Is There a Longer Pin Box Available to Replace Lippert 1716 for More Turning Clearance

Updated 07/09/2025 | Published 07/07/2025

Question:

Are there any longer replacements for a Lippert 1716 that are more horizontal and have a forward position of 3 inches for the king pin?

asked by: Daniel

Expert Reply:

Hey Daniel, there aren't any longer pin box replacements for your Lippert 1716 to give it more turning clearance like it sounds like you are looking for. Do you have a short bed truck and/or a slider fifth wheel hitch? If so what specifically do you have?

expert reply by: Jameson C

Daniel

7/9/2025

Hi Jameson and thanks for reaching out. We have a 2005 F-250 SRW shortbed hauling a Komfort 222FS (30" Lippert 1716 pin box) with a slider 5th wheel hitch in the bed. This setup all works great on the older truck, but it is time for a new truck. Unfortunately all the new trucks have bed rail tops that average 60" off the ground. Meanwhile, when level, our 5th wheel overhang is only 48" to the ground. This issue rules out any new truck with the OEM box, hence the reason we are looking at a hauler body truck bed replacement. Even with the issue of removing the bed side rails with the hauler body, we now run into the B&W Companion receiver hitch plate being too high, causing the trailer into a nose up orientation. (A B&W Companion hitch plate comes in at 47-49" off ground, where as our ideal / level kingpin height is 40-42", which yields an unacceptable tilt.) So it seems that everyone with an older, well built and extremely functional fiver trailer is having this problem that would (or could) be easily solved with a long horizontal pin box instead of the available slanted ones (with a 7+" drop) that result in a nose high attitude when attached. Unfortunately a lot of solutions we are hearing is buy a new trailer and a new truck, which is not in our or most other people's budget. So we have been looking at bed deletes and hauler body replacements. Since the best hauler bodies use the B&W Turnover Ball solution with the Companion hitch, even this configuration does not resolve our the nose high condition (although this combination should provide the lowest possible hitch plate height). Currently we are exhausting our options for a level attitude solution with our existing fiver and a new truck...ugh. What have you to say about this dilemma?

Jameson C.

7/9/2025

@Daniel That is incredibly frustrating. I've noticed the trucks getting taller and taller over the years to the point it's almost a joke. Normally we recommend a lift kit on the trailer to help get it up high enough but if the difference is 12 inches that's not something we can help with. Are you sure the overhang of the camper is really only 48 inches tall? That seems really short even for an older camper.

Daniel

7/9/2025

@JamesonC Yes, my measurements are true and correct. If I could you send pictures with a tape measure I would, but that doesn't seem to be an option with this web interface. And yes I agree, a lift kit on the trailer is out of the question for that level of height disparity. Even with a possible shakle decrease on a new truck, you have modified the undercarriage and driveline characteristics and might even void the warranty, so this is also not an option. So, welcome to a world of built-in obsolesence... BTW, the reason for new truck is a weak motor and trans. We're looking to move up to a pushrod 6.8L or a 7.3L in a late model F-350. Someday we'll probably go back to a slide in truck camper and need the extra payload capacity, but until then, there needs to be a solution. This sounds like a perfect niche for someone to fill and exploit.