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Even Shorter-Bed Trucks : Under 6 Feet
With truck beds under 6 feet long , even sliding hitches don ' t provide enough clearance to make sharp turns . Instead , you ' ll need to use a Sidewinder pin box replacement ( or the OEM version , the Revolution ). With Sidewinders and Revolutions , the pivot point is located 22 inches behind the king pin , close to the tailgate , creating much more space in between the truck cab and trailer on sharp turns .
Sidewinders are pin box specific , so you will need your current pin box model number in order to find the correct replacement box . If you know your pin box model number , you can select it to see Sidewinder options that will fit . If you don ' t know your pin box model number and can ' t locate it on the pin box , you can measure to find the correct replacement .
A truck pulls a 5th-wheel trailer with a Sidewinder
Which hitch do I need ?
Fixed hitches are highly recommended with Sidewinder and Revolution pin boxes . You will also need a wedge to prevent the king pin from rotating in your hitch . If you use a sliding hitch with a Sidewinder or Revolution , the hitch should always be kept in the " locked " position . Certain hitches are incompatible with Sidewinder and Revolution pin boxes .
Sidewinder and Fixed Hitch
Our Recommendation : If that Crew Cab is a must-have , but it comes with a short bed , the good news is that towing a fifth wheel is possible with the proper equipment . However , hitch and pin box upgrades will have a higher out-of-pocket cost and aren ' t as convenient as fixed hitch setups . For these reasons , trucks with 8-foot beds are the preferred vehicles for towing fifth wheels .
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It ' s no secret that gas tends to cost less at almost every point : gas engines cost less upfront , fuel costs less at the pump , and maintenance costs are generally lower for gas engines .
However , over time , the superior fuel economy of a diesel engine can actually save you money . Diesel engines usually have a greater towing capacity because of their large torque outputs , which makes them ideal for hauling around massive fifth-wheel trailers . Diesel engines also tend to last longer than gas engines .
Gas vs . Diesel : Which is Best for Towing ?
Our Recommendation : Bottom line , if you ' re going to be towing a hefty fifth-wheel trailer , particularly over long distances , a diesel engine will be beneficial if you can swing the initially higher costs . However , gas engines are also perfectly capable of towing a fifth wheel , so a diesel engine is a recommendation , not a requirement .
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