Bed Rails Making Contact with 5th Wheel

[baare657]

Hello Folks,
We took our new 5th wheel out on its first trip in NC and noticed that within the park there were some areas where my truck rear bed rails came within an inch of contacting the 5th wheel (behind the pin). At one point it did make contact, but we were going very slow and were able to back out and line up the truck and 5th wheel to get past the problem area without causing damage.
Specs are as follows:
Truck:

• 2020 F350 Single Rear Wheel, 6.75' bed with factory installed puck system
• hitch is a #2714 PullRite OE Puck Series 16K SuperGlide

5th Wheel:

• 2024 Jayco Eagle 29.5 BHDS
• Pin box is Rhino box and it is already locked into the lowest mounting holes (pushing the 5th wheel highest when connected)

I have measured my bed height on level (best i can get) ground to be 6-7".

I was camping with friends who had a 5th wheel as well, but they didn't seem to have the same issues (different truck, hitch and 5th wheel). The park was rough in some areas, but again, none of the other 5th wheels had this problem.

My questions are:
1. Is this a common issue that 5th wheel owners look out for?
2. What is an acceptable bed rail clearance at level?
3. Would a longer/taller pin box solve the problem?
4. What other factors am I missing.

Thanks for all the information in these forums, helpful over the past 2 years.
-Matt

 

[BGMAC]

Pictures from a distance would be nice to see how your setup.

 

[baare657]

Pictures from a distance would be nice to see how your setup.

Thanks BGMAC, ill get right to that.

 

[RVThereYet]

Hi Matt,
I'm new to the fifth wheel RV side coming from a Class C and A. I just got mine last Monday and they took care of the hitch set up. I had bought an Anderson Hitch. The King Pin ball has three adjustment heights and my set up is the middle, the 5er rides perfectly level and about 6 1/2 inch clearance to bed rail. I was told that you should have 6-7 inches clearance between the body of RV and bed rails.
It does seem to reason that if you went thru a deep gully or something like that and the back of the truck dipped down pretty good that you would run the chance of hitting. Not sure how you can avoid that other than if it's a bad bump, you will just have to be aware. I would also assume that the same would be true on the side to side dip.

 

[GTS225]

I suggest, for your consideration, that if you make contact with your bed rails, your going too far off-road while boondocking.

Roger..... just another grumpy, old, opinionated S.O.B.

 

[John&Andrea]

I am not sure if the hitch can be raised or not but if so that may take care of you. Towed a 5th about 10 years and never made contact.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I am not sure if the hitch can be raised or not but if so that may take care of you. Towed a 5th about 10 years and never made contact.

Yes! I don't worry that my trailer is not level on the road, destruction of equipment is a much worse outcome.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Does raising the nose of a 5th wheel trailer in relation to the truck bed change the pin loading. Put another way, does raising the 5th wheel connection shift weight rearward? Is this a small shift or more significant?
My understanding is you want 15-20% of trailer weight on the pin for smooth towing.

 

[John&Andrea]

I always liked to be level as possible with what ever I tow.

 

[Dricamper]

Have you considered raising the camper? I have done a lot of dry camping that includes miles down rough dirt roads.
when I bought my last fifth wheel, the camper was tilting upward towards the truck 4wd 2019 ram. I happened to know a competent RV mechanic. Placed a call to him, he said common problem, flip the springs so they are on top of the axles, mine already were. He disconnected the axles springs and spring mounts, made a rectangular frame from 2 x 3 steel tubing, welded that to the trailer frame then welded the spring mounts back on, fifth wheel sat up 3” higher, towed well and never had bed clearance problems, and I have seen a few badly damaged beds in my travels.
You could add blocks over axles and or extend (make longer spring mounts. However when your camper is tilted to the side there is a lot of forces at work that want to bend the spring mounts, hence I wouldn’t recommend that route.