5th wheel question

GMP · September 12, 2016

Can you put a 5th wheel in the short bed? 51/2 foot bed 1500 2014 Chevy

Andy Seibel · September 12, 2016

Can you? probly. Should you? probly not.

What do you want to haul with your 1/2 ton truck?

sdeeter19555 · September 12, 2016

I'm not even sure you would have enough clearance to turn with it slid forward?

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GMP · September 12, 2016

Was looking at a 1/2 ton towable 5th wheel camper. I guess they make sliding 5th wheel hitches. The one I was looking at was 1,400 bucks. Think the trailer is a no!

Andy Seibel · September 12, 2016

There's 100 topics about this. You need to very carefully consider the pin weight you would be putting on the truck. Calculate the wet weight of the camper and figure out what your truck can handle.

Even though it can probably be done, and probably has been done, doesn't mean its always a good idea.

Chevor · September 12, 2016

Biggest concern with bed that short would be turning Fifth Wheel into back of cab.

sdeeter19555 · September 12, 2016

There's 100 topics about this. You need to very carefully consider the pin weight you would be putting on the truck. Calculate the wet weight of the camper and figure out what your truck can handle.

Even though it can probably be done, and probably has been done, doesn't mean its always a good idea.

FYI, there are 5th wheels out there that weight less than 5k pounds...I know, I owned one. They are specifically for 1500s and midsized trucks, and have a lower stance...they typically won't work for a 2500/3500 for that reason. That camper had a 450# pin weight and towed like a dream. They are definitely on the small size, mine was classified an 18 foot, with a 6 foot overhang (over the hitch), or 24 foot overall...short and stubby, and not a walk in bunk.

A decent sliding hitch should run less than $750...that's all I have in my Curt slider and frame plates. Etrailer offers free shipping, even on those heavy hitches.

An extended pin would give the radius you need, but still tight...I had to run mine with the hitch slide clear back and the tailgate off to make it successful, I got rid of that for a bumper pull. I have a 6.5 bed...

Get on an RV site and ask for someone that has the setup m you are looking at...see if it is possible, or if it's a bad choice. I'm guessing it would be too tight with that short-short bed...and the majority of the 5vrs are to much pin weight unless you stay small.

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mazboy · September 13, 2016

if you are talking about the 'real' short box, yes you can.

and as for the hitch, i'd just get a reese hitch FIXED. you can get a 15K from craigslist.

as for the turning radius, just talk to the owner about how the nose is and what their experiences are.

i've had a short box fwith a reese fixed hitch on my chevy for years and the only time i screwed up was when i listened to someone other than my wife.

so from what you are describing (light weight), you can do it, and it isn't a problem, and you CAN put the hitch on your 1500. The one i'd want to know is what engine you have in your truck. the big V8 would be the best but the 6.0 liter can work too but????

This is from a chevy guy with years of living and pulling my 5th wheel.

Beaux Duke · September 14, 2016

The hitch mounts directly over the rear axle. Measure the distance from the pin to the tip of the nose of the 5'er. Then measure the distance from the point in the bed directly over the differential to the front of the bed. If the distance from the pin to the tip of the nose is greater then it definitely can't be done. I wouldn't buy unless I had at a minimum 2 feet between the cap and rear window and that will still definitely limit your turn angles. If you do decide to buy then get a slider hitch. Better to have it and not need it... I have a slider and over 15 years I've only needed it 3 times but without it I wasn't getting in the site. Camping can get real expensive real quick.

1500's are nice and can tow quite a bit now days. Things to consider: Brakes, transmission, rear gears, wheel bearings, suspension. I don't recommend air bags. Yes, they will level your rig but they do nothing for bearings or brakes. Your bearings carry the load and inadequate brakes will cause your driver's seat to develop a crease in the middle, maybe even a brown stain. You don't want a 5'er that can push you down the road with your truck brakes locked up.

Read the specs on the rig and your truck and make sure you've got a good match up. Happy trails!

j-ten-ner · September 14, 2016

Can you put a 5th wheel in the short bed? 51/2 foot bed 1500 2014 Chevy

Maybe this could be of interest for you.

They also deliver to the States.

http://escapetrailer.com/trailers/the-5-0-escape/#trailer-tabs3

so long

j-ten-ner

Jon A · September 17, 2016

Things to consider: Brakes, transmission, rear gears, wheel bearings, suspension. I don't recommend air bags. Yes, they will level your rig but they do nothing for bearings or brakes.

Worst advice ever. Of course airbags do nothing for your bearings or brakes. They are suspension parts. What they do for your suspension is improve it dramatically when under load, improving the ride, handling and making the vehicle much safer to drive. They'll provide a very noticeable improvement even with loads that are well within the capabilities of the axle bearings and brakes.

Beaux Duke · September 22, 2016

Worst advice ever. Of course airbags do nothing for your bearings or brakes. They are suspension parts. What they do for your suspension is improve it dramatically when under load, improving the ride, handling and making the vehicle much safer to drive. They'll provide a very noticeable improvement even with loads that are well within the capabilities of the axle bearings and brakes.

I've been trailering for over 20 years and I'm still not an expert but I'll say this. I've never seen anyone add air bags because the truck was being operated within it's designed capabilities and I've seen plenty of bagged trucks. If the rear is sagging and your headlights are shining up in the trees then you're over loaded. Adding bags only eliminates a few symptoms of the overall problem.

I was pro airbags till my son in law took me out back of the chassis and suspension shop he worked for and showed me the pile of blown out air bags they had replaced. Personally I don't want to be driving any vehicle at speed and have a major suspension component fail. Believe me, they do fail. Good luck with yours, I mean that sincerely.

sdeeter19555 · September 25, 2016

I've been trailering for over 20 years and I'm still not an expert but I'll say this. I've never seen anyone add air bags because the truck was being operated within it's designed capabilities and I've seen plenty of bagged trucks. If the rear is sagging and your headlights are shining up in the trees then you're over loaded. Adding bags only eliminates a few symptoms of the overall problem.

I was pro airbags till my son in law took me out back of the chassis and suspension shop he worked for and showed me the pile of blown out air bags they had replaced. Personally I don't want to be driving any vehicle at speed and have a major suspension component fail. Believe me, they do fail. Good luck with yours, I mean that sincerely.

I put 300k on a set of Firestone bags without a single issue...I don't buy the "pile" of blown bags, unless they were some knockoff brand or being used outside of their design parameters (e.g., over inflated or stretched past max length, or being used for effect [a "bagged" truck]). Think of how many OTR trucks utilize airbag suspension, they wouldn't use them if they had "piles" of issues. Almost every issue I ever read about on the light truck forums was caused by faulty installation (i.e., leaking lines, a rip caused by a twisted bag, or someone ripped on from over extending the suspension). The Firestones sold for the light trucks are the same as those used by larger trucks, just a smaller size (I have a set of each at the house).

Some of us don't use them to overload, but even a load within design specs will cause the headlights to be high. Plus, they make for a nicer ride and handling truck. I never had mine over 40psi, with a max rated pressure of 100psi. And again, ran a set for a lot of miles and know a lot of guys who used them for lots of miles without issues. I would have them on this truck, but couldn't justify the cost this time around...the next truck will have them, if I don't buy a dually just because I want one.

They are not as failure prone as you make them out to be...

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Jon A · September 25, 2016

I've never seen anyone add air bags because the truck was being operated within it's designed capabilities and I've seen plenty of bagged trucks.

Maybe you should talk to the owners of all these bagged trucks so you actually understand what you "see." You'll find out they don't empty them any time they're not dramatically overloaded; you'll find out they are very happy with their improvement even when only moderately loaded.

If the rear is sagging and your headlights are shining up in the trees then you're over loaded.

That would be a reasonable statement if we were talking about 3500's, or to a lesser extent 2500's. We're talking about 1500's here. A child sitting on the tailgate "sags the rear" and "points the headlights upward" of a 1/2 ton. Ride and handling of a 1/2 ton is seriously affected when under load long before they're anywhere near "overloaded." Of course a 5th wheel in generally is going to handle much better than a bumper pull of equal size, but even a small one will handle a lot better if the truck has bags or overload springs, etc.

Adding bags only eliminates a few symptoms of the overall problem.

And what exactly do you think the "overall problem" is? If you knew what the problem was you wouldn't be confusing it with symptoms.

The problem is a mismatch between the sprung mass and the ride rate of the suspension. When the mass is dramatically increased without increasing the spring rates, ride and handling will be dramatically changed. HD's come with overly stiff rear springs when empty so that they ride and handle acceptably when loaded. 1/2 ton springs are sized to offer better ride when empty--which means they're more compromised when loaded.

Airbags (or add a leafs, etc) increase the rear spring rate which addresses the root of the problem. Addressing the root of the problem naturally reduces the symptoms of the problem--poor/unsafe ride and handling qualities.

son in law took me out back of the chassis and suspension shop he worked for and showed me the pile of blown out air bags they had replaced. Personally I don't want to be driving any vehicle at speed and have a major suspension component fail. Believe me, they do fail. Good luck with yours, I mean that sincerely.

My uncle's cousin's brother's mother in law who works at a tire shop once showed me a pile of blown tires. Man, I'm never going to drive a vehicle that needs tires! They're not reliable!

As mentioned above, the Firestone airbags used in most of the name brand kits for these vehicles are extremely reliable and only very lightly loaded in this application leaving a huge margin of safety. The only blown ones I've ever heard of failed due to installation issues. You are way more likely to blow a tire--especially P-rated tires that come on a 1/2 ton.

Beaux Duke · September 26, 2016

I put 300k on a set of Firestone bags without a single issue...I don't buy the "pile" of blown bags, unless they were some knockoff brand or being used outside of their design parameters (e.g., over inflated or stretched past max length, or being used for effect [a "bagged" truck]). Think of how many OTR trucks utilize airbag suspension, they wouldn't use them if they had "piles" of issues. Almost every issue I ever read about on the light truck forums was caused by faulty installation (i.e., leaking lines, a rip caused by a twisted bag, or someone ripped on from over extending the suspension). The Firestones sold for the light trucks are the same as those used by larger trucks, just a smaller size (I have a set of each at the house).

Some of us don't use them to overload, but even a load within design specs will cause the headlights to be high. Plus, they make for a nicer ride and handling truck. I never had mine over 40psi, with a max rated pressure of 100psi. And again, ran a set for a lot of miles and know a lot of guys who used them for lots of miles without issues. I would have them on this truck, but couldn't justify the cost this time around...the next truck will have them, if I don't buy a dually just because I want one.

They are not as failure prone as you make them out to be...

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300K you say? Alright, I'll "buy" that. I have no reason to doubt your word.

The fact remains, I saw what I saw. It was a repair shop that specializes in suspension work. I'm puzzled why you would think there wouldn't be piles of discarded parts. I never said I saw mountains nor did I say every truck that had air bags failed. Perhaps if I told you I also saw broken springs you'd feel better? I did by the way.

Some of my reasons for not using bags are exactly what you wrote: Almost every issue I ever read about on the light truck forums was caused by faulty installation (i.e., leaking lines, a rip caused by a twisted bag, or someone ripped on from over extending the suspension)

Plus broken mounting brackets, loose bolts, ozone deterioration, road debris causing rips/tears.

Exactly how failure prone are they? To my knowledge there are no statistics. All I can say is they're not for me regardless if that offends you or not.

They've been around since 1901 so I realize they're not going away.