Can 2013 Ram 1500 with 5-1/2 Foot Truck Bed Tow Fifth Wheel Trailer

Question:

I recently replaced my truck 2013 Ram 1500, with the same truck, only this one is a short box...only 5’7” box. I would like to use my old Reese 16k Pro hitch. Is it possible to put this hitch on a slider base and still be able to turn a corner or leave the tailgate on?

asked by: Jeff B

Expert Reply:

You will be able to reuse your Reese/Pro Series 16 fixed hitch with your 2013 Ram 1500, but since your bed is 5-1/2 feet long you actually need to replace the pin box on your trailer with a Sidewinder to give you the needed clearance to make tight turns. A standard slider base would not give you enough clearance to make tight turns.

Sidewinders are pin box specific so you will first need to know what pin box you have now in order to pick out the correct one.

There should be a sticker or a stamping on the OEM pin box of the trailer that will list the pin box number that is on the trailer.

Once you figure out which pin box you have you can check the FAQ I attached that has a chart that shows the correct Sidewinder to get based on which pin box you have. Most likely you'll see Lippert 1621 or 1716 as these are very common. If you see the 1621 the Sidewinder you need is the part # RP34FR.

For a fifth wheel rail kit you'd then want the custom install kit part # RP50142-58 which will minimize install time and drilling over a universal style kit.

expert reply by: Jameson C