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Choosing a Fifth Wheel Hitch

May. 26 2023 Accessory Buying Guide By Zabukovic RV

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So you’ve just bought your very first fifth wheel camper. Congratulations! You’ve got many relaxing and comfortable camping adventures ahead of you. However, before you can take your fifth wheel out of the driveway, you’ll need a way to hitch it up to a towing vehicle. The fifth wheel coupling and hitch system is unique and not every hitch will work for every camper. We’ve provided this guide to choosing a fifth wheel hitch to get you on the right track.

How It Works

The fifth wheel hitch is designed to safely anchor your rig to your towing truck’s bed. Ball or gooseneck hitches aren’t designed to handle the weight of a fifth wheel, so they won’t work for this purpose. Also, the specificity of the fifth wheel hitch is designed to provide you, the driver, with better control over your towing set-up while you’re driving.

Your fifth wheel hitch has a tongue that extends over the rear axle of your truck, locking firmly into place in the coupling that is anchored within your truck bed. This is an improvement over the standard bumper-pull hitch common to other trailers. You get the benefits of easier reversing and turning as well as an improved overall towing capacity.

Types of Hitches

Every type of hitch serves the same purpose: it keeps your RV anchored securely to your truck. Each one varies in how much weight it can handle, what features it provides, and how it actually hooks up to your truck. Here are some of the common types you’ll find on the market:

  • 2-way pivot head: a standard option that pivots back and forth to allow your vehicle to travel up a slope or down a hill before your fifth wheel does, which avoids putting pressure on the hitch
  • 4-way pivot head: same as the 2-way, but with the ability to pivot from side to side as well as back and forth, allowing for easier traveling over rough surfaces.
  • Universal rail hitch: usable by any trailer and doesn’t require that you drill holes into your truck bed.
  • Custom rail hitch: similar to the above, but with customized rails to your specific truck model.
  • Single jaw: one grab jaw for ease of connection and a smooth experience. The safest style.
  • Double jaw: twice the power of the single jaw with the same features.

What to Bear In Mind

There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind while you’re determining the right hitch for your needs. First, know the weight of your particular fifth wheel model. Not every hitch is capable of handling a camper’s maximum weight, and you don’t want to exceed that limit. Doing so might damage your fifth wheel or your towing vehicle and it’s also extremely dangerous.

Second, how do you want to install it? If you’re going the self-install route, you’ll want something that’s simple enough to not give you a headache and comes with a kit that contains all the necessary parts. However, if you’re okay with hiring a pro to do the installation, your options are much broader.

Visit Zabukovic RV in Pueblo, CO, to see our full selection of fifth wheels for sale. We proudly serve all those in Colorado City and the Cheyenne Mountain Area in Colorado Springs.