Is There Formula To Determine Short Bed Truck Has Clearance for Fifth Wheel Trailer Turn Clearance

Updated 04/09/2018 | Published 04/07/2018

Question:

I have a 2004 Courgar. It also has an adapter so it attaches to the gooseneck ball. My vehicle would have that set-up for my horse trailer. That said, between the 5th wheel attachment and adapter for a gooseneck ball, the entire package is 12inch out from the front of the trailer. Would this be adequate with a short box truck. Ive been told about the Anderson hitch and looked at your slider, but I dont want all that in the bed of the pickup as I use it for other things. Thanks,

asked by: Mel

Expert Reply:

For almost all short bed trucks there just isn't enough distance between the cab and the trailer nose to allow for a sharp turn unless it's a trailer that is specifically designed for short bed truck turning clearance.

The formula you need to determine clearance is this:

(A + B) - C = Clearance
A = Distance from the fifth wheel jaw center to the truck cab
B = Offset used (slider clearance or Sidewinder offset)
C = Width of the nose of the trailer divided by 2.

expert reply by: Jameson C