cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

5th wheel hitch question

whitecloud
Explorer
Explorer
Howdy,

I have a 2015 Ram Cummins 3500 with the 8 foot bed. My wife and I are thinking about buying a 5th wheel this Saturday. We have some places to camp that are on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Camping spots there are not real big. There is one we have reserved that is crescent shaped. With our pull-along, I would have no problem connecting and reconnecting the truck with the trailer. I am wondering if I attempt to connect up with a fifth wheel hitch and do not hit it "straight on" but at an angle, will the hitch lock up. I am looking hard at a B&W Companion hitch. I would really like to hear from anyone with experience with this sort of situation.

Thanks
10 REPLIES 10

whitecloud
Explorer
Explorer
All, Thanks for the insights. I am feeling a lot better about this. Sometimes you don't know what you don't know. Its nice to hear from people who have been there and done that. I guess it is time to get the B&W.

Halmfamily
Explorer
Explorer
Watch your tailgate when backing in at any angle. I have only 4" of room between tailgate and front storage door of the fiver backing straight in. You will more than likely have to have your spouse close the tailgate as you're backing in. I left a nice hole in my old fiver backing in at an angle.
2008 GMC Sierra 3500 SLT DRW D/A 4x4 (Big All)
2006 Ford F350 PSD SRW King Ranch 4x4 (Henry) (Sold)
B&W Companion, 90 Aux Fuel Tank, Scan Gauge II, Curt f/m hitch, Swagman XC
2015 Forest River Sierra 360 PDEK
DW Diane, DS Michael, FB Draco and Sabian

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Me Again wrote:
Get the B&W RVK3600 that locks in to the four bed pucks. If your truck does not have the pucks, you can install them yourself like I did. Four hours by myself including the in bed trailer plug to install. Mounts for the pucks are on the frame already. Chris


He always mentions "by myself" that's because he got too impatient to wait for my help!

Yes the 3600 is the best non air ride hitch on the market. You can easily hook up with RV and TV not in a straight line and also if the RV and TV are tilted opposite of each other side to side.

Simple solid and NO QUESTION if you are hitched.

Also the tool box is awesome.

Here is a pic for your viewing delight. 😉

2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"

"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Explorer III
Any 4-way articulating 5th wheel hitch will allow off angle/off-camber hitching
Is it time for your medication or mine?


2007 DODGE 3500 QC SRW 5.9L CTD In-Bed 'quiet gen'
2007 HitchHiker II 32.5 UKTG 2000W Xantex Inverter
US NAVY------USS Decatur DDG31

BB_TX
Nomad
Nomad
Most of the newer 5th wheel hitches with 4 way tilt will work fine. BUT. With some trucks you cannot go in at an angle with the tailgate down. You would either need to use a V gate. Or have someone behind raising the tailgate after it had passed the pin box and before it hit the front of the trailer. Or you could back part way under, get out and raise the gate, and get back in and finish backing. I have my stock tailgate on my long bed F350 and cannot be off much of an angle without the tailgate hitting the trailer.

Nicholsfamily05
Explorer
Explorer
We have one camp ground we go to and our favorite site I can only hook up at an angle. Never had an issue.
2016 Ram 3500 4x4 Big Horn Crew Cab, SRW. Cummins Turbo Diesel Automatic 68RFE Trans
50 gallon diesel Transfer Flow tank with the Traxx 3 system.
2017 Sierra FLIK 5th Wheel
42' Front Livingroom, 15K
Hydraulic level up system

corvettekent
Explorer
Explorer
The B&W Companion hitch is a great hitch and you will not have any problem with it at an angle, it will even work with the truck and trailer twisted.
2022 Silverado 3500 High Country CC/LB, SRW, L5P. B&W Companion Hitch with pucks. Hadley air horns.

2004 32' Carriage 5th wheel. 860 watts of solar MPPT, two SOK 206 ah LiFePO4 batteries. Samlex 2,000 watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter.

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
The B&W FW hitches work well, when hooking/unhooking, at most any angle.

Jerry

Me_Again
Explorer II
Explorer II
Get the B&W RVK3600 that locks in to the four bed pucks. If your truck does not have the pucks, you can install them yourself like I did. Four hours by myself including the in bed trailer plug to install. Mounts for the pucks are on the frame already. Chris
2021 F150 2.7 Ecoboost - Summer Home 2017 Bighorn 3575el. Can Am Spyder RT-L Chrome, Kawasaki KRX1000. Retired and enjoying it! RIP DW 07-05-2021

Cdash
Explorer
Explorer
With a standard fifth wheel hitch, it's no problem hitching at an angle.

I have a pullrite and cannot do that due to the special capture plate. It's the price I pay for the convenience of pulling with a short box.