I am picking up a used 5th wheel hitch tomorrow. Need to install it onto my
truck. I have looked at about a dozen installed hitches while shopping for
used 5th wheel trailers. Seems like the center line of the hitch
(horizontal axis) is installed about 1 or 2 inches in front of the rear axle
centerline. Can anybody comment on this? Since I have a short bed truck I
would like to install it directly on the center line to allow for more
movement. It is a sliding hitch for final tight quarters maneuverability.
All advise appreciated.
Ivan Vegvary
>I am picking up a used 5th wheel hitch tomorrow. Need to install it onto my
>truck. I have looked at about a dozen installed hitches while shopping for
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>Ivan Vegvary
The manufacturer's site is the best plaice to go for the proper
installation instructions.

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Frank Tabor
RAM³ - 25 Feb 2008 02:02 GMT
>>I am picking up a used 5th wheel hitch tomorrow. Need to install it
>>onto my truck. I have looked at about a dozen installed hitches while
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> The manufacturer's site is the best plaice to go for the proper
> installation instructions.
Sound advice, Frank.
If the Mfg's site and/or the local dealership's service personnel can't
provide the information, the next best source is the hitch manufacturer's
site. There, many have available the instructions for the installation of
the mounting rails with specific placement for various years & models of
vehicles.
Ford and GM usually [note the qualification] call for a placement slightly
forward of the centerline of the rear axis while some models of Dodge RAM
trucks call for a placement squarely over the rear axle.
In any event, the hitch company is passing on the exact specifications of
the vehicle manufacturers in their installation instructions.
>I am picking up a used 5th wheel hitch tomorrow. Need to install it onto my
>truck. I have looked at about a dozen installed hitches while shopping for
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>would like to install it directly on the center line to allow for more
>movement. It is a sliding hitch for final tight quarters maneuverability.
Its a simple lever - you want some weight on the front axle so you
need to place it somewhat ahead of the rear axle, but not much. As
others have advised you can get the mfr recommendation but under no
circumstances would I install it directly over the rear axle, no
matter what the mfr said. When you actually get down to installing it
you will discover that reality gets in the way of the theory anyway.
Little details like fuel lines, brake lines, spring hangers and cross
members will greatly limit where you can actually place the brackets.
In most cases there is a very small range of positions where the
brackets will easily fit against the frame and that will determine the
exact final location of the hitch. My goal would be to have the
centre of the kingpin about 4" ahead of the axle centreline on a
diesel and maybe a little more if you have a gasser.
But that's free advice and worth exactly what you paid for it.
If you want to get really fancy you can do the math. You've got two
lever arms - the distance ahead of the rear axle and the distance
behind the front axle. The ratio between those two arms will
determine how much weight goes on each axle. Assuming you know the
pin weight of the trailer and the current weight on each truck axle
you can make the determination of how much weight you are going to end
up with on each axle.

Signature
R.J.(Bob) Evans
(return address needs alteration to work)
http://travellingwithgeorge.blogspot.com/