Newbie-How hard is it to hitch & unhitch a 5th Wheel?

[Crazy_Sadie]

I am considering full timing & like the set up in a 5th wheel. How hard are they to learn to hitch & unhitch. I'm a 5'2' lady & have only towed a race car years ago. Would like your thoughts.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

kaydeejay wrote:
If you can't hitch up with the tailgate down then I suspect your hitch is too far forward in the box. Long box or short box, the hitch should position the pin over (or a fraction ahead of) the rear axle.

So, note to OP, when you get a hitch installed in your truck, make sure it's done per hitch manufacturer instructions!

Our hitch is where it's supposed to be - we used the Ford F-350-specific mounting kit. My son has a Dodge shortbed with a 5th-wheel hitch - he can't lower his tailgate when hooked to our 5er, either. It has nothing to do with the hitch placement and everything to do with how long the "nose" of the 5er is. If you walk around an RV park and really look, you'll see that 5ers have different length noses. Our Laredo has a short nose. Of course, this also means we can't access the front under-nose compartment while hooked up - so the first night we were unhooked (after having this "short-nose epiphany"), we rearranged our storage compartments to make critical tools, leveling blocks, board scraps, etc accessible no matter what.

[WhitehouseLV]

6 point auto level up system really makes setting up nice, wish I had it on my fiver. I have a remote that allows me to lower & raise the front legs as needed from the seat of my truck. Eliminates getting in & out of the truck to check clearances. 🙂

[Unyalli]

ependydad wrote:
my B&W hitch can be hitched up at all sorts of angles; I've never had to worry about unhitching; and, hitching up is a gentle process.

X2 The B&W design with the big lever is the best for hitching and unhitching.

Jeff

[ependydad]

As mentioned before- some hitches are easier to hookup than others. I recently interacted with 4 different delivery drivers for my camper. One had to "really hit the pin hard" to get hitched up; another had concerns that his pin was bound in the hitch and he'd have to rock the truck a little (or something) to get unhitched. Get a more expensive hitch and your worries there go away - my B&W hitch can be hitched up at all sorts of angles; I've never had to worry about unhitching; and, hitching up is a gentle process.

The Wheel/Tire Step suggestion is an awesome one. It should get you up high enough. If not, a 3-step ladder in the back of the truck will do the trick.

I have 100% faith that my wife could hitch up, unhitch and tow with no issues. There's no strength needed- it's all finesse.

[Crazy_Sadie]

stetwood,

I'm going to use the "stick" info. Great idea.

[Crazy_Sadie]

stetwood wrote:
To prevent hopping back and forth into the truck to determine height, I carry a 6 foot stick,(metal or plastic conduit would work too). I put a mark on it(actually a plastic tie) where the trucks wheel well meets it when empty. When loaded with the 5ver the mark will be higher on the stick. When the well hits the stick mark, you know that the weight is off the truck another 1/4 inch or so and you can unhook. I then take that stick and using a spot on the 5ver, such as a screw or trim, mark that spot. After pulling the TV out from under the 5ver I then raise or lower the 5ver to fit the site and finish my setup. When I prepare to hookup, I take that stick to the screw, raise or lower to the mark, and with almost never have to play pop in and out of the cab to check if the jaws are right.

That stick stays in the box and when unhooked over the front feet.

[Crazy_Sadie]

Thanx all. Good info & a real help. I'm going it alone full time so I really have to have all my "ducks in a row" to avoid disaster. The videos are really helpful as well as the suggestion to have someone experienced to try is all out with. Thanx again!

[GramaofAAAA]

You can do it! We are new to 5th wheels, and I have "helped" every time we have moved it. You need a good system and stick to each step every time. I'm 5' 1"...with my shoes on 🙂 I will need to use something to stand on to hitch up the pin...maybe a old milk crate turned upside down? I've never pulled any trailers, but did try a few trips around the empty Kmart lot after we bought the 5th wheel. I plan to learn to hitch up and tow ours this summer. Should be fun....my poor husband! 🙂

[Veebyes]

Easy routine once you get it down. No worse than the drill the Class A folks go through with the toad.

It is a single or two person affair for us. With a crewcab, long bed & toolbox/fueltank in the bed seeing the lineup is not easy when very close so DW gives hand signals L or R alot or little plus raises or lowers trailer if needed.

[stetwood]

To prevent hopping back and forth into the truck to determine height, I carry a 6 foot stick,(metal or plastic conduit would work too). I put a mark on it(actually a plastic tie) where the trucks wheel well meets it when empty. When loaded with the 5ver the mark will be higher on the stick. When the well hits the stick mark, you know that the weight is off the truck another 1/4 inch or so and you can unhook. I then take that stick and using a spot on the 5ver, such as a screw or trim, mark that spot. After pulling the TV out from under the 5ver I then raise or lower the 5ver to fit the site and finish my setup. When I prepare to hookup, I take that stick to the screw, raise or lower to the mark, and with almost never have to play pop in and out of the cab to check if the jaws are right.

That stick stays in the box and when unhooked over the front feet.

[Lyncro]

We picked up our Grand Design Reflection yesterday and I would definitely recommend a 5th wheel over the TT. It was much easier to hook up and took a fraction of the time and energy of our old KZ Spree TT. The 5'er has much more room and the comfort level is like night and day. We had a Reese 16k hitch that functioned perfectly on our maiden trip. I wouldn't think you should have any issues if you went with the 5th wheel.

[C_Schomer]

It's so easy, girls can do it! Sorry, just my odd humor! With some trucks you can turn the center rear view mirror down and see the hitch but that didn't work on my current truck. I put a camera right under the third brake light and it works great for getting the hitch centered with the pin. I also carry a small tape measure so I can adjust the pin to the right height before even getting into the truck. A mirror on the front of the 5er would work great, too. I wish mine had one. It's really fast and easy and a step stool will fix your short problems! Learning the quick tricks to leveling on really uneven ground is a little harder but the Hoppy graduated levels make that fairly easy. Craig

[12thgenusa]

WhitehouseLV wrote:
The one thing I've experienced that can be difficult is unhitching. Lately it seems everything must be leveled and chocked. Maybe something has changed & I'll learn what it is but this alone has been very frustrating. Now maybe part of it is I did change vehicles and my new truck squats a little.

Hooking up has always been easy and quick.

Unhitching on extremely uneven ground where the trailer is twisted one way and the TV another beyond the limits of the hitch can make it difficult to unlatch. A four-way tilting head helps in this regard. The other thing that is usually the problem is the pin being hard against the jaws. If the final move before unhitching is pulling forward as on to ramps for example, you will have this problem. The solution is just to back up slightly, relieve the tension and the jaws will snap open easily.

[T-10_Parabolic]

Can't reach the hitch from the ground,, Google wheel step,, they are great for those of us that vertically challenged!!!! T-10