5th wheel campers with 5.5' box

[gleninaz]

Might cull out some of the speculation if you said that in the first place. Towing 45 miles on flat pavement could be done with a small truck. I think people assumed you were going to use it as a travel trailer and then stopping is the only real concern. It is your business if the motor or tranny goes out. Good luck with the move.

[Dubee]

Might cull out some of the speculation if you said that in the first place. Towing 45 miles on flat pavement could be done with a small truck. I think people assumed you were going to use it as a travel trailer and then stopping is the only real concern. It is your business if the motor or tranny goes out. Good luck with the move.

I read the op and understood. Guess some people didn't .

[nhharris78]

Wish you were closer I have a superglide auto slider laying out behind the barn.

[dstep0]

Last month in Trailer Life magazine they had an article: "PullRite SuperGlide: Automatic Sliding Hitch Saves the Day for Shortbeds"

Don't have any experience with them but may be an option.

Link: http://www.trailerlife.com/towing/hi...for-shortbeds/

[707Utte]

Thank you to all who attempted to answer my question. Yes a bigger truck or longer box is preferred and preferred myself. No need to eat depreciation on my 14 150 that only has 44,000 miles. New truck not going to happen as what I have will suffice. Paying someone to move it isn't preferred I can buy a hitch and spend less money long term and have something of value if I get rid of the camper someday. There are hitches that will work for a 5.5 box and changing the kingpin to the Reese revolution or sidewinder is one of those options. Simply looking for info from those that do it with a similar setups as there are a bunch. Also I have E rated tires on my 150 now.

Now I don't rant on here very often but here it goes. This thread shows some of the best and worst of BBC. I asked a question based on specific circumstances. I LOVE the lectures about how, what, why, what I have won't work and what I need to do different. All of those options have been thought of and considered. My tow is 45 miles on paved county roads that are straight and flat. I think I can manage to tow 8400 lbs. safely that far at a safe speed that my truck is capable of handling. I had quite a few PM's from guys doing the exact same thing that sent PM's instead of posting because the didn't want to listen to the you shouldn't do that folks.

To those that sent PM's. Thank You there are defiantly more options available than what google and the rest of the internet showed in simple searches.

Next time be more specific with your question and you wouldn’t have the how, what, and why.

[ksubasser24]

I believe I was specific in asking for the information I was looking for. The how, what, and why was irrelevant to my question I asked. Also stated only pulling it twice a year. Once to permanent camp ground and once home to shed storage for winter.

[C130]

The Sidewinder is pretty much your best option I think. I’ve towed large 5th wheel toy haulers quite a bit around the country and most of the slider hitches would not be good for your truck with a 5 1/2 foot bed. I’m sure you know this but be really careful turning and also watch your bed clearance as it’s another easy way to tear up your truck and 5th wheel. My last hitch was a Hensley TS3 which was over a $3000 hitch. I bought it slightly used for $1000, looked brand new. Lots of deals on Craigslist.

[ksubasser24]

C130 I am thinking more and more of the sidewinder. There are campers now coming factory with a Reese revolution which is a OEM kingpin only and not available aftermarket but is the same thing as the sidewinder just for 1/2 ton trucks with 5.5 boxes.

[berudd]

Might cull out some of the speculation if you said that in the first place. Towing 45 miles on flat pavement could be done with a small truck. I think people assumed you were going to use it as a travel trailer and then stopping is the only real concern. It is your business if the motor or tranny goes out. Good luck with the move.

I didn't assume that. Seemed pretty clear he was just pulling it short distances. At any rate, he asked about hitches not what truck to use so how far he plans to pull is irrelevant.

[berudd]

I believe I was specific in asking for the information I was looking for. The how, what, and why was irrelevant to my question I asked. Also stated only pulling it twice a year. Once to permanent camp ground and once home to shed storage for winter.

Yep, it was clear to me.

[stratos284]

Sounds like he only wants to move it from his long term spot into storage and then back again after winter, not pulling long distances. Sounds like he wants opinions on hitches that will work with his setup and not break his bank. I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to trade his truck for a Ram or a Superduty. Sometimes I wonder why people can't just answer a question without feeling the need to inject their opinion (which usually is the opposite of what the OP is actually intending to accomplish).

OP, sorry for the rant and definitely don't want to highjack your thread. I don't have a fifth wheel but I would think any properly rated hitch would work with moving your trailer short/moderate distances once or twice a year. If you are pulling thru lots of hills or uneven terrain it might be best to borrow a Superduty just to be safe.

As others have stated its not the pulling but rather the stopping and controlling the trailer on uneven terrain that should be your primary concern, especially in hills. Hope this helps a bit.

[Bamaman]

Can you tow your trailer with a 5.5 foot bed? Sure. But you will need to pay the big money for a proper sliding hitch that is preferably automatic. Such hitches are seldom seen on Craigslist or RVTrader.com.

[Boondock]

75% of the posters on bbc think they need a 3/4 ton diesel to tow their low profile bass boat lol

You need a slide hitch as others have said. We’ve looked into a tow behind or 5th wheel for our tundra Crewmax.

Sounds like you are on right track now

[ksubasser24]

Bamaman thank you for the link to the rv site. I will check it out. My half ton with the max tow and brack controller will handle what I have just fine. If I was pulling it every weekend I would get a different truck.

[BigCranks]

If you're not planning on towing regularly, a slider hitch isn't necessary. I've been towing different 5th wheels with a short bed and standard RCB hitch for several years. The only advantage is backing. You can do anything with a standard hitch once you learn your limits on turning. There are some situations you have to keep an eye on the front cap and the back of your cab, turning off highways into parking lots that are on a higher grade, but it is still doable. Like you said earlier, if you plan on towing regularly I would look to upgrade trucks.

[Bsktball55]

75% of the posters on bbc think they need a 3/4 ton diesel to tow their low profile bass boat lol

You need a slide hitch as others have said. We’ve looked into a tow behind or 5th wheel for our tundra Crewmax.

Sounds like you are on right track now

Really surprised we don't see more guys pulling their boats with a Kenworth or Peterbilt.