5th Airborne Extended Cushioned Coupler Recommendation for a 2010 Ford F-250 with a 6-3/4 ft Bed
Question:
I have a new F-250 with 68 bed 4X2 and an existing BandW little hustler hitch. I have an 1997 Western RV product Dreamer which is out of production. Should I purchase a rail kit to secure my existing hitch and retrofit the 5th wheel with an air ride coupler or sidewinder? Or, should I purchase a new sliding hitch kit? Thanks very much
asked by: Richard C
Expert Reply:
Personally, if I had a short bed truck like you and wanted to pull a fifth wheel trailer I would prefer a setup with an extended coupler with an air ride coupler over a sliding fifth wheel hitch setup any day of the week.
Not only would a 5th Airborne Premium Fifth Wheel Air Ride Coupler, part # 5AB-E510-710, provide you with a quieter, smoother ride, but you will not have to get out of your truck and pull any levers every time you need to make a tight turn like you would need to do with a sliding hitch.
The # 5AB-E510-710 that you referenced is designed to work on Fabex 500, 503 and 765, Lippert 1716 and RBW 7028 pin boxes.
I attached a link to an FAQ page on sidewinders for you to check out too. There is an application chart on this link that shows what sidewinder is required for every pin box.
The # 5AB-E510-710 that you referenced will provide you with 12 additional additional inches of clearance. On the attached link there is a formula for you to see how many inches of clearance you would need in pin box extension or sliding hitch. If you find that you need more clearance than that I would recommend you get a Sidewinder as they provide even more clearance than that.
