Why is 5 to 6 Inches of Clearance Needed Between Top of Bed Sides and Underside of 5th Wheel Loft

Updated 12/08/2014 | Published 12/06/2014

Question:

Need to know why i need to be on a level suface when i need to jack my trailer up so it clears the side rails of my truck by 5 or 6 inches. Wont this determine which hitch I need although my trailer is not sitting level over the pickup thank you

asked by: tim D

Expert Reply:

There's actually a very good reason why we like to see 5 or 6 inches of clearance between the underside of the trailer loft and the tops of the bed sides. If you make a downhill turn, the underside of your trailer loft will actually be pointing downward. If you don't have enough clearance, the front corner of the loft underside can hit the top of your bedside, which would likely damage both. In most cases you can adjust the height of the hitch head and lower the pin box to add sufficient clearance.

If you're using an adapter like the # AM3100, you'll need one with sufficient height to ensure you have enough clearance. The # AM3100 is height adjustable. To determine if it'll work, back your truck into position as if you were hooking up your fifth-wheel trailer, making sure that the truck and trailer are level. Measure from the pin plate (the bottom of the pin box) down to the top of the ball in the bed of your truck.The measurement should fall between 11-3/4" and 14-3/4". (The adapter is 11-3/4" tall when fully compressed and 14-3/4" tall when fully extended.

expert reply by: Mike L