Leveling A Fifth Wheel

[Calicajun]

Hi,
At the moment I have a pull behind TT but looking into getting a 5th wheel trailer.

The one question that came to mind is how do you level a 5th wheel. The my pull behind TT I use with a WDH to even out the load through out the truck. I haven't seen anything like that for a 5th wheel trailer. I know the hitch sits over the rear axle but that still puts more weight on the back of the truck than the front. Also the tongue weight of a 5th wheel is much heavier than a TT tongue. :?

[Goostoff]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

vinr wrote:
I have a 2013 Ram 2500 Cummings. My 5er is a 37ft Columbus at about 11k empty. My TV doesn't even break a sweat! Good luck finding the right unit.

CUMMINS

High Five!!!!!

I have 3500 dually with a Rat under the hood and a 35 foot Cedar Creek , and I am sweating bullets every time I come to a hill. The rest of the time I am calm cool and collected because I dont think a hurricane could make my trailer sway.

The 5th wheel hitches have a series of holes so you can adjust the height and level it out

[Cummins12V98]

vinr wrote:
I have a 2013 Ram 2500 Cummings. My 5er is a 37ft Columbus at about 11k empty. My TV doesn't even break a sweat! Good luck finding the right unit.

CUMMINS

[laknox]

Calicajun wrote:
Hi,
At the moment I have a pull behind TT but looking into getting a 5th wheel trailer.

The one question that came to mind is how do you level a 5th wheel. The my pull behind TT I use with a WDH to even out the load through out the truck. I haven't seen anything like that for a 5th wheel trailer. I know the hitch sits over the rear axle but that still puts more weight on the back of the truck than the front. Also the tongue weight of a 5th wheel is much heavier than a TT tongue. :?

To level a FW, you need to adjust 3 things; hitch, pin box and FW suspension. Most FW suspensions will have multiple holes in the spring hangars that you use for this. Also, the springs may be below the axle tube (mine is) and you can buy a kit to have the springs put on top of the axle to gain about 3-4" height. Biggest issues are making sure your FW is near-level (2-3" isn't ideal, but isn't usually an issue) =and= your truck is level. You also have to have enough clearance between the FW and the truck bed, usually no less than 6". Once you have your set up the way you want it, you just hook up and go; no further adjustments are necessary when hitching or unhitching.

Lyle

[vinr]

I have a 2013 Ram 2500 Cummings. My 5er is a 37ft Columbus at about 11k empty. My TV doesn't even break a sweat! Good luck finding the right unit.

[Cummins12V98]

Calicajun wrote:
Thanks all,
I was wondering how the leveling working with 5th wheels.
I just bought a 2015 Ram 2500 Mega cab 4x4 with the 6'4" bed. The 5th wheels we are looking at are all between 9,000 to 11,000 pound max weight. Maybe I should say I am looking at the 9,000 pound units the wife is looking at the 11,000 pound units.

I would say those are good numbers to be looking "within" for your truck.

[Cummins12V98]

stickdog wrote:
A properly installed fifthwheel hitch should be 2" in front of the axle. Yes the weight is on the rear axle and should not unload the front axle at all.

BINGO!!! We have a winner.

With about 5K pin I have just under 200# of that transferring to the front axle.

[noteven]

We leveled our 5th wheel trailer by adjusting the height of the 5th wheel (aka "the hitch") in our truck, and the trailer's pin height using the adjustment holes provided.

[Calicajun]

Thanks all,
I was wondering how the leveling working with 5th wheels.
I just bought a 2015 Ram 2500 Mega cab 4x4 with the 6'4" bed. The 5th wheels we are looking at are all between 9,000 to 11,000 pound max weight. Maybe I should say I am looking at the 9,000 pound units the wife is looking at the 11,000 pound units.

[stickdog]

A properly installed fifthwheel hitch should be 2" in front of the axle. Yes the weight is on the rear axle and should not unload the front axle at all.

[Allworth]

My weights (with a 13,480# fiver) are very much like Garysol's.

[brirene]

That's why payload of your tv is the most important consideration when considering a fiver. Hence the adage "you can never have too much truck".

[garysol]

My 14,000 pound 5th wheel puts 2,840 pounds on the rear axle but no extra weight onto the front at all.

[is_it_friday_ye]

Most have at least a 3/4 ton or 1 ton (SRW or DRW). I added air bags to my SRW 1 ton to help a bit. Mine didn't sag very much without the air bags though.

[Water-Bug]

A TT loads the TV behind the rear axel, this unloads weight from the TV front axel. A 5er loads the TV rear axel, without unloading the TV front axel. TV are by design front axel heavy. The engine and transmission typically load the front axel of the TV. Excess pin weight does unbalance the TV, but as long as you don't exceed the load capacity of the TV, 5er handle better than TTs.