Hitch position question or poll

S.Parker wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I deal is to have the king pin over or slightly ahead of the truck axle. Obviously that is not going to work in your case. You need to get the measurement from the kingpin to the front of your trailer. Then make the distance from the rear outside corner of your truck's bumper to the center of the truck's hitch a few inches more than that measurement. The further the king pin is behind the rear axle the more your fifth wheel will pull like a tag axle trailer.
It's not going to be ideal but it will work.

Distance from kingpin to trailer is also 67" so I assume my corners on my bed will 70-80 something lol not to sure how a tag axle trailer pulls

There are two main reasons a fifth wheel tows nicer than a tag:

1. While cruising down the highway with a fifth wheel in tow, if you turn the truck to the right the front of the truck immediately starts moving to the right.....very shortly after the front of the trailer follows, moving to the right as well.

With a tag trailer in tow any movement on the trucks front end initiates a movement in the opposite direction on the front of the trailer. So there is a natural tendency for a tag trailer to sway back and forth as it's being towed down the highway.

2. Because the hitch of a fifth wheel is generally over the truck axles no weight is taken off the steering axle....a tag trailer bounces 4 feet behind the rear truck axle causing negative effects on the steering geometry and traction of the front tires to road surface.


So the further you move your hitch behind the rear axle the more like a tag your trailer will pull. Because a fifth wheel is designed to transfer its pin weight over the rear truck axle they are designed with heavier pin weights. Even though your old trailer is only 5000 lbs It could have a pin plus hitch weight of 1700 lbs When loaded. If you move your hitch back 12" that 1700 lbs will only remove about 150 lbs off your front end.