RVer switches 5er hitch with positive results
Roger Conley from Reese, Michigan decided to invert his 5th wheel hitch in order to give him more room in the truck bed and make it easier to hook-up. 
He took the idea from the classic goose-neck hitch and improved on it. He took the king pin off the 5th wheel and bolted it into his truck bed. 
Next he took his 5th wheel hitch apart and welded up a goose neck type extension onto it. 
The base plate of the 5er hitch bolts into where the king pin was previously located. He also put reflective take on the hitch which is a great safety feature.
He added a pivot point, a pull release lever, a safety chain and he was in business. You obviously need to be a good welder (or have a welding buddy) in order to make this happen.
Roger says this is a much easier way to hook-up because he doesn't have to get perfect alignment like you do with a goose-neck hitch. 
He made sure he had plenty of clearance between the 5er and the turning radius of the truck. 
I continue to marvel at the innovative ideas RVers bring to the table. Thanks Roger for sharing this idea with us. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing
RVs for sale
Motorhomes, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheels, Truck Campers, Pop ups and much more. See the big selection at NewRVer.com. Click here
He took the idea from the classic goose-neck hitch and improved on it. He took the king pin off the 5th wheel and bolted it into his truck bed. 
Next he took his 5th wheel hitch apart and welded up a goose neck type extension onto it. 
The base plate of the 5er hitch bolts into where the king pin was previously located. He also put reflective take on the hitch which is a great safety feature.
He added a pivot point, a pull release lever, a safety chain and he was in business. You obviously need to be a good welder (or have a welding buddy) in order to make this happen.
Roger says this is a much easier way to hook-up because he doesn't have to get perfect alignment like you do with a goose-neck hitch. 
He made sure he had plenty of clearance between the 5er and the turning radius of the truck. 
I continue to marvel at the innovative ideas RVers bring to the table. Thanks Roger for sharing this idea with us. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVingRVs for saleMotorhomes, Travel Trailers, Fifth Wheels, Truck Campers, Pop ups and much more. See the big selection at NewRVer.com. Click here
Labels: fifth wheel hitch
posted by Jim Twamley at
10:38 PM
8 Comments:
Great idea.....
EXCEPT!!!!
The only way you can disconnect is if you are in perfect alignment with the RV.
With a normal 5th wheel hitch you can disconnect from an angle because the hitch is in the bed and the pin on the RV which allows you to pivot at an angle.
My $.02
By
Lyle B, at 6:40 AM
What is so new... The Holiday rambler bastard hitch was around 20 years ago..
By
Anonymous, at 7:42 AM
It looks like a dangerous arrangement to me. Instead of relying on the body of the shoe to hold on and go down the road safely all that is holding things together is the latch of the shoe. Mr. Conley better hope that the latch is pretty strong; I wonder just how strong it is. Usually the latch only needs to hold tight when backing up. Now, with Mr. Connley's setup the latch needs to hold tight at rock and role interstate speeds. That is dangerous. And, on his safety chains he has quick links which are famous for breaking easily. It's a dangerous setup for the owner and for the folks on the highway that are close to the rig, especially on an uphill twisty pull.
By
David, at 8:18 AM
David you need to rethink your comment. In a normal 5th wheel hitch your are pulling against the latch and braking or backing against the face. Remember, you back into the hitch. All tractor trailers back the pin into the hitch and pull against the latch. The inventor has just reversed the geometry. Otherwise he would have to raise the box above the pin, back over it then lower it to bed level and pull onto the pin.
By
Anonymous, at 10:14 AM
I would agree with anonymous, every fifth wheel made along with every over-the-road tractor trailer rig pulls against the pin. He has just put the pin in the bed where there is more room in the bed when he isn't pulling the trailer.
By
Anonymous, at 10:51 AM
I would agree with anonymous, every fifth wheel made along with every over-the-road tractor trailer rig pulls against the pin. He has just put the pin in the bed where there is more room in the bed when he isn't pulling the trailer, and the same with disconnecting it, it works the same.
By
Anonymous, at 10:53 AM
This type of 5th wheel hitch modification, like the goose neck extensions, significantly changes the loadin go the trailer hitch and could be dangerous. With a normal hitch, the kingpin box is in tension or compression ONLY. With these types of extensions, the kingpin box is also loaded with a moment caused by the length of the extension. You do not know if the kingpin box has been designed with those loads in mind, and may be overloading one or more components.
Don't do it.
By
Anonymous, at 8:22 AM
the bed of my pickup is angled up to the back, which would require the lowering of the 5th wheel every few inches of movement of the truck to hitch the two together.
By
gary, at 8:37 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home