What Is Fifth Wheel Towing Capacity of 2012 Ram 1500 Sport 5-1/2 ft Bed Plus Hitch and Rail Kit

Question:

i have a 2012 ram 1500 sport, crew cab, 5.7l hemi, 3:55 gear ratio,loaded, 20 inch tires, 6 speed auto, 5 1/2 foot short box. what type of 5th wheel hitch do i need and how do i figure out how big a 5th wheel i can tow with this truck? is it based on trailer weight or pin weight?

asked by: Garry S

Expert Reply:

Thanks for all of the info on your 2012 Ram 1500 Sport. Based on what you sent me I was able to determine that your overall trailer towing capacity is 8,650 if you have a 2 wheel drive truck or 8,500 if you have a 4 wheel drive truck.

We do have solutions that will allow you to tow a fifth wheel trailer but since your truck bed length is shorter than 6 feet you'll have to have a Sidewinder pin box installed on the trailer you tow to give you the needed turning clearance.

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.

With the Sidewinder you will want to use a fixed hitch like the Reese part # RP30047 and then for a rail kit to mount the hitch in the bed of your truck you'd need the part # RP50142-58.