Does Curt A16 Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch Have Enough Turning Clearance for Ford F-150 5-1/2 ft Bed

Question:

Well they told me it was a 1621.

asked by: Ron B

Expert Reply:

For a truck bed that is shorter than 6 feet in length you'd need a hitch solution that can provide more turning clearance than the Curt A16 slider hitch you mentioned as it only can provide 12 inches of additional clearance. Normally for a 5-1/2 foot bed you'd need around 22 inches of clearance.

Since there aren't currently any slider hitches that will provide that much clearance the solution is Sidewinder pin box with a fixed hitch like the Curt E16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Slide Bar Jaw - 16,000 lbs # C16115. You'd also need Sidewinder Wedge # C16991 to keep the kingpin from rotating inside the hitch head.

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.

The part # RP61420 is a very common fit as it fits the very popular Lippert 1621 and most likely what you'd need but you should verify first. I attached an install video for this for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Jameson C