Determining King Pin Position on 2002 GMC Sierra 2500HD Short Bed

Question:

Im installing the Pro Series 16k sliding hitch into my 2002 GMC Sierra 2500 HD pickup. It has the 6.5 ft bed. All the instructions I see tell me to Center the Kingpin above the axle. However when I do the proper measurements 25 1/4inch from the end of my bed, it puts the Kingpin in the towing position nearly 4inch Forward of my axle Centerline. My question is should I leave it in that position or should I move the bracketry to mount over the center line of the axle?

asked by: Nick J

Expert Reply:

When installing the 5th-wheel base rails on your 2002 GMC Sierra 2500HD you will definitely want to go by the 25-1/4 inch measurement from the rear of the bed that you see in the instructions. This is because the rail needs to be in this exact location on your truck so that the brackets that attach to the frame line up correctly.

Generally speaking you want the king pin either directly above or just slightly forward of the rear axle. The fact that the king pin is going to line up about 4 inches forward of the rear axle on your Sierra isn't an issue with regards to maintaining the hitch's or your truck's towing capacity. This would only be a problem if the king pin sat behind the rear axle.

WIth the king pin forward of the rear axle the only thing you will want to be a little more conscious of is your cab clearance when making sharp turns. Your Pro Series Sliding Hitch will provide you with front to back sliding travel for making these turns but you will still want to take it slow. I recommend even taking your trailer out to an empty parking lot with a buddy and have him/her stand outside while you make tight turns so he/she can observe how everything handles.

expert reply by: Chris R