What Is The Recommended Bed Rail Clearance When Towing A Fifth Wheel?

Question

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

1

Tandara East To West Fifth Wheel
(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.

expert reply by: Jesse M

1

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

Reply

Jesse M.

3/1/2024

@Jim Yes good call you will definitely want to use the new hardware. Generally speaking, bolts and nuts should not be re-used after being torqued that high.

Reply

Answer 1

The Curt Crosswing fifth wheel hitch part #C92DR does offer an offset built into it of 9 inches to help with turning clearance for short bed truck...BUT most modern fifth wheel trailers have tapered noses which are designed for short bed clearance…

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Answer 2

You are looking for the Curt Crosswing part #C92DR. This is the version of the hitch that attaches to a gooseneck ball like your OEM ball in your truck.

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Answer 3

The hitch ball you are looking for is the Curt #C60692 which fits the OEM rail kit of your 2012 Ford F-250 and also is compatible with the Curt CrossWing part #C92DR that you referenced as well.

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Answer 4

What you said is correct. Since you have the factory prep package, the only other thing you will need to use the CrossWing #C32DR is the Curt Ball and Safety Chain Loop Kit #C38CR (60639). Safety chains are not required for the 5th wheel hitch so…

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Answer 5

Jameson's wording could've been better but what he meant was that there isn't any way to adjust the connection point of the Curt CrossWing Lightweight #C92DR since it only allows for you to raise of lower the hitch head. In…

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Answer 6

To be able to use the Curt CrossWing Lightweight 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch #C86JR with your 2019 Ram 2500 with OEM pucks, you're just going to need the: -Demco 5th Wheel Rail Adapter for Ram OEM 5th Wheel Towing Prep Package #DM6099. This…

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Answer 7

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two…

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Answer 8

Choosing the right height setting for your 5th wheel hitch is a combination of a few different variables. First of all you want your towing setup to be as level as possible. With your Montana High Country 340BH level you will want to measure from…

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Answer 9

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion…

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Answer 10

Great question, Jeff! When the Rota-Flex first came out it renovated what a pin box could do and be, but at this point in time that technology is a little more dated and the Gen-Y Hitch Shock Absorbing 5th Wheel Pin Box #325-GH-8040 is the…

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Answer 11

Hey David, from previous customers of ours who have the same 2020 Keystone Raptor 424 we have determined that your pin box style is the Lippert 1621 which means for a Gen-Y gooseneck adapter you'd want the #GY58GR that you referenced.

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Answer 12

The head alone for the B&W Companion hitch #BWRVK3500 weighs about 70 pounds. Everything else weighs about 130 pounds. So the total weight of the hitch is approximately 200 pounds.

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What Is The Recommended Bed Rail Clearance When Towing A Fifth Wheel?

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