Required Clearance Between Truck Bed Rails and 5th Wheel Trailer Overhang

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Question:

How do I determine which height setting to use for the anderson hitch? The ball has 3 holes for 15 3/4 to 18 inch height. I have it in a 2003 2500HD Silverado Crew Cab with a 6 1/2foot bed. Im pulling a Flagstaff 26526rlws, 7500#

asked by: Marc J

0

Expert Reply:

What you can do is refer to the linked diagram that shows the minimum recommended clearance at the truck bed rails when towing a 5th wheel like your Forest River Flagstaff.

At the bed rails, where the trailer overhang will be, you want no less than 5-inches of vertical clearance between the coupled trailer's overhang and the tops of the truck's bed rails. This allows enough room for the pitch and roll of the truck and trailer as you go down twisty roads; the trailer and truck bed rails can get pretty close to each other when the truck starts climbing out of a dip in the road while the trailer is still heading downhill.

You also naturally want the hitched trailer to be as close to perfectly level as possible so that it tows well, without much sway. With some trucks it can be necessary to raise the trailer height with an over-under kit like # K71-384-00 or # K71-385-00 in order for it to remain level when hitched. These axle over-under kits can provide several inches of height gain in the trailer by moving the leaf springs to the tops of the axles.

The tire size on both the truck and trailer can vary. Your 2003 Silverado 2500 came with any of 4 stock tire sizes. Also the condition of the suspension can cause variances in the truck's stance.

expert reply by: Adam R

0

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Answer 1

Yes it does; I verified with Hopkins that their Endurance wiring harness will fit both a 2003 and a 2013 Ford F-250. There are actually two of them, one with a 6 foot harness and the other with a 10 foot harness, which you may want depending on where…

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Answer 2

The Hopkins Endurance 5th Wheel/Gooseneck 90-Degree Wiring Harness w/ 7-Pole Connector - 6' Long #HM41158 will work on your 2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty, but depending on where you want to mount it may be a little short. If you want a longer…

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Answer 3

The Reese M5 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Single Jaw - 20,000 lbs #RP30928 will fit on the same 5th wheel rails as your Pro Series 15K hitch. Reese and Pro Series are made by the same company and will use the same location on your base rails. I've…

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Answer 4

The Curt #C16427-104 bracket/rail kit is compatible with your 2018 Ram 2500, and would provide industry standard bed rails that mount in your truck bed. The Andersen #AM3200 Ultimate Connection is compatible with industry standard rails, so the two…

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Answer 5

The Hopkins Endurance 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Wiring Harness will connect on any vehicle that has a standard round U.S. Car type connector at the back of its 7-way. The linked photo shows the connectors on this part which plug in between the OEM harness…

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Answer 6

It is not recommended to use two adapters at the same time. The added stress of a second adapter could cause damage to the adapters or the trailer. The Curt X5, part #16310 is designed to work with the B&W gooseneck you said is in the bed of your…

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Answer 7

The Andersen Ultimate Connection #AM3200 will fit your 2014 Ford F350 assuming that your Pullrite was installed with Industry Standard Rails (See photo below). If you don't have that kit on your F350, use Custom 5th Wheel Installation Kit…

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Answer 8

If have a great 5th wheel option that will work for you, however, the Andersen Ultimate Connection 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch System with Adapter #AM3200 can only be used with fixed pin boxes. The design of the Anderson Ultimate Hitches would create two…

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Answer 9

Yes, the Andersen Ultimate Connection 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch System #AM3200 does come the alignment ring. I attached a picture that shows it as well.

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Answer 10

The Andersen Ultimate 5th Wheel Adapter #AM3200 that you referenced can be installed in two ways. Its offset design allows the adapter to mount with the hitch ball either closer to the truck cab or to the tailgate, depending on your trailer-to-truck…

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Answer 11

Your Grand Design Reflection 295RLS has an unloaded hitch weight of 1391 lbs. The Andersen Ultimate Connection 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch System with Adapter part #AM3200 is capable of handling a load of up to 4,500 lbs. With that information I can…

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Answer 12

The Curt Safety Chain Loops for Factory Ram Underbed Gooseneck Trailer Hitch - Qty 2 #C60617 look like they fit based on the photos online. However, the Andersen Ultimate has a width of 31.5 inches and the Ram pucks I believe are 30-1/2 inches on…

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Required Clearance Between Truck Bed Rails and 5th Wheel Trailer Overhang

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