Hitch Brake
Fifth Wheel Hitches for Short Bed Trucks
If you want to pull a fifth wheel with a short bed truck, you have some limited options in hitches. It’s important to put a great deal of thought into your set-up because using a flawed design could cause damage to your cab or RV when turning or even an accident if your rig isn’t weighted properly.
So, what are the most common options for fifth wheel hitches for short bed trucks?
The traditional solutions include using a sidewinder hitch or attaching a traditional hitch farther back in the truck bed. The goal is to maximize the distance between the truck’s cab and the front of the fifth wheel when making turns.
Pros and Cons of a sidewinder hitch:
A sidewinder hitch can fix this problem without moving the weight to a dangerous spot in the truck bed by pulling the nose of the RV to the outside of the turn, but many RV manufactures will void your warranty if you use one. Why is this? A regular king pin locks into a fifth wheel plate and turns around to the left and right in that plate. With a sidewinder hitch, it is locked into the plate and then turns at the front of the trailer. This activates a twisting force on the fifth wheel plate that it is not designed to handle.
Moving the hitch back: A recipe for disaster
Many RVers solve the short bed problem by simply moving the hitch to the back of the truck bed. This does create more room between the RV and the cab, but it comes at a hefty price. RV pin weight is designed to be balanced between the two truck axles. When you push the weight over or behind the rear axle, you are creating a severe imbalance which can cause an accident. This is such a dangerous set-up that it would be better to risk damaging your cab than to move the pin weight to the back of your truck.
Drop-Axles: The Safest Option
Using an auxiliary truck axle, like the Automated Safety Hitch, is definitely your safest and easiest option for towing a 5th wheel with a short bed truck. Essentially, you are extending the frame of your truck by attaching another heavy duty axle behind your truck, and the fifth wheel then attaches and sits on that axle. There are a few on the market, but the Automated Safety Hitch is your best bet; it uses a two-ton axle (so it can handle the pin weight of a 30,000 pound RV), has its own hydraulic brakes, and is fully automated in attaching and detaching. Many RV professionals believe that drop-axles like this one are the future for safe towing and they are the best option for short bed trucks and fifth wheel combinations. Check out the website for more information: www.safetyhitch.com
About the Author
Melaine McKenzie is an RV enthusiast having traveled 40 states in the continental United States in an RV with plans to explore Central America in a fith wheel.
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NEW 1.25″~2″ CHEVROLET LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ & 1.25″ TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER STEP TOWING RV TRUCK W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $53.99 |
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2″ DODGE RAM HEAD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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1.25″~2″ SKULL TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ DODGE RAM LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ GM FORD LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ CHEVROLET LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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1.25″~2″ GMC TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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1.25″~2″ SKULL TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ DODGE RAM LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ PROPELLER TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT WIRE CHROME RED $32.99 |
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2″ & 1.25″ TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER STEP TOWING RV TRUCK W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $53.99 |
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1.25″ ~ 2″ BLACK TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER STEP TOWING W/LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $59.00 |
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2″ DODGE RAM HEAD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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1.25″~2″ GMC TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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1.25″ ~ 2″ BLACK TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER STEP TOWING W/LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $59.00 |
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2″ CHEVROLET CHEVY LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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2″ FORD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT LAMP F150 F250 F350 RED $19.99 |
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2″ GMC LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT LAMP YUKON SIERRA $19.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ GM FORD LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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1.25″~2″ SKULL TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ DODGE RAM LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ DODGE RAM HEAD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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1.25″~2″ GMC TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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2″ PROPELLER TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT WIRE CHROME RED $32.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ CHEVROLET LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ FORD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT LAMP F150 F250 F350 RED $19.99 |
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2″ CHEVROLET CHEVY LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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1.25″ ~ 2″ BLACK TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER STEP TOWING W/LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $59.00 |
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2″ GMC LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT LAMP YUKON SIERRA $19.99 |
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2″ & 1.25″ TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER STEP TOWING RV TRUCK W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $53.99 |
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BULLY FORD HITCH COVER PLUG+BRAKE LIGHT F150 F250 F350 $14.99 |
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FORD HITCH COVER LED BRAKE LIGHT F150 EXPEDITION F250 $28.95 |
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BULLY CHEROLET LOGO HITCH COVER w/BRAKE LIGHT SUBURBAN $14.99 |
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FORD HITCH COVER LED BRAKE LIGHT F150 EXPEDITION F250 $28.95 |
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BULLY FORD HITCH COVER PLUG+BRAKE LIGHT F150 F250 F350 $14.99 |
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BULLY FORD LOGO HITCH COVER LED BRAKE LIGHT VAN PICK UP $20.95 |
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BULLY CHEVY LOGO HITCH COVER w/LED BRAKE LIGHT COLORADO $22.95 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ DODGE RAM LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ GM FORD LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ CHEVROLET LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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1.25″~2″ GMC TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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2″ PROPELLER TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT WIRE CHROME RED $32.99 |
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1.25″~2″ SKULL TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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2″ & 1.25″ TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER STEP TOWING RV TRUCK W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $53.99 |
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1.25″ ~ 2″ BLACK TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER STEP TOWING W/LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $59.00 |
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2″ DODGE RAM HEAD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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BULLY CHEROLET LOGO HITCH COVER w/BRAKE LIGHT SUBURBAN $14.99 |
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BULLY FORD LOGO HITCH COVER LED BRAKE LIGHT VAN PICK UP $20.95 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ GM FORD LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ GMC LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT LAMP YUKON SIERRA $19.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ CHEVROLET LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ CHEVROLET CHEVY LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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1.25″ ~ 2″ BLACK TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER STEP TOWING W/LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $59.00 |
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1.25″~2″ SKULL TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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2″ PROPELLER TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT WIRE CHROME RED $32.99 |
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1.25″~2″ GMC TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ DODGE RAM LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ & 1.25″ TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER STEP TOWING RV TRUCK W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $53.99 |
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2″ FORD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT LAMP F150 F250 F350 RED $19.99 |
|
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2″ DODGE RAM HEAD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |
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FORD HITCH COVER LED BRAKE LIGHT F150 EXPEDITION F250 $28.95 |
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BULLY CHEROLET LOGO HITCH COVER w/BRAKE LIGHT SUBURBAN $14.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ GM FORD LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ CHEVROLET LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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1.25″~2″ GMC TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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NEW 1.25″~2″ DODGE RAM LOGO TRAILER RECEIVER HITCH COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL LIGHT $24.99 |
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2″ PROPELLER TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT WIRE CHROME RED $32.99 |
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1.25″~2″ SKULL TRAILER HITCH RECEIVER COVER W/ LED BRAKE TAIL RUNNING LIGHT LAMP $24.99 |
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2″ DODGE RAM HEAD LOGO HITCH RECEIVER COVER CAP W/ LED BRAKE LIGHT TRUCK RED HD $19.99 |