Sidewinder or Pin Box Extension and 5th Wheel Hitch for 2012 Ford F-150 with 5-1/2 Foot Bed

Question:

I have looked at your info and still confused. I am looking at a couple of fifth wheels on line so I don,t have the specs to determine clearance. I have a 2012 f150 Supercrew with a 5 1/2 ft bed. Should I consider a sidewinder or pin box extension. I don,t under stand when one should be used over the other. Thanks for any help you can give. PS:Ofcourse I am looking at fifthwheels under 26 ft to keep the weight down . i

asked by: William M

Helpful Expert Reply:

Short bed trucks like your 2012 Ford F-150 require a sidewinder to extend your vehicle's turning radius. The sidewinder is essentially a hitch extender that will provide enough clearance for some 5th wheel trailers to be towed behind 5-1/2 foot bed trucks.

You will need to take some measurements on your F-150 and the width of the 5th wheel trailer and calculate if you would gain enough clearance with a sidewinder. I have added a link to a sidewinder information page that will walk you through how the part works and how to calculate if it will provide enough clearance for you.

If you determine the sidewinder will do the trick, you can go ahead and pick a 5th wheel.

We have a custom install kit for the 2009 Ford F-150, part # RP50081-58. This kit includes the brackets that attach to the truck frame and provide the mounting connections for the rails that sit in the bed. Once you have the brackets and rails installed, the hitch sets in place and locks in with 4 pins.

A 5th wheel hitch should be selected based on the weight of the trailer and capacity of the truck. With a 1/2 ton pick-up there is no need to select the highest capacity 5th wheel. Check the truck owner's manual for its towing capacities. I recommend the 16K Reese hitch, part # RP30047, which you referenced. With a 16,000 pound capacity you will be able to tow the full capacity of the truck. The dual pivot head allows the head of the hitch to tilt backward and forward which makes hook-up and traveling over hills smoother, it also tilts side to side which does not twist the truck suspension as much when going through turns.

Once you have the 5th wheel and installation kit, you will need to pick the proper sidewinder. Sidewinders are built to fit the pin-box on the trailer so you will need the manufacturer and model number off the pin box of the trailer. With this information, you can select the proper sidewinder that will fit your trailer.

Please refer to the attached articles concerning sidewinders and 5th wheels.