If you want to pull a gargantuan RV, a giant travel trailer, or a massive flatbed trailer, your pickup will require a 5th wheel hitch to keep your objectives achievable. Choosing which hitch to get will need careful consideration, so you get the best value for your money.
You may feel overwhelmed about what brand to choose since there is a broad range of options for sale in the market. This material will serve as your guiding light when you go shopping. This way, you can choose among the many 5th wheel hitches and find the best one that fits your needs, lifestyle, truck, trailer, and budget.
Figure Out the Truck’s Critical Numbers
It is good practice to figure out your truck’s towing capacity and gross trailer weight before you buy any hitch. The towing capacity focuses on the weight limit that your pickup truck can tow. It can be usually found in your vehicle manual, and a quick search online will also reveal it.
Gross trailer weight speaks about the weight of the trailer itself when it is hitched and placed on top of the pickup. To get optimal outcomes, you ought to buy 5th wheel hitches that are at par or exceed the towing capacity of your pickup.
Identify the Length of Your Truck Bed
Before you begin shopping, know the exact measurement of your pickup’s bed. The length is a determinant of how much space or clearance your trailer will have when you finally hitch it up on your truck. A longer bed will offer you more clearance when your trailer is hoisted upon it. The short-bed pickup provides the opposite.
After measuring, you can determine what type of fifth hitch trailer you need: the roller or the one with legs. Most long trucks offer ample space for a fixed hitch so that legs will do. However, for short bed trucks, you will need more clearance, especially when you are navigating turns. In this scenario, a roller will do.
Check for a Puck System
The majority of today’s pickup trucks, no matter the brand, will have a puck system that’s built-in with the truck bed. At the heart of the pucks, system is what you call a center gooseneck hole and several anchoring points known as pucks.
If you have this puck system in place, there are certain hitch brands that offer a wide array of mounting options for your 5th wheel hitch. It means you won’t have to drill, put extra hardware, or add more brackets.
Remember to pick the system that matches the brand and year model of your vehicle.
Choose Between Permanent or Removable
If you have an older one, there are chances that there’s a built-in puck system in place. You are left with no recourse but go for the classic method. To anchor 5th wheel hitches, you must first use 5th wheelbase rolls.
Now, these come in permanent or removable. The permanent ones mean they are fixed because of typical mounting points and under the truck bed brackets that hold everything in place. It means you can attach your chosen hitch’s base rolls to your truck frame so it will not move.
In contrast, the removable one allows you to take away your rolls for an unobstructed track view. Your choice will hinge on your needs and preferences.
Select the Style of the Hitch
When you finally figure out what kind of mounting platform your truck needs, you can choose between the many 5th wheel hitches out there. Figure out the specific hitch features and their respective weight capacities.
It is critical to do your due diligence by comparing various brands you like and the hitch models you are considering to buy. For best results, read product reviews. You want something that can last you for a very long time.
Final Word
Buying a 5th wheel hitch will require you to know your pickup truck and its specs. You need to do a bit of research regarding the different hitch brands, along with all the corresponding specifications. If you have friends that own one for their own truck, ask them for advice.
Buying this will take a bit of investment, so you want to make sure you purchase a quality product that will remain durable enough to accommodate your trailering needs for many years to come.
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