Reese Sidewinder ad to explain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssu1zmCr5rE

[Mr Towed]

Originally Posted by Grapehound

Mr. Towed: The wedge mounts around the trailer hitch pin to prevent the trailer hitch from pivoting on top of the hitch (as normal fifth wheels do). Instead, one removes two bolts from the back of the Sidewinder or revolution hitch so that by locking the front kingpin in place, the hitch pivots about 22" further back from hitch pin. This makes sure the nose of the trailer is pushed back about 22" further from the cab on tight turns and prevents it from pivoting into the cab. Here's a Reese Sidewinder ad to explain.

Thanks, originally I didn't realize this was pertaining to a 5th wheel so it makes more sense now. Pretty interesting stuff. I guess it's easier and less maintenance than one of those sliding fifth wheel hitches?

[Grapehound]

"Thanks, originally I didn't realize this was pertaining to a 5th wheel so it makes more sense now. Pretty interesting stuff. I guess it's easier and less maintenance than one of those sliding fifth wheel hitches?"

Certainly easier and cheaper than buying a sliding hitch, though the sliding hitches are very nice. My Rockwood fifth wheel came with a generic wedge, so it actually costs you nothing to switch to the rear pivot point on the Sidewinder hitch. Just bolt the wedge to your trailer to lock or freeze the front pivot on the king pin and remove two bolts from the rear of the hitch so it pivots there. Easy peasy.