pin box clearance

I have 2011 3250TS with 2008 Dodge short bed and B+W hitch. (non sliding)
I have not had problems so far with the clearance between the trailer and truck. But on the last trip the plastic schroud around the lippert pin box hit the side of the truck. If I had continued turning the plastic would have bent in and the metal hitch would have hit the inside of the track bed. Any thoughts on how to raise or lower something to keep the pin box from hitting the truck?
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi Tenderfoot,

You would need to raise the hitch height in the bed of the truck. There should be several holes to raise and lower the fifth wheel plate, then if you had to much clearance or trailer did not set level you could raise the pin box on the trailer.

Jim M
 
Thanks for the reply Jim. I have a question. The 5th wheel hitch set up has been the same way for 2 1/2 years with no problems with the "other" trailer. Could it be the pin box on the Big Country is different or shorter and that is causing the new problem?
 

jimtoo

Moderator
First were you on level ground when this happened? If so, then the pinbox on the Big Country could be longer than what you had. (From where it attaches to trailer and comes forward.) Which would put the back of the pinbox closer to the bed sides when turning. And it could be that it is a deeper pin box than what you had on the SOB. You would just need to look and compare the differences for your self to see where it is.

Jim M
 

rvn4fun

Well-known member
We had to raise our hitch up on our Big Country compared to our rv we traded in. We unhooked our old rv and could not hook up to our new rv without raising our hitch 2 bolt holes. Something must be different on them, just glad we had the 2 bolt holes to move our hitch higher.
 

lwmcguir

Well-known member
Curious to know if your fifth wheel is sitting level when hooked up to your TV? And is it level now that you have raised the hitch?

Our Landmark had about three inches more clearance than our Yellowstone so we went the other way.
 

rvn4fun

Well-known member
We are level now, but we have changed hitches. Our original hitch was a Reese 14k which was too small for our new Big Country. We pulled the new one 22 miles to our winter campground and that was all the farther we pulled it with the old hitch. Since then we have switched to a Airsafe 25 and we will have the capacity and are level now.
 
I was turning 180 degrees in my level yard. I have to flip the camper around to back it in the parking spot. I looked at the B+W hitch in the TV and it is already at the highest adjustment. So I am at a loss on how to get the hitch higher. The clearance between the bed of the truck and the 5th whl is less that what was on the other camper. Even though it is less I still have plenty of safety clearance between the two. Maybe the pin box is what the difference is. Maybe one of the factory tech's could adivse me if they read this post.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
I was turning 180 degrees in my level yard. I have to flip the camper around to back it in the parking spot. I looked at the B+W hitch in the TV and it is already at the highest adjustment. So I am at a loss on how to get the hitch higher. The clearance between the bed of the truck and the 5th whl is less that what was on the other camper. Even though it is less I still have plenty of safety clearance between the two. Maybe the pin box is what the difference is. Maybe one of the factory tech's could adivse me if they read this post.
Tenderfoot, Is the trailer level when parked "Hooked up" or traveling down the road? If it's down in the nose, you can drop the pin down a set of holes. This will give you another 1-1/2 of clearance. Just don't raise it so high that the trailer is nose high when hooked up as this will change the weight on the axles.
 
We have run into the same issue and actuall messed up the gel coat a little what the plastic cover rubbed the side of the bed. I was nowhere near the 88 degree mark so I wasnt watching the pin or the front and did not hear anything until I started forward. Heard a noise and it was too late. Getting it fixed next week and cutting the back of the cover off so I dont have the issues again. It has done it again but now I am watching and didnt allow it to catch coming back around. Riding down the road and sitting on a level lot the rig is level. I was on an angle when it happened the first time but it has happened on level ground as well. Personally I blame myself for not paying more attention (it was the first time I had backed it into the storage bay) but I really thing it is the cover that is the reall problem. I'll let you know after get mine altered if it solves the problem.
 

jimtoo

Moderator
If you guys are talking about the pinbox cover, (the white plastic thing that covers the metal pin box) then just take a saw and trim it down to where it is no lower than the pinbox metal. Before my dealer ever lets anyone leave they turn sharp and trim as necessary so that the cover does not rub on bed sides.

Jim M
 
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