5th Wheel Trailer Hitch and Install Kit for 2018 Toyota Tundra 5-1/2 Foot Bed with Air Bags

Question:

I have a 2018 Toyota Tundra with the 5’ 4” box. The 5 th wheel I pull twice a year is a 38’ Eldridge. Will this hitch work for me? The camper is 97” wide. The king pin is a Lippert. Model LIPP1621. If so, what else do I need to order to mount it to my pickup. I really like the auto slide option. If your wondering, the pickup has air bags installed already. Thanks. Can’t wait for your reply.

asked by: Tim N

Helpful Expert Reply:

I am assuming that your 2018 Toyota Tundra 5-1/2 foot bed does not already have any sort of 5th wheel rails so the first thing we ill need to look at is an installation kit. Looking at how the various air bag kits install on your truck it doesn't look like they will interfere with 5th wheel frame brackets so that is good.

You can use Demco installation kit # DM8552020-71. This will allow you to place the hitch so that when the trailer is attached the king pin will be centered over the rear axle. Measure from the back of the truck cab to the center of the rear axle and then add 14 inches. Write that down. Then check the king pin on the trailer. If the center of the king pin sits out in front of the trailer and not under it then measure from the center of the king pin to the front of the trailer overhang. Then add that to the other measurement you wrote down. If the king pin is recessed under the overhang you will need to subtract it from the measurement you wrote down.

After all these calculations we can determine if 14 inches is enough travel for you to safely make 90 degree turns. Basically the final calculation will need to be at least 4 inches more than half the width of the trailer. If the overhang is 97 inches wide then divided by 2 that equals 48.5 inches. That means your measurements will need to come out to 52.5 inches or more.

If that is not going to work for you then using Demco hitch # DM8550040 would be a better option. This hitch, which is rated for a max of 13,000 pounds, travels 22-1/2 inches instead of 14 inches like the other HiJackers. That extra 8-1/2 inches might be the difference between safely making 90 degree turns and, well, not making them. But it looks like your trailer is too heavy for this option. Be sure to check the dry and gross trailer weight capacities on your trailer before going with this option.

If the 13K hitch is not rated high enough then the remaining option is to use a fixed hitch such as # RP30928 rated for 20K and then using a Sidewinder pin box, # RP34FR, in place of your existing Lippert pin box. For this set up I also recommend custom wedge # SWW-01 for the best fit between the Sidewinder and the Reese Select Plus hitch. The Sidewinder moves the pivot point back 22 inches.