Sidewinder Pin Box & 5th Wheel Fixed Hitch for 2016 Ford F-150 with 5-1/2-Foot Bed  

Question:

Expert Reply:

A pickup with a 5-1/2-foot bed cannot use a slider hitch for extra 5th wheel turning clearance. Sliders will work well enough on 6-1/2-foot beds but for a 5-1/2-foot bed you will need to use a fixed (non-sliding type) 5th wheel hitch along with a replacement 5th wheel trailer pin box called a Sidewinder.

A Sidewinder replacement pin box bolts right up in place of the existing OEM pin box and provides a full 22-inches of additional turning clearance. Most slider hitches provide 12- to 14-inches of slider travel, which is simply not enough for very-short-bed pickups like yours. Some trailers are made with a tapered front/overhang that can reduce the severity of the turning clearance issue but a standard 5th wheel trailer requires a Sidewinder in your application.

Sidewinders are made as replacements for specific popular OEM pin boxes. The linked article will give you good background and includes a listing of Sidewinder replacements based on your OEM pin box number. You can usually find this on the OEM pin box safety/warning sticker. We will usually have several compatible options.

For instance, if your OEM pin box is a Lippert 1116 you could use any of the following: # RP34FR (20K) with spacer kit # RP97FR or # RP61412 (16K) which also includes an air cushion for a smoother ride.

For a fixed 5th wheel hitch I suggest a custom install kit that will save you time on the installation be reducing the amount of drilling required. I recommend Reese custom kit # RP50087-58. With this installed you can choose any compatible industry-standard 5th wheel fixed hitch.

expert reply by: Adam R

0