5th wheel setup questions (long)
TIA, & sorry for the book and all the questions. I may be worrying about nothing, but in selecting a 5th wheel towing setup how do you ensure you have adequate clearance between the top of the truc...
Forum Discussion
After reading your post more thoroughly, your math is correct. I don't know why knowing what exact truck and/or trailer matters, though. Anybody can do simple math. It's not special "Dodge math" or something like that.
To get 6" clearance between the 20" high bed rails and the underside of the 5th wheel, you will need a total of 26" of height. Setting the top of the 5th wheel to 14" above the surface of the bed, combined with the pin being 12" below the overhang, will give you that 26".
That gives you a good starting point, but be prepared to do some trial and error work just in case. You may need to go up or down an inch or two to get things dialed in perfectly.
The only issue you may have is getting things level. That truck's suspension may not let you lower it enough, or if it does, the truck may end up sagging in the back with the trailer level. You still might have to flip the trailer axles, or if they already are, you may need to install some "hockey pucks" for a couple more inches of lift.
To get 6" clearance between the 20" high bed rails and the underside of the 5th wheel, you will need a total of 26" of height. Setting the top of the 5th wheel to 14" above the surface of the bed, combined with the pin being 12" below the overhang, will give you that 26".
That gives you a good starting point, but be prepared to do some trial and error work just in case. You may need to go up or down an inch or two to get things dialed in perfectly.
The only issue you may have is getting things level. That truck's suspension may not let you lower it enough, or if it does, the truck may end up sagging in the back with the trailer level. You still might have to flip the trailer axles, or if they already are, you may need to install some "hockey pucks" for a couple more inches of lift.
