Where to Place the Pivot Arms on the B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch for Initial Setup

Question:

hello- I have a 2017 F250 4x4 short bed. Just got my BandW Champion 20K 5th wheel hitch. I have a 2015 Crusader 5th wheel 30 ft length. Was thinking about installing the pivot arms at 18in height and at the 1 in in front of axle location. I do not have the camper at my house to precisely adjust the height, so Im looking for a middle of the road setting that will work to get the camper home and make precision adjustments at that time. Thank you.

asked by: Lee

Expert Reply:

I spoke with my contact at B&W about the B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part # BWRVK3370 and they agreed that placing the pivot arms so that they position the kingpin 1" in front of the rear axle and 18" above the bed floor is going to be a good starting point on your 2017 Ford F-250 short bed. If you really wanted to play it safe you could move the kingpin up to the 19" tall point as the Ford bedsides are typically higher than most other manufacturers.

Once you have the 2015 Prime Time RV Crusader hitched to your 2017 Ford F-250 you can then begin to take some measurements and adjust the 5th wheel hitch as necessary. We recommend that you have at least 4" of clearance between the cab of the vehicle and loft of the trailer during a 90 degree turn and at least 5" of clearance between the bedsides of the vehicle and loft of the trailer.

expert reply by: Conner L