My truck;
1985 F-350 4X4 Reg cab chassis with dana 50 F and Dana 61 Rear
429 Power, 4 sp T-18 and np435
1979 ex cab, chopped 5.5 foot box.
38 Gallon fuel tank, extra leaves. Mid tank removed.

Here is my question; i am trying to figure out the best fifth wheel to install, also if it can be moved far enough ahead to distribute weight evenly. I have a 10,000 pound reciever hitch being installed right now....as soon as I figure out how far away from frame it mounts.....if you could measure back of hitch to back of frame difference that would be great.

I have a digital brake controller installed now.....hitch time.

My sole purpose in building this truck was for towing my enclosed work trailer, and car trailer for race car. I have spent quite a few years installing all new parts.

Is there a better fifth wheel hitch to buy?
Would air bags be a worthwhile investment?
I have left the rear diff open for better control on icy highways....good decision?

Looking at Transfer flow external fuel tank for long range distance driving...

Please add any comments/suggestions from your experience. I have lots of ideas, looking for some guidance...thanks.

Truck is purpose built for logging alot of miles pulling heavy trailers for work, driving every day.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-supercab.html.

 

Mount your hitch 3" ahead of the centerline of your rear axle.

 

Let me try to help you some.

First, stay away from the bed mounted hitch (the kind with long arched sides that only bolt to the sheet metal bed) they will destroy your bed.

I have a Reese 20K hitch in mine and have pulled a 10K Wilderness 5th wheel with it extensively until my wife could no longer camp. I started out with a 14K Reese, but found I needed the tilt articulation for a number of places we camped. If I need the bed, the hitch is held to it's mounting rails with 4 1/2" pins through large metal lugs inserted through the rails. Rails have 4 1/2" carriage bolts (grade 5 or 8, I would have to look) 2 of these go to 1/2" thick brackets welded to the frame, the other 2 just serve to stabilize
the rails. The newer installations now add 2 more in the center of each rail.

Withe the chopped box, you will either need one of the slider hitches, or an extended pin box on your trailer (most of the new ones come that way.

Hitch center is supposed to be 1" forward of the rear axle centerline and it works quite well even with my 168" wheelbase.

Air bags, I have a 7400# axle in mine, the 5th wheel will bring the truck down until the factory overload springs just contact the frame pads. I never found a need for them even with the bed loaded with an antique Onan generator and it's 27 gal tank.

External tank, probably a good idea for increased range. You say 429 power, are you using one of the HD 429 engines or an old car engine? It should pull it ok, I started with a 77 F-150 with a Camper special 390, it pulled it fine, just wasn't real happy stopping. My truck got 10 mpg empty or loaded, generally 8.5 mpg with the 5th wheel.

Hope this helps you, if you need more information, let me know

 

I have never had a 5th wheel hitch, but from what I happen to have read, do they make a 5th wheel that slides forward and backward without too much trouble, and was it designed for the shorter beds that come with a lot of the quad cab trucks? I am thinking there is a problem with having the hitch in the proper place for load distribution on the truck, versus the camper or trailer hitting the back of the truck while in tight turns on hills. So they make them that you can slide the hitch back for maneuvering, and slide it forward for going down the road. Is this correct?

 

Dave, you are correct, someone, I believe makes one that will automatically slide once you get a certain angle. The extended pin box helps also as it puts the front of the trailer further away from the cab.

 

With a 5.5 foot bed, you are going to need a slider hitch. I install these things for a living(as well as work on trailers and powersports stuff.) You have pretty wide open choices for the actual mounting, but your cab/bed configuration is going to make hitch selection interesting.