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Flashman
Tucson, Aizona, USA
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Joined: 01/02/2005
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I have a 2017 RAM 3500 SRW short (standard) bed. My Andersen hitch is set up with the pin box adapter putting the 5th wheel closer to the cab. The pin box is over the rear axle.
My question is would I notice a difference in towing if I reversed the adapter and put the trailer further back. I believe I would clear the tailgate and the box sides and it might give me a better turning angle. Trailer is a Genesis 28IKS, 14000 lb loaded max.
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Learjet
Louisiana
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Joined: 02/21/2006
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I would say a few inches you will not notice....from everything I read. I'm sure someone will disagree.
It will not hurt anything to try...see if you like the feel.
2017 Ram Big Horn, DRW Long Box, 4x4, Cummins, Aisin, 3.73
2015 Wildcat 317RL, MoRryde rubber pin box, Titan Disc Brakes, Trojan T105
B&W Ram Companion
Yamaha EF2600c tri-fuel generator
Champion Model 46595- 3000/3500w
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fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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You can speculate until the cows come home, but the only way to know for sure is to just try it and see how it does. Everybody's rig is different, and they don't all act the same.
Howard and Peggy
"Don't Panic"
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Whiskey River
Pittsburgh, Pa
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Be very careful Flashman. I got the Anderson hitch installed when I bought a new 5er last year. I have a regular cab Ram and a standard 8 foot bed. They installed the Anderson hitch wrong. It was installed on the pin with the red pick up facing to the front, that lets the 5er back and when I was backing in to a spot the 5th wheel pin box hit the side of the truck. They had to re do it and turn the red pick up 180 degrees around facing the back. This moves the 5er farther up in the bed of the truck. But when backing, I can now back it in a 90 degree turn and it misses the bed of the truck 3 or 4 inches. So get the instructions and read them and measure your bed. I had never heard of these Anderson hitches and the last thing I was thinking of is the pin box hitting the inside side of the bed of the truck. I have had a Reese hitch for years.
What I don' like is hooking up. Put the tail gate down and back under, then put the tail gate up before backing completely in as it is very close to hitting the 5er unless you are perfectly square with the front of the 5er. I should get the 5th wheel tail gate that you leave up while backing in....
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cummins2014
Utah
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Joined: 02/20/2008
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Flashman wrote:I have a 2017 RAM 3500 SRW short (standard) bed. My Andersen hitch is set up with the pin box adapter putting the 5th wheel closer to the cab. The pin box is over the rear axle.
My question is would I notice a difference in towing if I reversed the adapter and put the trailer further back. I believe I would clear the tailgate and the box sides and it might give me a better turning angle. Trailer is a Genesis 28IKS, 14000 lb loaded max.
I too tow with the adapter putting the fifth wheel closer to the cab with my 2014 Ram 3500 SRW Megacab ,same bed as yours, short bed ,now called standard ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/biggrin.gif "biggrin") As said in a previous post ,it depends on the pin box ,and whether it could make contact with the bed. With my previous fifth wheel with a MorRyde pin box ,same truck, I ran the adapter with it putting the fifth wheel further from the cab, without any issues .
This new fifth wheel I have now has more rounded front corners ,and a lippert pin box. I did have the adapter putting the fifth wheel further from the cab, but just didn't like the distance from the tailgate I was seeing, so I never did tow with it in that position ,I reversed it. That being said , when backing I actually notice I am not any closer to the corners then I was with my previous fifth wheel if anything I am further away . The lippert pin box also sticks further out from the fifth wheel ,then my previous fifth wheel with the MorRyde pin box.
To answer your question on towing ,I never noticed any difference between the two fifth wheels in the different tow positions . If you think you have the clearance on tailgate or box side , I would go for it , it will for sure give you more turning ,and backing clearance . I doubt you will notice any difference in the way it tows . You will be further back by 8" if the adapter is reversed .
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cummins2014
Utah
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Whiskey River wrote:Be very careful Flashman. I got the Anderson hitch installed when I bought a new 5er last year. I have a regular cab Ram and a standard 8 foot bed. They installed the Anderson hitch wrong. It was installed on the pin with the red pick up facing to the front, that lets the 5er back and when I was backing in to a spot the 5th wheel pin box hit the side of the truck. They had to re do it and turn the red pick up 180 degrees around facing the back. This moves the 5er farther up in the bed of the truck. But when backing, I can now back it in a 90 degree turn and it misses the bed of the truck 3 or 4 inches. So get the instructions and read them and measure your bed. I had never heard of these Anderson hitches and the last thing I was thinking of is the pin box hitting the inside side of the bed of the truck. I have had a Reese hitch for years.
What I don' like is hooking up. Put the tail gate down and back under, then put the tail gate up before backing completely in as it is very close to hitting the 5er unless you are perfectly square with the front of the 5er. I should get the 5th wheel tail gate that you leave up while backing in....
I can go in at a bit of an angle when hooking up without worrying about the tailgate, but thats an issue with any hitch, although with a conventional hitch ,most likely you won't over shoot it unless you are way to high , and go right up over the kingpin. Granted with the Andersen you have to clear the ball to line up, and its very possible you can back your tailgate into the front of the fifth wheel.
I can see when backing in ,and I do take it in very careful with the tail gate down, I would have to over shoot the ball by aways. With the tailgate down, and hooked up ,I can squeeze between fifth wheel ,and tailgate.
* This post was
edited 02/17/21 10:35am by cummins2014 *
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Durb
NW
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I was in a campground and visited with the owner of your vintage RAM with the rear window broken out. He was using the Andersen hitch. He originally had the adapter facing rearward but his pin box was biting chunks out of his tailgate. He reversed it and took out his rear window when he was backing tight and dipped into a driveway.
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cummins2014
Utah
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Durb wrote:I was in a campground and visited with the owner of your vintage RAM with the rear window broken out. He was using the Andersen hitch. He originally had the adapter facing rearward but his pin box was biting chunks out of his tailgate. He reversed it and took out his rear window when he was backing tight and dipped into a driveway.
Got a friend that has a newer Ford Superduty ,just got it out of the body shop ,run his fifth wheel into the back of his cab ,and put a big dent in it, he has a slider ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/smile.gif "smile") You can report all you want about the Andersen ,and broken windows ,but it wasn't the Andersen . He did the same thing ,his was backing up, and his truck went into a rut. Ya, it happens ,and has nothing to do with the Andersen .
You might want to mention to your fellow camper that he might be able to trim the corners on the pin box, thats a common problem, and not just with an Andersen . Many have had to do that when they pulled their manual sliders back. I think I would of checked that before I started taking chunks out of my tailgate, have checked clearance on every fifth wheel ,and hitch I have had. Sounds to me like your fellow camper is his own worst enemy ![[emoticon]](http://www.rv.net/sharedcontent/cfb/images/rolleyes.gif "rolleyes")
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garyp4951
TN
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I did the same thing with my B&W slider, the first time I slid it back It destroyed the top plastic piece of my tailgate.
I now have an rv tailgate and no problems.
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Cummins12V98
on the road
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Joined: 06/03/2012
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The woes of short bed trucking.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
37,800# GCVWR "Towing Beast"
"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600
2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable
2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD
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