GUIDE TO CHOOSING THE BEST TRUCK FOR 5TH-WHEEL TOWING
Long-Bed Trucks : 8 Feet
An 8-foot bed , also referred to as a long bed , is ideal for towing a fifth-wheel trailer . Fifth-wheel hitches must remain in front of a truck ' s rear axle , so the camper sits close to the cab . This can cause clearance issues on shorter trucks , as the trailer will strike the cab during sharp turns if the proper towing equipment is not used . However , an 8-foot bed provides plenty of clearance for making sharp turns with no special hitches or pin boxes needed .
Which hitch do I need ?
If you choose a long-bed truck , you can purchase a fixed hitch to tow your camper . Fixed hitches are generally more cost-effective than the sliding hitches required for short-bed trucks ( often by several hundred dollars ) in addition to being more convenient . Once it ' s installed , you don ' t have to worry about adjusting the hitch for turns or acheiving cab clearance . Fixed hitches are available with above-bed and below-bed rails .
Short-Bed Trucks : Under 8 Feet
If you want to tow a fifth wheel , but the truck of your dreams turns out to have a bed shorter than 8 feet long , don ' t despair — you can have your cake and eat it , too ( preferably while sitting in your fifth-wheel trailer in the camping location of your choice ). Although truck beds under 8 feet run into clearance issues due to the camper being so close to the cab , there are hitches available that give you the option of towing with a short-bed truck .
Which hitch do I need ?
While fixed hitches aren ' t usually a viable option for short beds , sliding hitches are designed to work with beds shorter than 8 feet long . Sliding hitches provide greater turning clearance by sliding backward toward the truck tailgate during sharp turns , thus increasing the distance between the cab and the trailer .
There are two types of sliding hitches : manual and automatic . Manual sliding hitches must be physically adjusted from the " locked " to the " turn " position , so you will have
Short-bed trucks cause clearance issues on sharp turns , though this issue can be avoided with a sliding hitch or Sidewinder .
to pull over and exit your vehicle each time you make a sharp turn . Automatic sliding hitches self-adjust during turns , allowing you to circumvent this pesky process , albeit at a higher price point . With an automatic sliding hitch , you never have to exit your vehicle to make a turn — the hitch slides smoothly toward the tailgate when you turn and back toward the cab when you straighten out .
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