Sidewinder with Rotating Turrets for Short Bed Pickups

What is a Sidewinder?

When towing with a standard king pin, fifth wheel trailers turn or pivot where the king pin is connected to the hitch. With a sidewinder, the truck and trailer are prevented from pivoting at the hitch. Instead the pivot point is located closer to the tailgate, creating much more space in between the truck cab and trailer on sharp turns. This extra space also becomes available for more cargo such as toolboxes which couldn't fit before. And the new pivot point makes the trailer track better behind the truck for even easier towing.

Sidewinders let you tow a fifth wheel trailer with a short bed pickup (even under 6 feet!) without a sliding hitch. You can use the clearance formula at the bottom of this page to see if a Sidewinder will work for you.

Note: It is not recommended to use a Sidewinder with a slider hitch.

How the Sidewinder Works

Sidewinder Pivot Point - 22" behind the king pin
Rotating Turret - king pin specific, it attaches to the pin box on the trailer
Universal King Pin Wedge (not pictured) - prevents pivot at fifth wheel hitch
Fifth Wheel King Pin - attaches to the hitch in the truck bed for towing
Sidewinder Arm - is universal and available in 16K, 16K with Air-Ride, and 19K

What We Need to Know When Choosing a Sidewinder

Trailer King Pin type - The Sidewinder couplers are custom designed to replace the standard king pins on trailers, so we'll need to find out the part number of the pin box (king pin) on the trailer.
- The pin box number is usually displayed somewhere on the pin box, either on a sticker or stamped into the king pin itself. If it's not there or worn out, the customer will have to call the trailer manufacturer with their VIN or serial number to have them provide the coupler type.
- Because the turrets are custom designed, they simply bolt in place of the existing king pin - no drilling required
  Existing hardware can be used when installing, but new grade 8 bolts are recommended
Fifth Wheel Hitch Type - A universal wedge that will work on nearly all fifth-wheel hitches is included with the Sidewinder. However, custom-fit wedges are available for most brands of fifth-wheel hitches and are recommended because they provide a better fit.
- Sidewinders should not be used with PullRite SuperGlide, Reese Trail Boss, B&W 5th-wheel trailer hitches that connect to a gooseneck ball, Colibert 208BW, and gooseneck to 5th-wheel adapters, including Draw-Tite and Bulldog Hi-Rise. Cushioned hitches may interfere with the proper operation of a sidewinder, and adapters that connect to a gooseneck ball can rotate around the ball, resulting in dangerous loss of control.

Kingpin by Model #

Fabex 500, 503, 520, 530, 560, or 765

Lippert 1116, 1716, or 0115

RBW 7019 or 7028

Fabex 663 or 665

Lippert 0719, 1621, or 1621HD

M&M 663 or 665

Leland 7910, 7920, or 7921

Dexter 221-0037

Fabex 663 or 665

Lippert 0719, 1621, 1621HD

M&M 663 or 665

Lippert 1716 or 0115 (spacer kit required - sold separately)

Lippert 1716 or 0115

Clearance Formula for Sidewinder:

Use the formula below to ensure there will be enough space between your truck cab and trailer when executing a 90-degree turn.

(A + B) - C = Clearance

A = Distance from center of fifth wheel hitch jaw to truck cab

B = Length of Sidewinder arm (16K = 22", 19K = 22")

C = Width of trailer divided by 2 (to get half)

For example: With the 16K arm, if the distance from the center of the hitch to the cab is 36", 36" + 22" = 58". If your fifth wheel trailer is 102" wide, take half (51"), then plug in: 58" - 51" = 7" of clearance.

NOTE: At least 4 inches of clearance is recommended to safely execute a 90 degree turn.

4 Steps to Choosing your Fifth Wheel Pin Box

Fifth Wheel Information and Installation Tips

Guide to Choosing the Best Truck for Fifth Wheel Towing

Related Products

Shop Custom Fifth Wheel Hitches

Shop King Pins

Shop Trailer Brake Controllers

Updated by: Jacob J

Last updated: 8/3/22

Explore Expert Info

on Fifth Wheel Hitch

Videos

for Fifth Wheel Hitch

Help Articles

for Fifth Wheel Hitch

Expert Answers

for Fifth Wheel Hitch

Choosing the Best Fifth Wheel Hitch

An In-Depth Look at the Reese Sidewinder 5th Wheel King Pin with Rotating Turret

The Low-Down on the 5th Airborne Premium 5th Wheel Air Ride King Pin with Sidewinder

Feature Breakdown: Gen-Y Hitch 5th Wheel to Gooseneck Pin Box

An In-Depth Look at the 5th Airborne Premium 5th Wheel Air Ride King Pin with Sidewinder

Review of Reese Fifth Wheel Custom Installation Kit - Toyota Tundra - RP50084-58

Curt 10" Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch Lube Plate Feature Review

Comprehensive Review: Curt A16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch

The Low-Down on the Curt Custom Fifth Wheel Bracket Kit for Ram 1500

How to Install: Curt Custom Fifth Wheel Installation Kit on your 2016 Ram 1500

B and W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch Installation - 2019 Ford F-350 Super Duty

Manufacturer Discussion - Gen-Y Hitch

4 Steps to Choosing Your 5th Wheel Pin Box

Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch Information and Installation Tips

Ram Trailer Tow Prep Package

Fifth Wheel Hitch Combinations for Ram Trucks with RamBox (2009-Current)

Adapters for Towing a 5th Wheel Trailer with a Gooseneck Hitch

Guide to Choosing the Best Truck for 5th-Wheel Towing

5th Wheel Hitch Installation | The Ultimate DIY Guide

Gooseneck to 5th Wheel Adapters

The Best 5th Wheel Hitches

Best Air Bag Suspension (2023)

Compatability of Fifth Wheels on Pickup Truck Beds Shorter Than 6 Feet

Sidewinder Fifth Wheel Compatibility

Does Truck with 6-1/2 ft bed Have to Use Slider Hitch for Turning Clearance with Fifth Wheel Hitch

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two…

view full answer...

Do I Have to Have a Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch in a Short Bed Truck

You do not have to use a sliding 5th wheel hitch in a short bed truck. In many cases, truck beds shorter than 8 ft do not have enough clearance between the trailer and truck to execute sharp turns. This is why sliding hitches were invented. Due to…

view full answer...

What Model Sidewinder King Pin Will Replace RBW 7019?

Hello Donald, thanks for reaching out. We do offer a sidewinder kingpin to replace the RBW 7019 pin box, the Reese Sidewinder 5th Wheel King Pin with Rotating Turret #RP77FR. This is currently the only aftermarket sidewinder that will work with the…

view full answer...

5th Wheel & Sidewinder Needed For 2021 Ram 2500 With RamBox

So for your set up, a 2021 Ram 2500 short bed with the RamBoxes, you will need to use a Sidewinder in order to have the clearance to tow a 5th wheel. The Goose Box doesn't move the pivot point and an offset ball just won't be enough for…

view full answer...

Can I Use A Curt A20 With A Reese Sidewinder On A Ram Truck With The Rambox

Hey Jay. It sounds like you are on the right track here because a sidewinder pin box will be your only option for pulling your 5th wheel since you have a short bed truck with the Rambox. That said, you are right that the Reese Sidewinder cannot be…

view full answer...

How To Determine Which Pin Box I Have and What Replacements Are Available

I spoke with my contact at Trailair and from your serial number we were able to determine that your trailer came with a 1621 HD pin box which is a long pin box style. I was unable to obtain the exact part number for your Trailair pin box but from the…

view full answer...

Can a 2020 Ram 2500 with Rambox Tow Fifth Wheel Trailer

There is a way to to a fifth wheel trailer with your 2020 Ram 2500 that has the Ramboxes but you have to install a Sidewinder pin box on the trailer so that the pivot point is raised up high enough that there isn't interference between the pin…

view full answer...

Dimensions Of Gen Y Goosebox GY98GR

Hello Dean, you sure can. I have included a diagram with dimensions for you below. The #GY98GR is designed to replace the Lippert Rhino box so please do make sure this is what you have now.

view full answer...

Is Andersen Ultimate Connection 5th Wheel Hitch Compatible with RamBox?

The Andersen Ultimate Connection 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch System with Adapter - 20,000 lbs #AM3200 does give you a 9 inch offset but when talking with their tech he said that to use with RamBox the red coupler needs to be turned 180 degrees so it sits…

view full answer...

Which Gen-Y Gooseneck Adapter Fits 2024 Brinkley Z-3100

So Carl, I checked and your 2024 Brinkley Z-3100 has a Rhino box style pin box so the correct Gen-Y gooseneck Executive is the part #GY98GR. Since your 2024 Ford F-350 has a short bed and the nose of the trailer is a bit wider I would recommend going…

view full answer...

What Lube Plate Should be Used with B and W Companion Hitch

Hey Jerry, for a B&W Companion hitch I recommend using a 10 inch diameter lube plate. We have the Reese Lube Plate, #RP83002, which is my top choice, and the Curt 10 inch Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch Lube Plate, #16721, both of which will work…

view full answer...

If you take a look at the linked diagram you can see the minimum recommended clearance distances between truck and trailer for 5th wheel towing. It is recommended to have at least 5-inches from the top of the bed rails to the bottom of the trailer…

view full answer...