How to Measure for Fifth Wheel Hitch Height Needed and For Bed Rail Clearance

Updated 05/06/2019 | Published 05/04/2019

Question:

I recently purchased a curt fifth wheel slider hitch for use on my 2018 F250. It will be used with a 2019 cougar 369bhs. When I spoke to the salesman, I was concerned with bed rail clearance so I went with the taller slider model C16521. Since I can’t seem to find any dimensions for these campers, I am wondering if the taller model is going to position this camper nose up. My bed rails are 21 inches and the slider unit can’t be adjusted to its lowest setting of 17.5 so hitch height may be about 2 to 2.5 inches below the rail. This seems high but I do not know what the camper pin to underside dimension is not so I know the overall height to underneath when the camper is sitting flat.

asked by: Jeffrey A

Expert Reply:

We don't have quite enough info to be able to determine if your trailer will sit nose high or not and if you'd have enough bed rail clearance. The dimensions you'll need are the height from your truck bed down to the ground and the height from the king pin plate of your trailer (when level) down to the ground for what hitch height it would take for the trailer to sit level. Basically whatever the difference between those two dimensions is what height setting it would take for the trailer to sit level.

Now you also need to have 6 inches between the top of the bed rails and the overhang of your trailer to have enough clearance. To determine this you can measure from ground to top of bed rails and then from ground to bottom of trailer overhang and calculate difference.

expert reply by: Jameson C