Towing a fifth-wheel trailer with a short-bed pickup truck can be problematic because of the lack of clearance between the cab and the trailer in tight turns, which can result in the cab and trailer bumping. A special hitch is typically needed for this type of towing application.
A fifth-wheel trailer is a popular recreational vehicle that is towed using a coupling installed in the bed of a pickup truck. The coupling consists of a coupling pin on the front of the trailer and a horseshoe-shaped coupling device, also known as a fifth wheel, on the back of the truck.
In most cases, a fifth-wheel-hitch pivot point is positioned at the rear axle. A typical fifth-wheel trailer is about 8 feet wide, and a typical short-bed pickup truck is about 40 inches from the axle to the cab. During a turn, when the trailer is swinging to the side, roughly half its width is positioned in front of the pivot point, which means that the trailer will often bump into the cab.
Some manufacturers provide manually adjusted hitches in which the driver must change between the turning position (which provides greater clearance) and a towing position. Other companies offer hitches that automatically adjust during turns.
