Towing a 5th wheel

sparepartsdave · Jan 11, 2015

does he keep his camper under a shed? My FIL had a pulley system to load his hitch made onto his camper shed. He'd raise up the hitch, load it in the truck then back it under the camper without moving his truck 10 ft. When he was done with the hitch, he stored it under the camper

Eddyj · Jan 11, 2015

Leave the hitch attached to camper. Remove your 4 pins that attaches hitch to the bed. Lift it out with trailer jacks. Pull the truck out then level trailer. Quick and easy for him to drop trailer and remove fith wheel on his own. You can also put a lock on the fith wheel lock, which will keep anyone from stealing hitch or hooking up to trailer. ( theoretically )
I've done this a couple of times.

bgredjeep · Jan 11, 2015

Just say no. Tell him to leave the hitch in, or take it out and deal with it. I love my dad too, but you are enabling him by helping with the hitch as frequently as he requests (a completely unreasonable amount based on your post).

patooyee · Jan 12, 2015

Hallelujah! He changed his mind at the last minute and ordered a goose adapter and flip-over hitch!

yankster · Jan 12, 2015

I've pulled a 38' rv for years with the gooseneck adapter and have had zero problems. The only issue I've heard of is sometimes using one will void the rv warranty. So if he Happens to buy a rv from a dealer have someone else pick it up.

Eddyj · Jan 12, 2015

yankster said:
I've pulled a 38' rv for years with the gooseneck adapter and have had zero problems. The only issue I've heard of is sometimes using one will void the rv warranty. So if he Happens to buy a rv from a dealer have someone else pick it up.

Is it an actual rv? How many miles a year you put on it.

yankster · Jan 12, 2015

Triple slide Titanium. Lived in it traveling for work. It's been from North Dakota, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and is in Texas now. Not sure how many miles but I've went through two sets of tires.

Eddyj · Jan 12, 2015

If you plan to resale. Just keep an eye on the top of king pin box and where the neck bends.

fl-krawler · Jan 13, 2015

If you have a short bed truck, the sliding hitches are worth their weight in gold when maneuvering in tight places. On the highway you wont notice much difference between a goose or 5th wheel. I have the factory Ford 5th wheel hitch in my truck and I love it. My 33' 5th wheel camper pulls better with it, than any goose neck I have pulled (my truck has the combo goose/5th wheel). When I build my new trailer this spring, I am going to use a 5th wheel attachment, because I can hitch the 5th wheel much easier.

bad80cj · Mar 2, 2015

patooyee said:
I don't know. I know he has to climb in the bed to UNhook it. I've never been around to see him hook it up.

The front of a camper is square, the corners have more of a tendency to hit the cab on a sharp turn or when backing up sharply. My understanding of his hitch is that during those scenarios it moves the pivot point out and away from center to allow the camper not to hit the cab and then when you move straight forward again it re-centers itself. But I wonder if this is just a luxury or a necessity.

He was in between trucks for a few months and I didn't have to worry about this much then. But back when he had his last truck I was removing and installing the hitch and topper about once or twice a week. He just got a new truck again and is in the process of outfitting it so its my one chance to try and prevent him from duplicating the last truck.

J.J. did this ever get resolved?