Best Fixed Fifth Wheel Hitches

If you want to tow oversized, heavy loads like large trailers or boats with your truck, you will need to install a fifth wheel hitch. Unlike the common ball hitches that you see installed on a lot of vehicles, the fifth wheel can carry significantly higher loads. It provides increased security and stability on long trips.

With a fifth wheel hitch, your trailer and truck fit like two pieces of a puzzle. The trailer extends over the back of your truck. The trailer is free to rotate on the hitch as you corner, just as it would on an ordinary ball hitch.

The ideal hitch placement is somewhere between your pickup’s cab and the rear axle. This is structurally the strongest part of your pickup. So it can safely handle the biggest amount of vertical weight.

As a general rule of thumb hitches with a beefier towing capacity tends to be bulkier that lower rated models. Heavy duty hitches will probably weigh more and be harder to assemble, install and remove.

This might be a problem for people who are not willing to compromise truck bed space. However, most fifth wheel hitches are designed to be straightforward to remove. They are meant for convenient removal and storage when not in use.

• Rankings
• Finding a Fifth Wheel Fixed Hitch That Works for You
• Selection Criteria: How We Ranked the Best Fixed Fifth Wheel Hitches
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Rankings & Reviews

 

How Much can my Truck Haul?

This is the first thing you need to know. The towing capacity of your truck dictates both the type of trailer you can pull, and what fifth wheel hitch you should use.

Being sure of exactly what the weight limits of your truck are will narrow down your options. It will also save you from potential disappointment.

Most manufacturers provide recommended maximum towing weights. Those differ widely from model to model. This number is called the tow rating. It represents the heaviest load your truck can safely tow in that rear view towing mirror.

To calculate the weight of your load, you need to add the gross vehicle weight of your RV with the weight of liquids, cargo and passengers. The stock manufacturer weight of your RV is a lot less than the weight of a fully loaded one. Using just this number can lead to miscalculations.

How much your truck can haul, and how easily, depends on a lot of factors. Engine horsepower, torque, transmission as well as vehicle weight all factor into how well suited your vehicle is for hauling heavy loads.

Luckily, there are a lot of online resources available. They can help you calculate your maximum tow weight with a high degree of accuracy.

All you have to do is enter as much information as you have available. Then, the calculator spits out a reliable number.

You will need to know a few key stats about your tow vehicle. Those include the gross weight rating, gross combination weight and maximum king pin weight rating.

Regarding your fifth wheel trailer, you will need to provide the actual weight of your trailer. You will also need to know the fifth wheel trailer king pin weight.

When you have your maximum towing weight figured out, it is good practice not to go above 90% of this number. This gives you a safety buffer. It also ensures peak performance during high winds or bumpy uneven roads.

What is the Length of Your Truck Bed?

The length of your truck bed will dictate what type of trailer or RV you can haul. It can influence your choice of fifth wheel hitch. If your truck bed is less than six feet long, your truck may not be compatible with a fifth wheel hitch.

A short truck bed can be incompatible with a fifth wheel hitch. The reason for this is that RVs require some clearance between the hitch and truck cab. This becomes very apparent when cornering or performing 90-degree maneuvers.

If your truck bed is not sufficiently long, your trailer can end up hitting into the back of your pickup cab. You will have to do some basic math to figure out whether or not this will be a problem for you.

You will need at least four inches of cab to trailer clearance. That is the case even when the trailer is fully rotated on the truck bed.

If it turns out that your truck bed is too short to support a conventional, stationary fifth wheel hitch, there are workarounds to this problem. Sliding fifth wheel hitches allow the entire hitch and trailer to slide back when maneuvering. That will help you to avoid damage.

This buying guide will focus exclusively on fixed fifth wheel hitches.

Will you be Installing the Fifth Wheel Hitch on Your Own?

Fifth wheel hitches are heavy-duty pieces of equipment. They can weigh quite a lot. Even the lightest models available on the market weigh more than a hundred pounds.

You should enlist the help of a friend or two when mounting your fifth wheel hitch to your truck. If, however, you need this to be a one-man job, using a hoist or forklift can help you get it installed on your own.

How Often Will You Need to Remove Your Fifth Wheel Hitch?

Fifth wheel hitches are quite bulky. As such, they take up a lot of valuable real estate in the back of your pickup. Different models of hitch are designed with different user profiles in mind.

Some drivers will want to keep their RV attached at all times. Therefore, ease of hitch removal and re-installation is not a big concern for them.

On the other hand, casual towers will want to be able to remove their hitch often. They want to use their pickup without any towing equipment.

Lighter hitch models are easiest to remove and reinstall. Several models are designed specifically to be highly portable. If you plan on removing your hitch often, make sure you have enough room to store it in a secure and dry place.

The fifth wheel hitch is not optimal for people who will be towing light weights on an occasional basis, or for those who prefer to have unobstructed truck bed space at all times. Removing a fifth wheel hitch can be arduous if you want to do it on a daily basis.

A custom gooseneck setup is preferable in this scenario. That is because this hitch type mounts underneath your truck bed. There is only an easily removable ball hitch sticking out.

It is easier to remove and takes up a lot less space in your truck bed. However, gooseneck hitches have a lower towing weight and fewer safety features than a fifth wheel hitch.

What is the Distance from Your Truck Bed to Your Trailer King Pin?

The vertical distance between the level of your truck bed to the lowest point of your RV or trailer kingpin will dictate what hitch model you can or cannot use. The easiest way to measure this is to park your truck underneath the overhang of your RV. Use a tape measure to get the exact clearance.

Most fifth wheel hitches have some degree of vertical adjustment options. They vary from 13 to 19 inches. They also differ from model to model.

Some offer more adjustment options than others. Installing a fifth wheel hitch just to find out it does not reach your trailer’s coupling point is an all too common mistake that you can easily avoid.

 

Maximum Towing Capacity

This number is the most important characteristic of every hitch, and it is quite self-explanatory. It  is the maximum amount of weight your hitch can safely pull, without compromising safety or performance.

Hauling weights that exceed the hitch manufacturer’s maximum towing capacity will not only void your warranty but can put you and others in danger. Remember to factor in the fully loaded weight of your trailer, not the stock weight.

Models with a bigger towing capacity tend to be bulkier and pricier than lower rated ones. While it makes sense to opt for a hitch that is close to the towing weight you need, you need to consider whether your towing needs will change in future.

If you plan on upgrading your trailer and going for a heavier model some time in future, it will make sense to go for a model that has a higher towing capacity than you currently need. This way, you will not have to buy another hitch once you get a heavier towed vehicle.

Tongue Weight

Now we know all about maximum towing capacity, it is important to mention and understand one more weight-related specification. While towing weight measures how much vertical weight the hitch can handle, tongue weight measures horizontal weight.

The tongue weight is a measure of the maximum downward weight your hitch can handle. It is called tongue weight because it measures the weight excreted by your trailer tongue on your hitch.

You may find your rig does not sit perfectly horizontal when hitched, and you will have to do some smart weight redistribution inside your trailer or RV to remedy this.

Maximum Tongue Weight

The maximum tongue weight is an important statistic to factor into your choice of hitch adapter. It is the maximum amount of downward force your hitch can handle or put more simply: the maximum amount of weight that can be exerted by the trailer tongue onto your hitch.

This number is important, especially if the weight distribution of your RV is front heavy. The tongue weight is always smaller than the towing capacity, usually falling somewhere between ten and twenty percent of that number.

For the best weight distribution, 60% of the weight should be in front of your truck axle. Correct weight distribution combined with adequate tongue weight will ensure the greatest stability when towing.

If this is not calibrated correctly, your RV and truck might not be perfectly horizontally aligned. If the tongue weight is exceeded, your truck cab will dip and safety will be compromised.

Product weight

Fifth wheel hitches are not lightweight by any stretch of the imagination, but their weights can vary depending on make and model. An extremely heavy hitch will be difficult to maneuver on and off your truck, and can be tricky to store.

Weight is an important factor not only when it comes to ease of installation and removal, but can also effect fuel consumption if you plan to leave it on your vehicle while not towing anything.

 

What is a fifth wheel hitch?

Fifth wheel hitches consists of the base and the head, the head being removable in most modern models. The base is the structure that secures your hitch to your truck bed, usually with bolts. The base is attached either with pre-existing stock holes or by carefully drilling new ones.

The hitch head itself is a large, flat, horseshoe-shaped plate made of heavy duty metal. The purpose of the horseshoe design is to facilitate coupling with the trailer’s king pin.

Once the king pin snaps into place, you are ready to hit the road and start towing. The hitch head rotates horizontally to accommodate turns, and often has some sort of amortization system that buffers bumps and stabilizes your RV or other towing load.

How do I install my fifth wheel hitch?

Unlike the humble ball hitch that simply attaches to your rear bumper, installing a fifth wheel hitch is a bit more complicated and time-consuming. It needs to be done carefully and methodically, as incorrect installation can create an accident waiting to happen.

The first thing you need to do is remove anything that might be covering your truck bed, like a plastic bed liner, as it would wear out over time due to friction from the hitch, and become loose. Spray-on liner, on the other hand, is fine and will not compromise hitch performance.

Once your truck bed is free of obstructions, rails need to be installed to your vehicle. The entire hitch connects to the rails, so you might need to have them professionally installed if you are not sure you can do it correctly.

The next step is to attach the feet, side arms and brackets together and fit the head unit. It is during this phase that you set the desired height of your hitch, depending on the distance to your fifth wheel king pin. Once everything is bolted down, and your hitch is properly lubricated, it is ready for coupling.

How do I attach my trailer?

Once the fifth wheel hitch is attached, the next challenge is to attach your RV, trailer, or anything else you want to tow. This is a delicate maneuver that requires a lot of practice. Just like parallel parking, it can be frustrating and tricky in the beginning, but becomes second nature after a while.

Make sure your trailer is on a level surface and secured with tire chocks and extended lifting jacks. Lower your truck’s tailgate and slowly back up towards your RV. Once you get close to your trailer, you can make a visual check that the heights of your hitch and trailer area aligned.

Once you have confirmed everything is lined up, back the truck slowly up until the vehicles connect. You will hear a click when the hitch jaws snap into place around your RV king pin. The next step is to connect the electronics, so you can control signals and breaks on your towed vehicle.

The next step is to activate the RV emergency brakes and do a pull test by slowly moving your vehicle forward. If you feel the correct amount of resistance, it means everything is hooked up correctly. If your whole rig moves, you should double check your electrical connections.

How do I release my trailer?

Once you have reached your destination, or come back from a long trip, it is time to park and disconnect your trailer. Modern fifth wheel hitches have easy-to-use release systems, so uncoupling will require very little effort on your part.

An important thing to remember is that it is not enough to just park, open your hitch and then just drive away. This can damage your hitch to RV connection because the weight of the RV tongue is still on your hitch, and any motion will cause a lot of unnecessary friction.

You will need to create some distance between your fifth wheel and trailer skid plates. This is a simple task of extending your electric trailer jacks. Never lift more than 1/16th of an inch above your hitch. Once you lift the trailer, remove the safety lynches pin and unlock the jaws using the hitch lever.

Once all this is done, just drive slowly away, and you are successfully unhitched. Coupling and uncoupling a fifth wheel trailer is a relatively straightforward process, but it does require you to be alert and methodical; especially when you are just getting started.

What is the difference between a single and a double jaw hitch?

Simply put, the hitch jaw is a closing, jaw-like mechanism that clamps around your trailer’s king pin and holds the towed vehicle in place.  The single jaw is a one piece locking mechanism and the double jaw utilitizes two jaws when locking the king pin.

Both models have their good and bad sides. Single jaws are in general stronger than double jaws, as they provide a more solid grip. However, they are almost exclusively available on hitches which have a capacity in excess of 25,000 lbs.

You are more than likely to find double jaws on hitches rated between 20 and 40 thousand pounds. They utilize a less effective but simpler mechanism to lock the trailer in place. These are the most common jaw types you will see out on the road.

The third, and weakest, type of jaw is the slide bar jaw, and it is used on hitches rated below a 20,000 lbs. towing weight. As the name suggests, this jaw works by the king pin sliding into the jaw mechanism and falling into place. They are not recommended for longer trips, as they provide inferior grip, and do not perform well on bumpy terrain and rough roads.

How do I maintain my fifth wheel hitch?

Just like any other part of your truck, the fifth wheel hitch requires occasional maintenance. Checking your hitch regularly for signs of fatigue and irregular wear will ensure you catch potential problems early and fix them before they become a liability.

The flat plate of your trailer and your fifth wheel hitch are in constant contact, and slide against each other repeatedly when you are on the road. This makes the connecting points a particular area you should pay attention to. Cleaning the surfaces regularly will stop dirt, dust and stones wearing away at your equipment.

Once you are sure both connecting surfaces are clean, you need to make sure that the connection is well-lubricated. Having the right lubrication and re-applying it as soon as it needs it will prolong the lifespan of both your hitch and your trailer.

What is the difference between a two way and four way pivoting head?

When it comes to hitch performance, flexibility is just as important as strength, and this is made possible with pivoting heads. They let your car and trailer move together, and minimize the amount of structural stress when the rig is moving.

The two-way pivoting head allows your truck and trailer to pivot forward and backward independently, and these hitches are best for smooth roads. The four way pivoting pitch is more expensive but offers significantly better performance, especially on rougher roads.

It is important to note that this only refers to the motion of your truck-trailer coupling. The turning motion of the hitch when cornering is something completely different, and both two and four way hitches have this left to right motion.

How much do fifth wheel hitches cost?

Fifth wheel hitches are heavy duty, industrial pieces of equipment, and as such do not come cheap. On average their prices range anywhere from $500 to the high $3000 range.

The more expensive the hitch, the better their specs and features are. Approach any hitch under $500 with caution, and steer clear from purchasing secondhand hitches as they may have hidden flaws that will cost you dearly in the long run.