Recommendation for a 5th Wheel to Gooseneck Adapter for Ford F-450 and Forest River Sierra Trailer

Question:

We have a 06 Forest River Sierra 35 ft fifthwheel, my kp wt is approx 4500 lbs. Empty wt of coach is approx 12,000 and laden wt can reach 16,500 my concern using the convert a tube, how much torque or extreme braking will the tube endure? Also if the conv/tubes durability is suitable for this size of coach, which do you recommendalso can I drill the plate on my coupler and bolt the tube directly with a grade 8 or better bolt for more stability? We receintly changed from a 3500 dually with the hitch in the bed and now have a F450 with a ball mountwould really hate to haul a 50K coach and not be sure the product could hold upany answers will be greatly appreciatedmany thanks.

asked by: Nathaniel C

Expert Reply:

Since the tongue weight, or king pin weight, is 4,500 pounds, I recommend the Ranch Hitch Universal 5th-Wheel-to-Gooseneck Coupler Adapter, # AM3100. The CAB-C5G adapter is only rated for 4,000 pounds tongue weight.

The AM3100 adapter is rated for 24,000 pounds gross trailer weight and 6,000 pounds tongue weight. This adapter is made of steel and has been tested and rated for these capacities and will hold up just fine in normal towing conditions and you will not experience problems with the torque involved in emergency braking situations. It will absolutely be suitable for the size of your trailer.

The adapter comes with all the necessary hardware for installation including grade 8 bolts. And you will bolt it into place when installing the adapter. Some drilling will be required.

The adapter is 11-3/4 inches tall when fully compressed and 14-3/4 inches tall when fully extended. So you will want to measure your Ford F-450 and trailer to make sure the adapter will fit. You can perform these steps yourself at home.

First, back your truck into position as if you were hooking up your fifth-wheel trailer, making sure that the truck and trailer are both level. Next, measure from the pin plate (the bottom of the pin box) down to the top of the ball in the bed of your truck. This measurement should fall between 11-3/4 inches and 14-3/4 inches.

You will also need 5 or 6 inches of clearance between the overhang of the trailer and siderails of your truck for safe operation.

expert reply by: Michael H