Some Guidelines for Choosing Fifth Wheel Hitch for Fifth Wheel Camper with 9000 lb Dry Weight
Updated 04/20/2010 | Published 04/18/2010
Question:
Iam looking to buy a fifth wheel Camper . The dry weight is about 9000lbs. The the dealer told me that most people buy the uper grade hitch for about 16 to 20K. What is the right hitch to buy and be safe plus what if I want to buy a bigger trailer down the road? Should I get something with more weight handling ability. thanks
asked by: Jim R
Expert Reply:
I would recommend choosing a fifth wheel hitch with your future needs in mind. All fifth wheel hitches do the same thing, retain the trailer king pin. The differences between hitches amount to their weight capacities, the features offered or the method of mounting to the truck.
The lowest capacity hitch we offer is a 15K, like the Pro Series, part # PS30093 (or RP30094 for a 6-1/2 foot bed truck.) Either hitch would work for you as your trailer is unlikely to weigh more than that when fully loaded, but I'd recommend passing on this model because of its slide-bar jaw. A slide bar jaw will hold the king pin tightly enough that it won't come loose from the hitch, but it will allow the king pin to rattle around in the hitch. You'll feel this banging and clattering in the passenger cabin, making for an unpleasant ride.
For a higher capacity, you might consider moving up to the Reese 16K, part # RP30047 or # RP30051 for a 6-1/2 foot bed which uses a better performing dual jaw latching system. This holds the king pin more securely for a more comfortable ride.
For the best ride quality and for more capacity in case you decide to upgrade to a larger fifth wheel in the future, the Reese Titan 20K, part # RP30867 or # RP30870 for a 6-1/2 foot bed truck would be an excellent choice. This hitch uses a serrated dual jaw and vibration dampeners for the ultimate in ride quality. These units all mount on rails located in the truck bed, and offer both fore/aft and side to side pivoting heads for easy hitching on uneven terrain.
You do not mention the vehicle you are mounting the hitch on, but there are a few other things to consider. If your truck has the full length (8 foot) bed, using a standard hitch would be fine, but if you have the 6 foot bed, you will need a hitch with a slider to gain more clearance between the rear of the cab and the front of the trailer. If your bed is shorter than 6 feet, you will need to use a Sidewinder Replacement Pin Box that relocates the pivot point between the trailer and the hitch 22 inches rearward to provide more clearance between the truck and trailer.
We also offer Custom Installation Kits for many vehicles, that can make installation much easier and many times use existing holes in the truck frame.
I will provide links below to the products I have mentioned as well as some more information regarding the Sidewinder Replacement Pin Box. If you'd care to reply with the year, make and model of your truck, I'd be happy to make some recommendations.
