Hitch on rear of 5th wheel

[Rob8484]

I was thinking of adding a hitch to the rear of my 5th wheel mainly for bike rack. Do they make hitches for these or are the ones I've seen with them been modified and make up to fit the frame of the 5th wheel?

[Bionic_Man]

Have a local welder custom make one for the back of your 5er. They will do it right, and it won't be much more expensive (if at all) than trying to make a pre-fab one work.

[Willcamp4]

I have seen some of these work well, but the trailer must have a smooth ride. If not the rack can bounce enough to ruin your bikes. Many trailers have a receiver hitch available for them. If not a professional hitch shop can easily build one. Many RVs have a sealed bottom that won't easily accommodate a receiver hitch without modifications. If you ask the dealer you bought the trailer from, or who handles the brand, they can either supply the hitch or refer you to a quality shop that can.

[glazier]

I just put one of the bolt on receiver tubes on my new Fifth Wheel. The one I used was Curt Bolt on, I removed the 4" factory bumper on mine to allow the receiver to set close to the bottom of the camper. This is not a hard project to do, but not a DIY either, the tube and bracket is heavy. Cutting the underbelly to make it look professional, is the key to this installation. I am 100% satisfied with my installation, it looks factory. I am using it for a bike rack, and cargo carrier.

[Carl_n_Susan]

Do a Google Search for "Hidden Hitch 82201" a bolt-on hitch adjustable to a frame up to 72" wide (most 5th wheels). It is what you are looking for.

[BillyandKris]

Agree with outdoorlovers. You should attach to frame somehow. Get it done by someone who knows what they are doing. I am not sure how they do this or where they get them. Some campers are all sealed up underneath and maybe no way to get to the frame unless you remove part of the underbelly seal temporarily.

[outdoorlovers]

We have a new 5th wheel and had the hitch professionally installed by the dealer. It is attached to the frame.

[Rob8484]

No, I would not be using any type of hitch on the bumper. I've seen 5ers with regular truck type hitches on them that are bolted or welded to the frame. Are these homemade hitches or do they make them that wide to be able to attach to the trailer frame?

[BillyandKris]

I am no expert on this, but will offer just a bit from our experiences. Be sure your frame and/or rear bumper are sturdy enough to handle it. You can crack your frame and/or bumper and whole business could fall off and hit a car or something plus lose your bikes. Be sure to get a "sit upon" type bike rack. Remember the "hang upon" kind bounce a lot already and the rear of the trailer bounces some. I think unless you have a really heavy duty camper that those you see hopefully have been beefed up by a welder. Your bikes will get really dirty back there. If you have nice bikes, as we do, you may want to invest in a cover. We are going to have one made with a zipper since you cannot buy a decent one that holds up in the wind.