We are shopping for a fifth wheel to camp, after we lost our travel trailer in a wreck back in July. Right when you turn in our gravel lane, there is a fairly steep uphill for about 80 feet, then a moderately steep peak, then a long easy incline back to our house and a couple of neighbors. I have had a couple of people tell me that going over that short but steep incline will damage the tailgate and sides of any truck that tows a fifth wheel over that incline. What is the experience with this type of damage? Our travel trailer always went over without problems (didn't tear off any stabilizer jacks) but it the bed rails and tailgate that I have heard are a problem. One solution recommended to me is the Automated Safety Hitch; another is getting a flat bed truck. I have only pulled travel trailers, boat trailers; never a gooseneck or fifth wheel before. Thanks!
towing fifth wheel over a hill. truck bed damage?
- Thread starter johnwins
- Start date
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Pugapooh
Well-known member
Not an expert but I've never heard that. Why do they think it will damage the truck bed? Only thing I have heard about is the fifth wheel hitting the cab of the truck during a tight turn. New models seem to be better designed for that.
grashley
Well-known member
Welcome to the Forum!
That does not sound right! First, any relatively FLAT area, regardless of the slope, is not a problem. The only possible issue is if the slope changes dramatically over a very short distance. If the truck is going downhill while the FW is going uphill, there could be a problem. BUT my truck has a 15 ft wheelbase and the distance from the truck rear axle to the FW axles is 15 ft. If the truck does not drag on the crest of the hill, it is unlikely the camper will hit the tailgate or rails.
That does not sound right! First, any relatively FLAT area, regardless of the slope, is not a problem. The only possible issue is if the slope changes dramatically over a very short distance. If the truck is going downhill while the FW is going uphill, there could be a problem. BUT my truck has a 15 ft wheelbase and the distance from the truck rear axle to the FW axles is 15 ft. If the truck does not drag on the crest of the hill, it is unlikely the camper will hit the tailgate or rails.
SargeW
Site Team
It is possible, I had it happen to me. I had purchased a 5ver and my truck was a 2004 1 ton dually 4XR Ram. The bed of the truck was quite high due to the 1 ton suspension. I had a few occasions where the bed tailgate hit the underside of the 5ver. The problem was the height of the truck bed in relation to the fiver. With the 5th wheel pin set at it's extreme height, I only had 4" between the bed rails and the bottom of the fiver.
The solution for me was to remove some of the spacers in the truck rear springs and move them to the top of the spring pack. That lowered the back of the truck about 4" more, giving me a total of 8" clearance.
Weather or not you have a problem will be the amount of clearance you have to start with. My truck was a long bed.
The solution for me was to remove some of the spacers in the truck rear springs and move them to the top of the spring pack. That lowered the back of the truck about 4" more, giving me a total of 8" clearance.
Weather or not you have a problem will be the amount of clearance you have to start with. My truck was a long bed.
Pugapooh
Well-known member
Always learning something new here.
It can happen with a GN or a 5th wheel trailer if the angle of the hill/hump is deep enough.
I use short bed and long bed pickups. I have a deeper angle with the short bed and the pin located zero over the trucks rear axle vs my long bed truck with the pin located 3" forward of the rear axle. A long bed has more bed overhang than a short bed.
However its takes a hill with a deep angle for this to happen.
I use short bed and long bed pickups. I have a deeper angle with the short bed and the pin located zero over the trucks rear axle vs my long bed truck with the pin located 3" forward of the rear axle. A long bed has more bed overhang than a short bed.
However its takes a hill with a deep angle for this to happen.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
As others have pointed out, the steepness of the grade is not the issue. It's the abruptness of the change in grade that can tilt enough to cause the trailer to hit either the ground or the truck. You say you pulled your travel trailer across this terrain without damage, so that's a good sign. Did the hitch drag on the surface? That and the jacks are usually what gets in the way when a TT encounters a quick rise or dip. If not, the 5W is probably ok too. However, one must be careful about the hitch set-up and the height above the truck side rails. Some tall trucks or low-slung trailers leave only a little clearance between the underside of the trailer overhang and the truck sides rails. 6" used to be the recommended clearance there, but from what I read here, many new trucks are able to achieve that.
Memtb
Well-known member
Gary RV_Wizard said:
) ) )I never had the hitch or the stabilizer jacks on the travel trailer dig in, although it is quite the abrupt change in grade, going up to going down. I was always worried it would! I have looked around for volunteers to try pulling their fifth wheel over the hill to see what would happen, but no takers yet. I have read about lifting the front of the 5th wheel, increasing the pin height; I wonder if my rear end would dig in going up that short steep grade. My father-in-law put a couple of heavy duty caster wheels on the bottom of his 5th wheel bumper to help him not dig his rear when leaving gas stations and such. I appreciate all the responses.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
One concern is ghat if you upgrade in length, the angles as the truck & trailer cross the peaks or valleys can be dramatically different.
