Hooking and unhooking of axis

[Gjac]

I currently back my Class A next to the side of my house,and it is tight to back into do to the garage on one side a tree and and sloped ground on the other side. My question is if I switched to a 5th wheel is there a tolerance of how straight the truck to the 5th wheel has to be to hook up and unhook? Also how level does the ground have to be to hook and unhook?

[Gjac]

nickthehunter wrote:
Did you read anything about breaking the back window of your truck by turning to sharp on uneven ground?

Yes, that is why I asked the question originally.

[nickthehunter]

Did you read anything about breaking the back window of your truck by turning to sharp on uneven ground?

[Gjac]

laknox wrote:

Gjac wrote:

troubledwaters wrote:
A fifth wheel reacts a lot more slowly to TV input to begin with. Meaning you have to move a lot farther with the TV to make a direction change to the 5er. Maybe you should look at TT's. You can back them into tight spots quicker and easier with a lot less truck maneuvering to get it there.

I did not know this. My only experience has been towing 18 ft boats off and on for over the years. Never towed a trailer or 5th wheel.

Um, towing a boat =is= towing a trailer. :B Only difference would be length. Now, FWs are a different kettle of fish, but not radically so. After towing one for a while, you'll wonder what all the hoopla was about. :B

Lyle

I guess you are right, when you don't know something and you try to research it there does seem like a lot of "hoopla". Of course there are varying opinions which are normal. I have been reading stuff on here about hitches, SB vs LB's, sliding hitches vs fixed hitches and understand more now than I did a few weeks ago but still concerned about backing into the space that I store my class A in now, which is about 13 ft wide by about 35-40 ft long,next the side of my garage. It is tight with my 33ft Class A. Did not know how hard a short 5th wheel(24-28ft) would be or how long it would take to learn back up. I guess I should have asked a general question first like going from a Class A or C how long did it take you to feel comfortable backing into a camp site?

[Gjac]

TXiceman wrote:
If you are at a 45 degree angle to the truck when you hitch up, how will you get the trailer out? Remember, that when you pull forward, the trailer will cut inside the trucks tracks by quiet a bit.

Sounds like you will be better off finding a storage yard.

Ken

Your post caused me to think about this for a bit. I am not sure what the exact angle would be maybe more like 20-45 degrees. If my garage is on the right side of the 5th wheel after hook up I would have to turn the truck wheels to the left into an unlevel area to get back to my driveway. From what people have said once you are hooked up driving over unlevel ground is not as critical as hooking up on unlevel ground.

[laknox]

Gjac wrote:

troubledwaters wrote:
A fifth wheel reacts a lot more slowly to TV input to begin with. Meaning you have to move a lot farther with the TV to make a direction change to the 5er. Maybe you should look at TT's. You can back them into tight spots quicker and easier with a lot less truck maneuvering to get it there.

I did not know this. My only experience has been towing 18 ft boats off and on for over the years. Never towed a trailer or 5th wheel.

Um, towing a boat =is= towing a trailer. :B Only difference would be length. Now, FWs are a different kettle of fish, but not radically so. After towing one for a while, you'll wonder what all the hoopla was about. :B

Lyle

[JRscooby]

4x4ord wrote:
I have to be very close to straight on when hooking or unhooking my 5th wheel otherwise my open tailgate will hit the front of my trailer. This could be avoided by using an RV type tailgate which allows hooking/unhooking with the tailgate closed.

I watched a guy back until the pinbox was ahead of tailgate, stop, close the gate, adjust the height of trailer, and hook up light cord, then back the rest of the way under. Don't know if he was doing it, but he could of been doing like the old time truckers, holding the trailer brakes so the trailer did not move until he caught it. He did a tug before he got out.

[IdaD]

Gjac wrote:
My concern is when I back it into the driveway to get it next to the house I may be at a 45 degree angle with a slope right where the truck would be. I have been looking at shorter 5th wheels 24-28 ft. I noticed that the ball hitches like the Anderson hitch would seem to allow more movement pivoting around the ball vs the flat disc on the 5th wheel trapped tight by the locking jaws of the more common hitches. Would this type cause less binding on unlevel ground?

A ball hitch, Andersen or otherwise, will definitely allow more pivoting and can connect/disconnect easier at different angles than a standard fifth wheel hitch.

[4x4ord]

I have to be very close to straight on when hooking or unhooking my 5th wheel otherwise my open tailgate will hit the front of my trailer. This could be avoided by using an RV type tailgate which allows hooking/unhooking with the tailgate closed.

[DutchmenSport]

TXiceman wrote:
If you are at a 45 degree angle to the truck when you hitch up, how will you get the trailer out? Remember, that when you pull forward, the trailer will cut inside the trucks tracks by quiet a bit.

Sounds like you will be better off finding a storage yard.

Ken

AND with a 45 degree hitch-up...after you hitch and begin pulling forward, the end of the trailer will swing WAY out there. Actually, pulling forward even a few inches will make the end of the trailer swing profoundly. If obstacles are in the path of the swing, you've just clobbered the end of your trailer. The longer the trailer, the more pronounced the end swing is. I know... mine is 41 feet long and clipped the end twice now.

[Gjac]

troubledwaters wrote:
A fifth wheel reacts a lot more slowly to TV input to begin with. Meaning you have to move a lot farther with the TV to make a direction change to the 5er. Maybe you should look at TT's. You can back them into tight spots quicker and easier with a lot less truck maneuvering to get it there.

I did not know this. My only experience has been towing 18 ft boats off and on for over the years. Never towed a trailer or 5th wheel.

[DReisinger]

Also, some 5th wheel hitches don't pivot side to side, only front to back

[TXiceman]

If you are at a 45 degree angle to the truck when you hitch up, how will you get the trailer out? Remember, that when you pull forward, the trailer will cut inside the trucks tracks by quiet a bit.

Sounds like you will be better off finding a storage yard.

Ken

[troubledwaters]

A fifth wheel reacts a lot more slowly to TV input to begin with. Meaning you have to move a lot farther with the TV to make a direction change to the 5er. Maybe you should look at TT's. You can back them into tight spots quicker and easier with a lot less truck maneuvering to get it there.

[schlep1967]

Gjac wrote:
I currently back my Class A next to the side of my house,and it is tight to back into do to the garage on one side a tree and and sloped ground on the other side. My question is if I switched to a 5th wheel is there a tolerance of how straight the truck to the 5th wheel has to be to hook up and unhook? Also how level does the ground have to be to hook and unhook?

There are three things to keep in mind.

First - Hitch style: If you go with a sliding hitch, and I will reference the Pullrite Superglide since I know it, You need to be within 14 degrees of center. This is because the capture plate on the pin box has a wedge on it positioned right behind the pin.

Second - Trailer height when hooking: With most hitches you can hook up directly from the side or 90 degrees from center if necessary. Having the trailer at the right height is important so you slightly lift the front of the trailer with the hitch/truck when hooking up so you do not put extreme lateral pressure on the legs of the fifth wheel.

Third - Chocking the wheels: This is very important! Quality chocks placed securely under tires, front and back on both sides. This will keep the trailer from spinning sideways when you are trying to get under it.

As for uneven ground, most quality hitches pivot both front to back and left to right. The helps mitigate the uneven ground problems.