Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch Height for Clearance Between Bed Rails and Underside of Trailer

Question:

Ive been looking at my options for a hitch. Seems like a lot of folks like this hitch. I have a 2014 dodge dually and some have said the truck is way high to begin with. 39inch bed floor, 59inch to top of bed sides. My RV is a 2016 43foot unit and the pin will be around 3000lbs. My RV is currently sitting level on a concrete slab to the bottom of my pin plate Im measuring 49inch the units overhang is at 59. So with this hitch mounted in my bed the minimal hitch height would be 56. So hitched I figure that should give me around 7inch top bed clearance. But im thinking this will end up nose high at best. Especially, since some are saying that they are nose high with their units. So am I not figuring this properly? And what confuses me more is this hitch is at the higher end as far as height adjustment compared with others brands. But this is the first 5th wheel Ive owned so I have little experience.

asked by: Bob

Expert Reply:

It sounds to me like you're right about your trailer not sitting level. And you'll have about 7 inches of clearance between the truck's bed rails and the underside of your trailer. If you go with a hitch that sits lower, like the Curt # C16049 a minimum height of 14 inches, you still can only gain about an inch before you start to sacrifice clearance because you'll want about 6 inches.

Unfortunately, there isn't a great option for you to have your trailer level and keep the trailer off your truck's bed rails without raising the trailer or lowering the truck.

expert reply by: Charles S