What Do I Need to Pull a Fifth Wheel Trailer with a 2011 Dodge Ram 2500 With a 6 Foot Bed  

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Expert Reply:

Yes, there are ways for a 2011 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel with a 6 foot bed to tow a fifth wheel trailer.

The first issue you will run into is clearance for making sharp turns. A lot of people with 6 foot beds will use fifth wheel hitches that have sliders in them to allow them to temporarily relocate the fifth wheel hitch while cornering tightly.

You would need a Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch with Round Tube Slider, part # RP30075, and a Reese Quick-Install Custom Base Rails and Installation Kit, part # RP50140-58, if you wanted to go this route. Every time you need to make a sharp turn you will need to engage the slider and pull forward to give you enough clearance for tight maneuvering, and then put it back to its original location when you are done.

Another option you have is to use a Sidewinder pin box. The Sidewinder will replace the factory pin box that is on your trailer and will give you additional clearance for tight turns. I attached an FAQ below that has a chart that shows all of the different pin boxes and the correlating Sidewinder that you would need based on the pin box that is on your trailer. The upside to this is that you would not need to get out of your trailer to flip any levers when its time to make sharp turns, or have to worry about forgetting to do so and damaging your truck or trailer.

If you went the Sidewinder route you would need a Reese Quick-Install Custom Base Rails and Installation Kit, part # RP50140-58, and a fifth wheel hitch without a slider like the Reese Fifth Wheel for the Dodge Ram Pickup, part # RP30047, plus the Sidewinder.

I attached installation instructions for the # RP50140-58 below as well as an FAQ article on fifth wheel hitches for you to check out.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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