My 5'-6" box on my 2005 SC Lariat is making life difficult in regards to an affordable 5th wheel hitch (unless there is a manufacturer other than Superglide). I've contemplated using an extention plate on the trailers kingpin. Has anyone done this, and if so did it remedy the situation? Would some sort of gooseneck conversion with extentions work better, or be less costly?

 

i recently looked into a 5th wheel to tow with my 05 screw. every place i went said you can't tow a 5th wheel with the short box (none of them mentioned any conversions). honestly, i was just appeasing my wife (she wants a camper, i don't), so i didn't do a ton of research.

 

Look into the Titanium...it's especially built for Screws.

 

Titanium is WAY too heavy for our trucks. Pull-right Superglide is the only hitch I know of made for our trucks. They are very expensive! $3000+rails+installation. THis is the main reason I went with a bumper pull. I bought a 31BH Trail Bay. It is completely loaded out with options and pulls great. It has a large superslide and all the ammenities and upgrades of a higher end unit. It is not an ultra light unit. It actually has a QVW of 9783#. Loaded and ready to camp it comes in right at #8400+/- depending on how long we're gone for. Pics are in my gallery. Titaniums are built for short box trucks.... meaning 6 1/2' beds not 5 1/2'.

 

I used a pin box extension on my Terry fiver back in the 90's & pulled it with a short bed Chevy pickup. Worked fine and I never had any problems. I'd definitely try this $400 solution before dropping $3000+ for a hitch...

 

I'm not a 5th wheel expert but our intention is to upgrade to a 5th wheel possibly next year so I'm doing some research in 5th wheel camping. I'm not familiar with the Titanium or Superglide hitches but Camping World has Reese hitches for short bed trucks for less than $700. I believe the difference is (I think) that the Superglide adjusts, in a jackknife situation, automatically, cheaper units you must manually pull a pin (or something). I'm sure someone out there is more knowledgable than me on this subject but I know it can be done and done for a lot less than $3,000.

 

I found a 16k Superglide for under $1,500. The rails were a little over $600. Add shipping now something over $2,000. If you have to pay someone to install it then you can add that. Not yet $3,000 but there won't be a lot left over from $3,000 for gas.

 

In retrospect I should add before someone takes me to task, a 16k hitch would never be used to its potential in an F-150. I picked that one because the 12k hitch was over $2,000??????

 

RV... That 16K hitch is not designed for a 5 1/2' bed. I already tried that. I called them directly and it will not work in our trucks. All you guys are failing to realize that this is not a short bed truck. It is a shorter than short bed truck. The 12K superglide is designed for our trucks and I wouldn't even attempt to rig something to make it work. The lightest Titanium trailer has an advertised pin weight in excess of 1600#. This is an empty weight with no options, propane, batteries or water. You are looking at well over 1900 when all is said and done. Yes, the shape is designed for a short bed (6 1/2') truck. The weight on the other hand is 250 to 350 range depending on size and floorplan. They have some floorplans that are in the 2300#range! When looking for a hitch tell them that you have a F-150 with the 5 1/2' bed and see what they say for yourself.

 

You’re correct on the "short bed" truck, which is what I thought we were talking about. All hitches that I looked at definitely were not built for the "short, short bed" trucks (or the 5 1/2). Don't know what you do then. I have a supercab with the short bed and I hate it. All of my trucks have been long beds until this one. I would have ordered the longer bed but didn't know the trucks overall length and worried about it fitting in my garage. Some times when I see long bed trucks they look more like the Titanic or a stretch limo, yuck!

 

You're right on the length. I have an over width garage but not over length. I fit in but I only have 2" in the front and 2"in the rear to play with. The 06 was available with the 5 1/2' bed and the 6 1/2' bed. The 6 1/2 would definately not fit in the garage. The only option you have with the 5 1/2' bed is the pullright 12K super slide. It is very expensive and almost all fifth wheels will put the trucks rear axle or GVWR over weight. With my Trailer and WD hitch I am under on all axles and GVWR. Fifth wheels don't have WD hitches so all the weight is on the truck.

 

the4x4freek: You say a 6 1/2 bed will not fit in your garage? You must have a crew cab. I have a supercab with the 6 1/2 bed and it fits fine. I think it's about the same length as my '98 with the regular cab and an 8 foot bed. I pull my truck in so that the garage door just does close. There is a service door in front of my truck and I have room to open it, about 4-5 feet to wall. I park my wife's Escape on the other side so I have room for my workbench and room to move around. I don't know the overall length with an 8 foot bed but I assume it's just 1 1/2 feet longer than the one I have. It would fit but would have to squeeze around it.

 

Question for 4by4freek: How does that bumper pull do over all? What about sway? I know any 5th wheel towing guy will always tell nightmare stories about bumper pulls, and that's why they have a 5th wheel.
Then on the other hand the RV dealer has told me that a bumper pull with a ultra light, and a anti-sway hitch kit will not sway at all? What can you tell me about a 31' bumper pull? Thanks

 

The thing most people don't understand about a bumper pull is that you need a good hitch and it needs to be set up correctly. If not you will not like it! My 31' is actually 33'-4" from tip to tail. It is looooooooooooooong on the road. I have a husky WD hitch with external sway control and I don't have a problem at all. I wouldn't trust pulling in 40 MPH crosswinds but trucks and other rigs don't bother me. I am upgrading to the Equal-i-zer in the spring. It is a nice hitch and has built in sway control. I can tow at 65 comfortably and I have been up to 70 without even realizing it! I do not have an ultralight trailer. This is a full profile 8'wide 12'-3" tall trailer. There are pics in my gallery. It does have a slide and we wouldn't want anything less. It is upgraded from front to back. I do wish I had more power in some hills but for the most part this truck does an outstanding job! I did have to play with adjustments on the hitch on the first few trips. Don't trust the dealer to set up your hitch. HE will not even get it close! I drove 2 miles on the dealer setup and pulled over and changed it...... I had 200 miles to drive home. He had way too much weight on the truck! Tounge weight on the trailer is 980# dry. This is actual weight including propane, batteries, and electric jack. With water in the tank I am over 1200#.I would love to have a 5th wheel but these trucks are not set up for the one I wanted. When the kids get older I will upgrade the entire rig. Probably one piece at a time! Fifth wheels do pull much better and are easier but the bumper pull will give you the most room and options when using a 1/2 ton truck. The smallest fifth wheels will put you at max GVWR and won't have alot of the things you want. For example... most of the 5er's that you could legally tow wouldn't have stand up front bedrooms. They would also be much more cramped inside than a comparable TT.

 

I also pull a 30' TT, going down the road I assume (I do need to check this) I'm pulling about 8,000 or less pounds. My hitch came from Ford and the ball mount, etc. from my RV dealer. I use weight distribution bars but do not have sway bars. A friend uses a sway bar and swears it is a must have. I asked my RV dealer about it and he asked if I had any sway problems and I said no. The trailer tracks behind my truck very well, you don't even know it's there (except up steep hills, take off and stopping). He did not recommend sway bars unless less I had problems because you cannot back up with them. I'm going to upgrade to a 5th wheel and SD next year but my '04 F-150 does a yeoman's job of pulling my TT.