Best Fifth Wheel Towing Setup Recommendation for a Short Bed Truck
Question:
Looking to purchase a Cougar Xlite 29RES fifth wheel and would like to learn what hitch I should add to the truck. Concerned about the turning radius and clearing the cab during tight turns. Have heard a Pull-Rite hitch or a Sidewinder/Revolution might work? Presently towing a 27 ft. Travel trailer with hitch on the rear bumper. Truck pulls it great but am looking to upsize and reduce swaying. Thank you
asked by: Terry H
Helpful Expert Reply:
Since I don't know the year of your truck I can't recommend you a fifth wheel rail kit, but I can tell you that a Sidewinder pin box replacement is definitely the way to go for towing a fifth wheel trailer with a short bed truck. Otherwise you would have to go with a slider hitch that would require you to get out and activate it every time you get to a parking lot.
Instead a stationary hitch like the Reese Select Plus # RP30081 (great hitch by the way), and a Sidewinder would be your best choice.
You will need to remove the pin box of the trailer and replace it with a Sidewinder pin box. Sidewinders are pin box specific so you will first need to know what pin box you have now in order to pick out the correct one.
There should be a sticker or a stamping on the OEM pin box of the trailer that will list the pin box number that is on the trailer.
Once you figure out which pin box you have you can check the FAQ I attached that has a chart that shows the correct Sidewinder to get based on which pin box you have.
