Fifth Wheel Hitch Solutions for a 2011 Ford F-150 Super Crew with a 5-1/2 ft Bed  

Question:

Expert Reply:

There is a way to pull a fifth wheel trailer with a truck bed that is shorter than 6 feet like your 2011 Ford F-150 Super Crew.

The clearance solution for trucks with such short beds is to install a sidewinder on the pin box of your trailer. Once installed you would have enough clearance to pull a fifth wheel trailer and make sharp turns. However, you will still need to plug some measurements in to a formula to be absolutely certain.

To start, the center of the hitch pin jaws will be 1-1/2 inches forward of the centerline of the rear axle. Measure from that point to the cab of the truck (measurement A). Add 22 inches for the length of a Sidewinder arm to measurement A.

Next measure the width of the 5th wheel trailer overhang and divide by 2 (measurement B). Take measurement A (plus the 22 inches) and subtract from it measurement B to get the amount of clearance you will have. You will need at least 4 inches of clearance to safely make 90 degree turns.

Sidewinders are pin box specific, so you will need to know which pin box you have on your trailer and then you will be able to pick out the correct sidewinder. I attached an FAQ article that has a chart in it that shows which sidewinder is required for each pin box for you to check out.

Next, you will need a fifth wheel hitch. For that I would recommend a Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch, part # RP30047, and Reese Base Rails and Installation Kit, part # RP50081-58. These rails are custom and will install quicker with less drilling than a universal kit.

expert reply by: Jameson C

0

Mike M.

4/22/2013

I have a 2001 F-150 Super Crew with a 5 12 foot bed. Using the instructions provided, the distance from my axle minus 1.5 is 24. Adding 22 to that for the Sidewinder arm makes 46. Since I need a clearance of 4, I am limited to a 7 84 wide trailer. Most of the trailers Ive been looking at are around 8 96 wide. If I were to buy an 8 wide trailer, could I use a Sliding 5th wheel hitch to use for low speed maneuvering?

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Patrick B.

4/25/2013

A slider combined with an extend pin box like a Sidewinder will usually end up impacting the tail gate. Even with the tail gate removed, using a Sidewinder with a slider is not recommended. The weight gets pretty far behind the axle.

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