Recommended Clearance Between Truck Camper and Towed Enclosed Box Trailer

Updated 06/03/2019 | Published 05/30/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Convert-A-Ball Cushioned 5th-Wheel-to-Gooseneck Adapter - 12" to 16" Tall - 20,000 lbs

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2" Hitch Ball - 1" Diameter x 2-1/8" Long Shank - Chrome - 7,500 lbs

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$15.01

Brophy Ball Mount - 3" Rise, 4" Drop - 14-5/8" Long - Aluminum - 8,000 lbs

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TorkLift SuperTruss Hitch Extension for SuperHitch Trailer Hitch Receivers - 48" Long

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$675.17

Question:

Hello! I have a truck camper and I also pull an enclosed trailer. What is the minimum distance between the two that is appropriate to maintain a full turning radius. My current set up is a 32” SuperTruss extension my camper has. 29” overhang and a 3 foot tongue length in front of the trailer box. Sad to say my Rieco Titan jacks have left strong impressions in the front panel more than a few times from turning activities on both level and uneven ground. I don’t want to go too long beyond the bumper with the hitch extensions, but I am thinking of upgrading to the 48” extensions. Can you offer any advice and extensions? Thanks

asked by: JY

Expert Reply:

If your truck camper's rear Rieco jacks have contacted the front of your box trailer you'll need either a longer SuperTruss extension like the 48-inch # TLE1548 or an extra long ball mount # EA40 to increase your turning clearance.

This 2-inch ball mount gives you over 15-inches of clearance from the hitch pin hole to the 1-inch diameter ball hole. If you compare this to your current ball mount, you'll know how many inches of additional clearance you can add without having to swap out the Super Truss. Ball mount # EA40 is rated for 800-lbs tongue weight and gross trailer weight of 8000-lbs and it works with a 2-inch ball like # 63845.

I suggest you check your current clearance by putting the truck and trailer into a tight turn position and measuring the space between the camper jacks and the front panel of the trailer. Ideally in the tightest turn you will ever make you'll want to have 6 inches of open space between the jacks and front panel of the box trailer. This will allow safety margin for making that turn on uneven ground when the trailer's pitch may put it closer to the jack than when on a level surface.

expert reply by: Adam R