How much turning clearance do I need for 2022 Ram 5500 long bed chassis with 5th wheel trailer?

Question:

Will the Ranch Hitch work on an very long bed chassis? The truck has a gooseneck set-up and we pull a 43 foot 5th wheel that is pretty heavy. Our measurements show that without an offset on the hitch there is only 12inch between the bumper of the truck and the front cargo door of the trailer, not enough room for tight turns. Will the offset on this hitch push the trailer back enough to make turns. Our estimate is that is will take the distance between the bumper and trailer to 20 inches.

asked by: Charlie

Expert Reply:

The Ranch Hitch Universal 5th-Wheel-to-Gooseneck Coupler Adapter w/8" Offset for Short-Bed Trucks # AM3139 will add 8 more inches of clearance between your truck's gooseneck hitch and the trailer's 5th wheel coupler. Measure from the gooseneck ball to the back of the truck, and also swing the measuring tape around your truck each direction.

Then measure from your trailer's coupler to the nearest point of the trailer that could come into contact with the truck bed. Compare this to the measurements you took of the truck bed and add 8" to verify if this gives enough clearance for turns; typically, it is best to have an extra 5" between the bed and the trailer when turning.

If this isn't enough clearance, then your next option would be a rotating pin box for your trailer.

expert reply by: Andrew N