Fifth wheel hitch question

I'm currently shopping for a fifth wheel travel trailer, but I'd like to go ahead and install a hitch so I'm ready to go should I find something my wife and I like. But I'm a bit unsure how tall the hitch needs to be.

From what I understand, there is no "standard" fifth wheel pin box height, but 48 inches from ground to pin box is a good starting point. Making a few measurements on my truck and allowing two inches of sag when loaded, I figure I need a hitch that's about 16 inches tall, measured from the bed.

For my 6-1/2 foot bed with the GM factory puck system, I really have only a couple of options:

The <a href="https://www.etrailer.com/multi-product.aspx?pc1=16516&pc2=C16023&hhmake=Chevrolet&hhmodel=Silverado+2500&hhyear=2017&vehicleid=201754285&hunter=5w">Curt E16, with slider and puck mount</a> has a range of 15 to 17 inches. Leaving me with an inch of adjustment up or down from my calculated 16 inches.

The <a href="https://www.etrailer.com/multi-product.aspx?pc1=C16521&pc2=C16023&hhmake=Chevrolet&hhmodel=Silverado+2500&hhyear=2017&vehicleid=201754285&hunter=5w">Curt A16, with slider and puck mount</a> has a range of 17-1/2 to 21-1/2 inches. So, at its lowest setting it's already 1-1/2 inches too high.

Despite the fact it appears to be too tall, I'm inclined to go with the A16. It's a better hitch, and I'd rather be too tall than too low. I'd appreciate any advice anyone has on hitch selection.

6 1/2 ' bed has the camper coming close to the cab corner when turning, unless you have an extender on the camper to put the camper hitch farther forward from the body of the camper.

> 6 1/2' bed has the camper coming close to the cab corner when turning, unless you have an extender on the camper to put the camper hitch farther forward from the body of the camper.

Yes, which is why the slider is needed, adding an inch and a half to the hitch height. If I had an eight foot bed, I wouldn't need the slider and the A16 would be at exactly the right height.

BTW, pretty much all fifth wheels these days have an extended pin box, so there's no interference on a "standard" bed truck except on very sharp turns.

Look into "PULL RITE"hitchs,they are the only Automatic sliders on the market.There is NO latching-unlatching needed on them for sharp turning.

I may wait till I find the camper I want and see what type of offset, height or what ever it has.

Mark,
This doesn't exactly pertain to your question but...
Some years ago I bought a pickup and 24?'
fith wheel TT from an estate.
I had to buy the pair together or not at all.
I sold the trailer off and advertised that it included the hitch. I delivered the trailer then we removed the hitch from my pickup.
Maybe something for you to consider if you are looking at used TTs.

I have always been happy with Curt products.

Mark, 48 inches is the standard for a semi tractor. You might have to revisit the standard for a pick-up.

my 3 different 5th wheel campers all had provision to raise or lower the pin hight to get the camper level

> Look into "PULL RITE"hitchs,they are the only Automatic sliders on the market.There is NO latching-unlatching needed on them for sharp turning.

Yes, I've looked into the PullRite hitches, and they are pretty slick. But they run about double the price of a Curt. The GM puck mount adapter alone is over $400. Add the price of the hitch and capture plate and it comes to over $1500. Even then, I'd be tempted to buy the PullRite if they just published the dimensions of their products. They don't, so I'm not taking the risk that it's even taller than the the Curt A16.

Actually, there is another automatic slider on the market, the Demco Hijacker. I actually like it better than the PullRite, since it doesn't require a capture plate and its height is just about ideal. But I still have trouble convincing myself to spend $1500 on a hitch.

> Maybe something for you to consider if you are looking at used TTs.

Unfortunately, UD, a used hitch isn't really an option. GM just introduced its puck mount system mid-year on the '16 model year. Curt didn't have a slider option for it until a few months ago. So there's not much available on the used market that will fit my '17.

> 48 inches is the standard for a semi tractor. You might have to revisit the standard for a pick-up.

Well, I'm thinking the newer fifth wheel travel trailers may be running even higher than 48 inches, due to height of the beds on late model pickups.

> my 3 different 5th wheel campers all had provision to raise or lower the pin hight to get the camper level

Right. But there are limits to the adjustments on both pin box and hitch. I'm thinking the closer the hitch height to "nominal" (whatever that is), the better.

> I may wait till I find the camper I want and see what type of offset, height or what ever it has.

I should add that we're planning a trip out west in a couple of weeks, sans trailer, and I'd like to be prepared to tow a trailer home should we run across something we like.