Recommendations for a Cushioned 5th Wheel King Pin with Additional Clearance

Question:

Morning, Ive been running a Reese Companion hitch in my 12 Ram 3500 DRW 66inch bed , towing a Carbon Toyhauler 297 , the last 5 yrs . Im looking at the Airborne setup and saw the Sidewinder is not recommended with the Companion hitch . The Lippert 1116 box is the medium length box , Id like to gain the extra 5-3/4inch of the 1716 box . What would be your recommendation for an Airborne ?? Thx

asked by: Don H

Expert Reply:

You are correct, the 5th Airborne Sidewinder like # RP61412 is not recommended to use with the B&W Companion 5th-wheel trailer hitches that mount in the Turnoverball gooseneck hole. The reason is that the sidewinder puts too much stress and pressure on the attachment point. However, I do have a few options to get better turning clearance for your 2012 Ram, and a cushioned pin box for your toy hauler.

One option is to use your B&W with 4" Offset Ball for B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck Trailer Hitches # BWGNXA4085 and the Reese Goose Box 5th-Wheel-to-Gooseneck Air Ride Coupler Adapter # RP94716-61301. The goose box replaces your Lippert 1116 pin box and lets you tow your trailer with out having to use the companion hitch, and the offset ball will provide more clearance for turns. The goose box is rated at 16,000 lbs GTW, and 3,200 lbs TW and has an internal air bag to help reduce chucking, relieve stress on the frame of the trailer, and give a smooth ride.

We currently don't have any extended pin boxes that will replace the Lippert 1116 pin box, so another way to gain some turning clearance is to use a sliding hitch like B&W Companion 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider # BWRVK3400-5W. It gives you 12" of additional clearance by sliding the hitch towards the tailgate for slow speed turns. For a cushioned pin box, the 5th Airborne Premium Fifth Wheel Air Ride Coupler # 5AB-S500-700 will work great with the companion. It replaces your current pin box and is cushioned with an air bag also, however this model has a fixed turret, so the turning clearance will come from the slider.

I linked all the parts, and added a few videos for you to check out.