Extended Pin Box Fit Option for a 1999 Jayco Deluxe With a Leland AF 7910 Pin Box

Question:

I have a af 7910 on my Jaco Deluxe 1999 and i need to extend it out futher for my short bed dodge mega cab 2007. I measured from center of mounting bolt holes to cent of king pin and its 14 inches. I have a b/w ball hitch in my bed now which is about 33 inches from center of ball to the cab. My fifth wheel is 8 foot wide so I need 48 inches plus 6 inches clearence. If I figured correctlyI need to be out 12 inches futher which would be a 26 or 28 inches fron center of mounting bolts to center of king pin on trailer? Do you offer one this lenght and is it safe to change it to one this long?

asked by: Lynn B

Expert Reply:

It is important that you check with Jayco or your trailer dealer to make sure it is okay to install an extended pin box on your trailer. Extended pin boxes create more stress on trailer frames and trailer manufacturers do not recommend using extended pin boxes on certain trailers.

The 5th Airborne pin box that you referenced was designed to fit the Leland 7920 pin box. It has the same bolt pattern as your Leland af 7910 pin box and may work for you, but it will only provide an additional 9 inches of clearance, not the 12 inches that you need. At this time there are no other fixed pin boxes with a longer extension.

I do have two solutions that will allow you to tow your 1999 Jayco Deluxe fifth wheel trailer, however they will require you to install a fifth wheel hitch and remove the gooseneck hitch. The most cost effective option would be to install a sliding fifth wheel hitch. A sliding fifth wheel hitch will give you 10 to 11 inches of additional clearance for tight turning situations depending on the hitch that you choose. Also, once installed, the center of the fifth wheel hitch jaw will be 36 inches from the your truck cab and actually giving you an additional clearance of 13 to 14 inches.

I have attached a link to all of the sliding fifth wheel hitches that we offer. You will want to choose a hitch that can support the weight of your trailer.

The second option would be to replace your pin box with a sidewinder pin box and use a fixed fifth wheel hitch in your truck bed. Sidewinder pin boxes will provide an additional 22 inches of clearance and they are not compatible with gooseneck hitch adapter. We have standard and air-ride pin boxes that are compatible with your pin box so I attached a link to all of the sidewinders that will work for you. I have also attached a link to all of our fixed fifth wheel hitches.

To attach a fifth wheel hitch to your 2007 Dodge Ram Mega Cab, you will need a fifth wheel installation kit. I recommend the Reese Quick-Install Custom Base Rail and Install Kit, # RP50140-58. This kit was designed to fit your truck and does not require any drilling into the vehicle frame to install. I have attached the installation instructions for you to check out.

expert reply by: John H