Do Fifth Wheel Hitches Have to Set Below Truck Bed Rails for Overhang Clearance

Updated 11/03/2015 | Published 11/02/2015

Question:

Im buying a fifth wheel and sidewinder for my 2004 ford f150 supercrew w 5.5 ft bed and noticed that the walls of my bed are 22 inches high. Which fifth wheel hitch should I be looking at? Most of the ones Ive seen max out at 17 inches

asked by: Mark S

Expert Reply:

You will want to have a total of 6 inches of clearance between the bed rails of your truck and the overhang of your trailer when it is sitting level and connected to your 2004 Ford F-150.

The overall height of most fifth wheel hitches puts them below the height of the bed rails of the truck. Since there will be a distance between the overhang of the trailer and the surface of the pin box this is typically not an issue. I attached a picture that shows a crude drawing of a fifth wheel trailer. It is not to scale, but you can see that the pin box hangs enough below the overhang to allow bed rail clearance with a fifth wheel hitch that sits below top of bed rails.

Unless your truck or trailer has an unusual height the fifth wheel hitch part # RP30047 I recommended for you previously should work well for you.

Basically you will need to measure from the bottom of the pin box (not king pin), of your trailer down to the ground when it is sitting level. Next you will need to measure from the floor of your truck bed to the ground. Subtract this number from the pin box height and that is how high of a hitch you would need.

expert reply by: Jameson C