Towing a 5th wheel camper with a 9' flatbed?

[Complete Turf Care]

I am in the process of buying a used 5th wheel camper.

My truck is a Ram 3500 with a 9' flatbed with a gooseneck hitch.

I plan to buy a 5th wheel to gooseneck adapter to mount on the camper.

My concern is whether or not I will have enough clearance between the rear of my flatbed and the camper. Does anyone else have this setup?

Are there any other issues with this setup that I should be concerned with?

 

[Rustyiron]

Have you measured or backed your truck under the hitch to size things up before you get to far along with this purchase?

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Have you measured or backed your truck under the hitch to size things up before you get to far along with this purchase?

No I have not. But I will before I go through with the purchase. I'm hoping that someone here will tell me that there is no problem and that I will be able to pull it just fine. I've been looking at campers for a while, and this one seems to be a pretty good deal, so I hope it works out than I can tow it with my truck.

 

[Rustyiron]

I wish I could tell you, all I know about a camper 5th wheel hitch is they seem shorter, like for a P/U truck and if your hitch is above or ahead of the truck axle, with a 9' bed………
I hope you get an answer and it works out for you.:thumbsup:

 

[oliver1555]

A couple of options that may work for you:

Extend-A-Goose Coupler | Gooseneck Couplers | THE B&W ADVANTAGE

4" Extender | Gooseneck Accessories | THE B&W ADVANTAGE

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Don't they make Gooseneck to 5th Wheel converters that are sliding? (Might maldistribute the load too far back?)

 

[AGRIMAN]

I am in the process of buying a used 5th wheel camper.

My truck is a Ram 3500 with a 9' flatbed with a gooseneck hitch.

I plan to buy a 5th wheel to gooseneck adapter to mount on the camper.

My concern is whether or not I will have enough clearance between the rear of my flatbed and the camper. Does anyone else have this setup?

Are there any other issues with this setup that I should be concerned with?

I converted my 5th wheel over to a gooseneck hitch, which I pull with my F250 short bed. My truck has a lift, so I had the adapter built to compensate for the extra height of the truck. I also had it built with a 9" off set to give me some extra turning room.

It's a well built heavy hitch and works very good. When one of my best friends bought his 5th wheel, I ordered another one for his camper. I will have look back to see which one of the on line hitch companies I used.

 

[gsganzer]

Yes. You can get an offset adapter that will set your trailer further back. I just did this with a gooseneck trailer on a shortbed pickup, so the trailer nose won't hit the cab on tight turns. You have the inverse of my problem, but the same solution applies. My B&W gooseneck adapter is a 10" offset.

 

[Deere Dude]

If the camper isn't to heavy you could put the ball a foot or so in back of the rear axle. Ideally they should be placed just a tad in front of the rear axle for stability purposes which won't work for you in this case.

Having the hitch located a foot rearward and with a heavy trailer could cause steering concerns from a light front end in emergency maneuvers. Your truck may be heavy duty enough for it to not matter though, but that is a guess.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Thanks for all the replies.

I don't think an offset adapter will work. My ball is recessed into the flatbed, and the 'offset' would have to be able to clear the bed. I haven't seen offset adapters designed in such a way that the 'offset' would clear my truck bed.

I just need to get over to the camper and back my truck up under it to see if it fits.
I'll probably 'borrow' an adapter from my trailer dealer and either buy it or return it if it won't work. The adapter is about $500.