What is a 5th Wheel Hitch?

So, you’re thinking about getting out and enjoying some time with your family. You can picture yourself sitting around the campfire with them, under the stars, with your brand-new home on wheels parked a few feet away. But how do you get there? In this blog, we’ll start with the very basics and answer the question: what is a 5th wheel hitch?

5th Wheel Hitches Defined:

The simple definition is, a 5th whee trailerl hitch is a type of heavy-duty trailer hitch used for towing 5th wheel trailers. So what does a 5th wheel hitch look like? If you've never seen one, picture the half-moon-type coupling mechanism you'd find on the back of a semi-truck. There are several styles of 5th wheel hitches, although they share some basic parts. A 5th wheel RV hitch is generally made up of a main body, a mounting platform such as rails or brackets, jaws to attach to the trailer coupling point and a skid plate (picture the semi-truck hitch). Some 5th wheels vary in style and design elements, but they're all made up of these common components, and also require a pin box for your trailer.

It is also worth noting that 5th wheel hitches are designed exclusively to mount in the bed of a pickup truck. This places the trailer's tongue weight directly over or slightly in front of the rear axle. This is unlike the more common receiver hitch, which mounts below the vehicle's rear bumper.

5th wheel trailer hitches are perhaps most commonly used for pulling campers and RVs, and in fact, people often refer to both the trailer and the hitch itself as simply "fifth wheel," "5th wheeler" or "fiver."

Using a 5th wheel hitch for the very first time may seem daunting. But don't worry! It's actually quite simple and a very secure way to haul your trailer. 

A 5th wheel trailer hitch is designed to couple to a kingpin –- the connection point on a 5th wheel travel trailer. The hitch is usually equipped with a set of locking jaws that wrap around the kingpin and allow for rotational movement as the truck and trailer turn. Most 5th wheel RV hitches are also equipped with a pivoting mechanism of some kind, accommodating for fore and aft movement of the trailer.

In other words, as the truck pulls the trailer around corners, over hills and even across bumpy roads, the hitch is designed to pivot and adapt as necessary to ensure a smooth towing experience.

Coupling a 5th wheel trailer to the hitch can require a precise touch. Opening the jaws (or locking bar, depending on the hitch design) with the handle gets it ready to accept the kingpin. Backing up your pickup to the trailer / pin box lets the jaws close around the kingpin. You need to make sure your truck and trailer are lined up correctly, both from side-to-side and up and down. Once the kingpin is fully seated in the head, the handle and jaws can be locked in place.

When you've arrived at your destination and you're ready to remove the trailer, the pull handle is used again to unlock the jaws and release the kingpin. The truck is then free to pull away from the trailer, and you are free to enjoy your campsite!

Here is a list of advantages that 5th wheel trailer hitches offer over other types of hitches and towing methods. We've also provided some disadvantages to help you make the best decision for your towing needs and lifestlye.

Pros

• Smoother, more stable towing compared to gooseneck hitches
• High weight capacity options - up to 30,000 lbs.
• Sliding hitches for short-bed trucks
• Great for RVs and recreation
• Convertible to gooseneck

Cons

• Heavy assembly can be difficult to move
• Relatively more expensive
• Permanent truck bed base rails (if you don’t have a puck system)

Is it starting to sound like a RV 5th wheel hitch is the right fit for you and your crew? If so, you may find that the following lingo handy when shopping and learning more about 5th wheels.

The head of the 5th wheel hitch provides an immediate connection point for the 5th wheel trailer kingpin, being comprised of a 5th wheel hitch plate or skid plate, jaws and pivoting mechanism, as well as a handle for operating the jaws. Typically, a high-quality 5th wheel head is designed to move and articulate with the movements of the trailer to promote a smooth ride.

The pivot mechanism allows the hitch head to articulate with the movement of the trailer.

The jaws hold the kingpin securely in the hitch head. Some 5th wheel hitches use a locking bar instead.

The handle allows you to operate the coupling mechanism, opening or closing the jaws, as well as locking them in place for a secure connection.

The body is the central part of the hitch that provides the structure and foundation for the head and towing connection.

The legs attach the body to the rails, securing the hitch to the bed of the truck. Legs are a fixed mounting option, while a slider is an adaptable mounting option, specifically for short-bed trucks.

Two important considerations when choosing a 5th wheel RV hitch are towing capacity and gross trailer weight. More than likely, your truck is rated for some kind of towing capacity; that is, the maximum amount of weight it can safely tow. Gross 5th wheel trailer weight is the total weight of your travel trailer and its contents when fully loaded.

Any time you tow, you need to make sure that the gross trailer weight does not exceed the weight rating of your truck or any towing component, for that matter. You are always limited to the lowest-rated component in your towing system. This could be your truck, hitch, pin box or some other piece of equipment in the connection.

As such, we recommend buying a hitch (and other components) that meets or exceeds your truck’s towing capacity.

5th wheel hitches come in a variety of designs to suit different towing needs and preferences. The types of 5th wheel hitches listed below are the basic options you can choose for your truck and trailers. Within each category, there are a number of mounting options, but all share the same core design, and it's important to make your hitch work for you.

It’s easy to confuse 5th wheel hitches with gooseneck hitches. By comparison, a 5th wheel hitch is noticeably larger and bulkier in the bed of the truck. It is made up of a head, body and legs, usually mounted on top of rails. A 5th wheel trailer hitch also offers the possibility to remove the hitch to regain use of your truck bed.

In a 5th wheel configuration, the receiver or female end of the connection is on the tow vehicle side, while the attachment point or male end (the kingpin) is on the trailer side. This is opposite for a gooseneck setup.

Perhaps the most common use for 5th wheel trailer hitches is towing campers and RVs. They are also well-known for enhanced stability and a quieter ride over goosenecks.

On the other hand, a gooseneck hitch uses a ball-and-coupler connection. Like a 5th wheel, a gooseneck hitch mounts in the truck bed. However, this type of hitch leaves more room for loading cargo when you aren't actively using the hitch (safety tip: take care if you load gear while using any hitch in your truck bed). Additionally, many gooseneck models allow the ball to be removed or inverted, giving you full use of your truck bed when you're not hauling your trailer.

In a gooseneck setup, the coupler is on the trailer side of the connection, while the coupling point (the ball) is on the tow vehicle side.

Common uses for gooseneck trailer hitches include towing livestock, horse and flatbed trailers.

Several mounting options are available that allow you to install and remove (when necessary) a 5th wheel hitch into any given truck bed. Each is designed for a different configuration, depending on the length of your truck bed, whether you have a short bed truck or long bed truck, a puck system or standard bed, or an existing gooseneck hitch.

The standard option for mounting a 5th wheel trailer hitch is to attach it to the truck using fixed legs. The legs bolt onto the head and then drop into a set of rails that are properly installed in the bed of the truck. The rails are bolted onto the truck frame using brackets underneath the truck bed.

Fixed 5th wheel legs are typically used in long-bed pickup trucks because the longer bed style provides plenty of space for the overhang of the trailer.

The slider hitch is the preferred option for short bed trucks, particularly when making tight turns. Like the fixed mounting option, the slider / roller option also uses rails to anchor the hitch into the truck bed. However, instead of a fixed structure, the slider allows the hitch to move rearward by several inches. This provides more clearance between the trailer overhang and the truck cab, helping to ensure adequate space for tight turning.

A puck system is a more recent development in 5th wheel towing technology. It is a mounting system built into newer pickup trucks from the factory, specifically those with a towing prep package. The puck system kit is comprised of anchoring points to readily accept a 5th wheel RV hitch as well as gooseneck options. 

If your truck is already set up to tow gooseneck trailers (i.e. it has a gooseneck hitch), you can use a gooseneck adapter to covert your hitch to tow 5th wheel trailers. This device drops into the gooseneck hole and provides a set of industry-standard rails that can then accept 5th wheel legs or a slider hitch.

Alternatively, if plan to install permanent 5th wheel rails, you can also use a 5th wheel gooseneck hitch to tow both types of trailers. Similar to the gooseneck adapter, this type of hitch drops your existing platform (in this case 5th wheel rails), and provides a standard gooseneck ball to couple to a gooseneck trailer.

All that to say, whichever type of equipment you're starting with, if you want to tow both 5th wheel and gooseneck trailers, we've got you covered!

The photographs, recommendations and approximations in this post are intended for demonstration purposes only and do not reflect the specifications of any particular hitch, tow vehicle, recreational vehicle or trailer. Always consult the manufacturer’s Owner’s Manual.