Shorter Pinbox

Has anyone looked for a shorter pinbox or kingpin. I know that these trailers are made to allow a great turning radius with shortbed trucks but that also makes them sit way back when put in a standard mounting position on a long bed truck. It opens up a huge air gap between the cab and the RV that causes a lot of turbulance and extra wind resistance on my truck.

I didn't know if anyone had been able to get an answer on this one. I asked before in another forum but that didn't get the exposure that this one may get.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris;

This doesn't answer the question that you asked, but have you considered a Air Deflector? You might find this interesting.

John

Chris, I wonder how short you could make it. I'd be worried about the rear bumper of the truck hitting the coach in a tight turn. An air deflector or a 1/2 of a cover might be a better idea. Just thinking out loud. Bob

While trying to eliminate some leverage on our upper deck, the factory actually changed out our Trailair with a shorter model that bolted right up to the Lippert 1621 kingpin connection.

We too were concerned about the turning radius, however, it's not been a problem, except that we had to switch to a V-tailgate. We could no longer lower the tailgate when hooking up...only had about an inch clearance on the tailgate and the front of the 5er. Hope this helps

I have actually looked into a wind deflector. I have every intention of getting the Trail-eze II wind deflector but I am looking for a used one. The first thing I am going to have to do to it is cut the bottom off and re-engineer new mounting brackets for it. I have an over the rail tool box in my truck that I want to keep because I really like the box. They mount with 2" square tubing that puts an expansion setup into the stake pocket. I will be cutting the tubing off the bottom and replacing it with 1/4" plate and some gussets to strengthen it back up so I can mount it under my toolbox and use the holes that I have drilled for my box to help hold it down as well.

If I get a wind deflector that mounts to the cab of my truck I feel that I will have the same issue that I currently have with the gap between the cab and the front of the camper. There is a significant gap there.

Here is a picture of me hooked up. http://www.knology.net/~chalbro/images/RV/3.5.08RV%20008.jpg

The gap is quite large.

I just wanted to know if there was another option out there. the bug line on my camper is even with the top of my truck which tells me that I am getting no upward draft helping me out anymore and my camper is taking the brundt of the wind. Windy days knock my fuel mileage down as much as 3mpg and even more one day. I go from 10 to 7mpg when I have windy days because of the wind drag.

The other thing that got me was that I lost two bags of trash that I had stuck in the truck bed one weekend heading home. I was only going 20 miles home and forgot to drop them off on the way out of the CG after I left and both of them swirled out of the bed of the truck. They weren't really light bags either. I was totally taken by surprise because of the amount of swirling wind right between my truck cab and the front of the rig. That was an eye opening weekend.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Keep them coming.

Chris

Chris,

That's a nice looking combo. Looking at your picture, I would measure from the rear bumper to the front of your RV. Then figure how much you would close this space with the standard hitch then calculate what it will be on a tight (88 degree) turn. There may be contact. I have about 1 inch of clearance when I do a tight (jackknife) turn with the long hitch. I couldn't use a standard hitch. Food for thought.

John

I'll have to do that next time I hook up. I should be taking it back to Alabama for Christmas and the month of January so I will measure then. I hadn't thought of that.

I do know that I have been in a greater than 90 degree turn and I had room. I wasn't in that turn on purpose but it got there none the less.

Thanks again.
Chris

Over the last two years I have read on other forums about putting up a wind deflector. The thing I have read is that the deflector does not really help you that much in either deflecting wind or bugs.

I know one thing. I had a 30ft Forest River Wildcat. When I bought my Big Horn I actually got better gas mileage and it pulled easier. You have the same front cap on your Cyclone.

As per things blowing out of the bed of your TV, I have an aluminum ramp for our dog. I have seen it raise up and almost blow out of the back of our TV. I lost a full 3 gallon plastic gas can and an empty 6 gallon plastic gas can. I now tie down anything I store in the bed of my TV, except the folding bicycle.

I had the long Trail Air pin box (LO5) on my landmark. When RV Capital Service and Lippert were working on it I got them to exchange it for the shorter M15) Trail Air pin box. The M15 is 8 3/4" shorter than the LO5. The back bumper clears by about 5 or 6 inches when turning.

How do you know which one is currently on it? Where are the numbers stamped? I have the factory cover over mine and I also have my level mounted on it but I could take those off. That sounds like what I may be looking for.

Both of the Trail air pin boxes had a 1"x1 1/2" tag on the side but I don't know about the standard pin boxes.

I had the long Trail Air pin box (LO5) on my landmark. When RV Capital Service and Lippert were working on it I got them to exchange it for the shorter M15) Trail Air pin box. The M15 is 8 3/4" shorter than the LO5. The back bumper clears by about 5 or 6 inches when turning.

Click to expand...

Did this fit on a Lippert 1621 pattern.

Here's what you're looking for. LOL.

I have the long wheel base Ford box and I beleive the short or standard box has the same distance axle to rear bumper. No way do I want my bumper closer to the wall. When I have to hookup with the truck sideways its imposible to do it without droping the tail gate as it is now.

I park my satelite dish on the pin box and it never gets any flies or wind. The Heartland trailers like mine are very aerodynamic. The front formed like an egg has more chance of being efficient then any air deflector that will push air asside and in return form a big vaccum behind it. I guess it also depends on the towing speeds, my results are at 60MPH with no adnormal problems detected.