90 degree turns with 5th wheel

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Joezeppy

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2009
Posts
2,922
Location
Upstate NY - Kuyahoora Valley
I've always wanted to try this. Love the 8' bed!

From the driver's seat, I actually thought the back of the pinbox was much closer to the side rails. I have given myself some comfort about tight turns after doing this test. I have the adapter block on my Andersen hitch with the kingpin forward of the ball which draws the 5th wheel closer to the truck while towing. I can't get the tailgate down while hooked up in this configuration. If I reversed the block, I could drop the gate and leave it down while hooking up but the back of the pinbox would be 8" closer to the side rails which could cause a problem on uneven ground! I might test it that way just to see.
 

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That's good for an emergency maneuver, but 90 degree turns are very hard on the trailer's tires, wheels and axles and can cause alignment problems or worse.  Essentially you're dragging the wheels sideways since they're not moving forward during the turn.
 
I agree Lou and while I've made some pretty tight turns both forward and backward, I've never come close to 90*. This lot was loose gravel which made me feel more comfortable about testing it. I watched the tires when I straightened back out and was amazed at how they dragged sideways for a few feet!
 
I watched a guy take out his back window (for the second time) trying to do that with a 6' bed.
 
I can get dang near that with the short bed and andersen hitch.  I've never needed to get this close, and only did it just to see what it looked like.  Wouldn't do it without a spotter for sure.

My truck has the plastic bed rail caps on it.  And to be honest, I have dinged those a couple of times.  I kind of chalked them up to learning experience, I'll replace them at some point...it's only plastic.  I've toyed with the idea of running with the andersen hitch one notch higher, but I like how level it rides now and I would think higher may cut into the fuel economy.  I figure if I ever get in a bind where it's really not level, I can always take a few minutes and adjust the ball height. 
 
Spotted for a guy recently as he backed a triple axle toy hauler into an asphalt spot with (guessing) about 70-80 degrees of turn. The tires, axles, wheels and frame were all unhappy - lots of groaning metal  :-\
 
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