Clearance Needed Between Top of Tailgate and Bottom of 5th Wheel Trailer with Sliding Hitch

Updated 08/01/2018 | Published 07/31/2018

Question:

How much clearance should there be between kingpin and top of tailgate when slider is to the rear? Thanks!

asked by: Jim O

Expert Reply:

In general you will want to have at least 6 inches of clearance between the top of the bed rails or tailgate and the bottom of the trailer loft. This gives you enough room to prevent the trailer contacting the rails and tailgate which can cause damage to both the trailer and your truck.

If you are having some clearance issues, see if you can adjust the height of your existing fifth-wheel hitch. Most pin boxes can also be adjusted vertically to help with this issue.

expert reply by: Chris R