What Is The Recommended Bed Rail Clearance When Towing A Fifth Wheel?
Question:
I have a 2024 Silverado 2500 HD with the Curt Crosswing C32DR currently have 9.5 inches clearance between truck rail and bottom of 5th wheel using middle hole on hitch. would it be better to use bottom hole to pick up another 2 inches and have 7.5 inches clearance instead, main issue is back jacks are very close to pavement when backing into driveway. This is our first fifth wheel as we have had class A motor homes for almost 20 years,Thanks
asked by: Jim
(click to enlarge)
Helpful Expert Reply:
Hey Jim, congrats on the new truck and fifth wheel - looks great. Our rule of thumb is that you want a minimum of 6" of clearance between the top of the bed rails and the bottom of the trailer loft. You should be just fine to use the bottom hole on your Curt CrossWing # C32DR to gain the additional 2" of clearance for your jacks. Even after doing this, you will be left with 7.5" of bed rail clearance so there will be no danger of the trailer contacting the bed.
We do want to try to keep the fifth wheel as level as possible. You will want to make sure that dropping the hitch 2" does not cause the camper to be too far out of level as this can affect ride quality and braking. Generally speaking, anything within 3" of level is considered safe for towing. If the 2" drop gets you closer to level, it is a win-win.
If you are new to this fifth wheel thing, you can feel free to reach out if you ever have further questions.
Products Referenced in This Question
Curt CrossWing Lightweight Gooseneck-to-5th-Wheel Trailer Hitch Adapter - 20,000 lbs
- Gooseneck and Fifth Wheel Adapters
- Adapts Truck
- Gooseneck Hitch to Fifth Wheel Trailer
- Offset
- 20000 lbs GTW
- Bolts Over King Pin
- Adjustable Height
- King Pin Adapters
- CURT
more information >
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Curt CrossWing Lightweight Gooseneck-to-5th-Wheel Trailer Hitch Adapter - 20,000 lbs
- Gooseneck and Fifth Wheel Adapters
- Adapts Truck
- Gooseneck Hitch to Fifth Wheel Trailer
- Offset
- 20000 lbs GTW
- Bolts Over King Pin
- Adjustable Height
- King Pin Adapters
- CURT
more information >
Featured Help Information
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Jim
2/29/2024
Thanks for replying to my question I appreciate the advice and am going to drop the hitch to the bottom hole my question now is can I reuse the nyloc nut again or should I use new one that came with set I ordered from etrailer that includes new bushing, just wondering because of the high torque setting for bolt