Can't See to Hitch Up

[CarnationSailor]

New to 5th wheeling.

Just got hitch installed in 2015 Chevy 2500HD, Crew Cab, Short Bed. When sitting in driver's seat and looking in either mirror or directly out back window I cannot see the hitch. So how do I hitch up?

Anyone have a recommended technique or alignment aids you use to overcome this?

Thanks

[Shepherd]

Install a cam at the third brake light.

[Reader1]

When DH and I read the responses, he said that our 5th has a mirror on the front that can be helpful. I don't know if yours does. After you figure out your personal system for backing, create a step by step system that works for hitching and unhitching. Follow that routine exactly every time. Make certain that you have no distractions, that you do a pull test each time and that chocks on first and chocks off last are words to live by. You can read dozens of posts where the 5th was dropped on the bed of the truck, or worse due to distractions and/or not following your routine. We typed the routine, laminated it and put it on the side of the hitch for the first couple years. Welcome to 5th wheeling.

[wademartin]

I adjust the height of the camper with the landing gear to the height that it was when unhooked. Lower tailgate. Place one magnetic hitch alignment orange ball over the center of the jaws on the hitch plate and the other over the king pin on the trailer pin box. I have a 5 inch by 8 inch adjustable mirror attached to a clamp that I attached to my passenger side sun visor. Back up the truck using the magnetic hitch alignment balls. With the mirror adjusted, I can clearly see the hitch plate and the king pin. Make sure the height is correct, get out and look if necessary. Continue backing until pin locks. Visually check jaws. Raise landing gear 1 inch, do pull test. Close tail gate. Enjoy the trip.
Wade

[kennethwooster]

You will probably develop your own method. Since I got a dually the fenders line up with outer edges of camper. Makes it really easy to find center. I'm only 5'2", so I definitely do not see the hitch. I do get out a couple of times and check the thing. Better then tearing something up, and helps me get hight of trailer just right. Easy slow and develop your system.

[ACZL]

Regardless of which method you use to hook up, don't be off so much that the legs of the camper slide as king pin slides into hitch. The legs are not designed to slide unlike semi trailer legs.

[Dave_H_M]

Instead of the tape on the rear window, The mount where the center head rest used to be works for me.

[huron52]

I have a wireless camera mounted on the tonneau cover. Works great, but sometimes I even get out and look with my own eyes as I get closer.

[Pipeman]

What Goostop said. Look at your mirrors and make sure you are fairly even on both sides of the rear of the TV to the trailer. Back in until you see the king pin enter the 5th wheel area. Stop get out and look to see where the king pin is, is the king pin high or low enough, adjust, then back in slowly until the kin pin hits the 5th wheel. Get out, look at the king pin to make sure it's not high hitched and is locked into the 5th wheel and all is copacetic with the world. You can look at your rear view mirror, in the truck, to see where your king pin is when backing in. If you feel you have to, get out and look multiple times until you feel secure about backing in that way. It's a lot easier than trying to crane your neck to see out the rear window, IMHO.

[laknox]

Having the marker on the rear window is a very old tip. After practice, you won't even need a marker on the trailer. Also, I agree that you need to let the pin ride up the hitch plate, BUT, you need to make sure the hitch plate is tipping back. My B&W will tend to tip forward, even with the factory-provided "anti-tilt" spring. If you don't, you can catch the front of the pin box on the hitch plate.

Lyle

[Sport45]

Don't get so caught up in aligning things to back in that you forget your tailgate is up. 🙂

[Goostoff]

Practice makes perfect. I just line up the dually fendes even in both side mirrors. I alway make sure to stop a few inches before contact Ind get out to check just to be certain I have the trailer height correct. Then just back under slowly until it latches. It helps that I used to spot semi trailers in a truck docks so I had to this 20 or 30 times a day. The only difference with semi trailers is that they are made to take the abouse of not lined up perfect and just ramming them home. 🙂

[oldbeek]

The center line is real hard to see. I placed a small decal on the lower edge of the front cap, directly above the right and left rear post on the truck bed. Both can easily be seen with side rear view mirrors when backing in.

[MarkTwain]

Hooking up 5th. wheel-
1. Paint a white 1/2 in. strip on the front and center of the plate hitch
2. tape a 1/2inch piece of tape on the inside of your back window. It only needs to go about 1/2 way up the rear window.
3. visually line up the rear window tape with the center of the trailer hitch and back up very slowly. When your trailer hitch is about 4" from the truck plate, stop. Get out and visually check the level of hitch plant and the trailer hitch or the white plastic disk if you use one. I recommend using one. Very imporant!!!!!!Raise or lower the trailer hitch until it is about 1" below the truck hitch plate. Now continue backing up slowly making the trailer hitch gently slide up on the hitch plate as it slightly pushes it down. Keep backing up until the you hear the hitch lock. Job done:)

[Old-Biscuit]

Nice thing about 5th wheel hitches unlike bumper pulls......get close and king pin will slide into opening of hitch.

When you are hitched make a mental note of 5vr in your mirrors as a reference.

Also when backing in 'center' hitch in bed of truck for as long as you CAN see it, then keep backing into until you feel/hear hitch latch.

King pin box plate should be 1" lower than hitch plate so 5vr rides up onto and then into hitch to eliminate 'high hitching'


AND if need be....get out and look (GOAL)

[MTPockets1]

While hitched up, I put a piece of red tape onto the pin box and another my tonneau cover. As I back, I can see both in my rear view mirror and just keep them in line. You may need to find another spot for the piece on the truck, maybe the rear window, but it will work the same.