That camper is a travel trailer with a tag front hook up....wont have to worry about "payload", just the weight of the trailer fully loaded, to not exceed 20k gvwr..(truck n trailer)..."blueprint" reading, our trucks are not allowed to exceed 10k of tongue trailer

 

That is most certainly a 5th wheel not a tag

 

This is a ‘conventional’ universal 5th wheel hitch with rails. Mine is on a flatbed, so frame attachments are a little different. Don’t mind that missing fastener, I haven’t towed a 5ver for a few years....

The one I posted a pic of earlier would have brackets that use existing holes in your frame and you’d drill holes through bed similar to what you have now.

Older 5th wheels (1990’s and older) typically do not have as much height from the ground to the part of trailer that goes over the bed of the truck. Newer trucks tend to have higher (from the ground) bedsides.

You want the floor of the trailer to sit ‘level’ while towing to evenly distribute the weight over the axles. Your ‘lifted’ truck may make the front of the trailer sit higher. This causes the trailer to pull uncomfortably and be less stable. It can also cause clearance issues where the bedsides can come in contact with the trailer when going over uneven terrain - damaging truck and trailer. People often give the camper a ‘lift kit’ by flipping the axles under the leaf springs to address this problem. I had to do this to my last 5ver. This pic is from ‘before’ axle flip.





As far as ‘fixing damage from leaks’ in a camper, it’s just seldom worth it. Basically all campers are the cheapest POS’s they could build. Once rotten, it’s pretty much impossible to get rid of that funky, musty/moldy smell. As you start tearing stuff apart to repair damage, you generally find it’s far more extensive than you thought and it’s difficult to ‘draw the line’ where to stop.

 

lol..yup..i see it now, since I blew up the pic

 

The pic of the 5er is good news, since the trailer is covered now. So if there is leakage it is not rotting further.

The similar Jayco Designers I see online are pretty big, like 36 footers. Keep an eye of the weights to make towing stress-free.

How big is the lift on your truck? "Flipping the axle" on the trailer will raise it up to accommodate a moderate lift. You don't want the truck too high for the trailer or the towing geometry gets out of whack.

I still recommend having a new set of rails installed professionally. Keep that part of the adventure simple and safe.

 

I have stock rear blocks on my truck. I think they were the stock f450 blocks or whatever. They are 3.85 inches tall whereas the stock 4x4 blocks on these trucks I believe are 2 inches. So a very mild lift compared to a stock block. I didn't have any blocks in the back whatsoever because I had a two wheel drive but now that I switched to a four-wheel drive I put those blocks in. The front of the truck has a 3-in lift on it. I may just go to a shop and have rails put in but, I'm not sure if you followed my other thread about getting a call to work on somebody else's 7.3 but, I ended up working for him all weekend. I fixed both of his 7.3's, a four-wheeler, a chainsaw, and got a old 1970 Mercury Marquis that would not turn over to start turning over. I also taught him how to fish...... Anyway, he has a fifth wheel and said that he doesn't have a 5er anymore and said I'm welcome to use it as much as I need. He has the rails and the 5th wheel itself. He said I'm welcome to use it even when I'm on my trips. But I still don't like that idea. I don't like borrowing stuff. I want to have my own. I might go to a shop and quote getting that stuff put in. But as the kit already costs 600 plus just for the rails and mounting brackets not including the fifth wheel, it might hurt my feelings to have a shop put it in too. I will see when the time comes. That could still be a year or more down the road. Thanks!

 

You can certainly do it yourself but you'll need some hardware still. If you have a local Fastenal store they'd probably have what you need. They are usually 1/2 inch grade 8 carriage bolts that ship with the rail kits. Zinc washed would be nice but not required and you'll have to figure out the length on them. I'd use a flat washer, split ring washer and nylock nut if they have them. Use a good torque wrench because they have to be torqued properly...not too loose or too tight. Important because these are basically the 4 bolts holding the trailer to the truck.

Here's a hardware kit you can buy as a package...maybe you need those half moon spacers too. Read the directions especially the torque specs.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/35273745390...75.c101224.m-1

 

Keep an out on marketplace and craigslist. I have seen older 5th wheel hitches given away quite a bit

 

If you can do a 4wd swap yourself, you can follow the directions to install a 5th wheel hitch.

I forgot your truck has stock F350 rear blocks and that trailer isn’t as old and ugly as I thought it might be. But, it IS gonna be heavy and quite a production for a single guy to go ‘camping’. Could be a good project to clean up and flip for a more practical camper for you?

 

A young single guy (like Tristan) can get a slide in camper or even just a shell, and be quite comfortable on cross country trips for a few weeks. Add a second guy for a week long hunting trip and it gets cramped, even if you only use it to eat and sleep in. Add a female into the mix and you better have earplugs in the entire trip. They'll let you know every single way it's too small for them, even tho their feet aren't hanging off the bed from the calves down like yours do.

Long trips for weeks at a time with a family of 6 are where 5th wheels shine. For short weekend trips a travel trailer will do ok. TTs are also not nearly as tall, so will get slightly better mpg than a 5th, assuming they weigh the same.

Personally I don't see this as a good first camper for him, best to find out if you even like glamping before dealing with the headache and expenses involved, which increase rapidly with the size of the equipment. But that's just my opinion

 

I understand and agree. When / if I get it, I will flip it. It is a bit big. (I'm not going to say it this time)

Thank you all for your input. All of that being said, there is no point in me getting a fifth wheel anymore. In terms of just moving it once or twice, I have a fifth wheel I can borrow. Thank you all for the help!

 

I thought about it and agree. If I do end up getting it, I will flip it.

 

 

You're getting really bad about giving away my plans before I want to give them out! What am I going to do with you?